A WEST PERSIAN SILK RUG |

with an inscription panel, the inscription reading:  hasb al-amr-e navvab-e mustatab-e ashraf-e vala na’ib al-saltanah‘By the order of the Highness, the Gracious, the Noble, the Exalted, the Vice-regent (Na’ib al-Saltanah)'‘amal-e nawruz saruqi fi 1205‘The work of Nawruz Saruqi in 1205 (1790-91)’

Possibly Kathinka von Heeg (c.1819-1897), Schloss Altenweiher
Konstantin Dorfner (1866-1901), Schloss Altenweiher
Thence by descent

Colour: the colour in the printed catalogue is slightly too dark: the field is a beautiful strong, clear yellow in reality. Pile: the piece is in absolutely remarkable condition, particularly considering that it is 228-9 years old; the silk is lustrous and glossy, with dense, even pile overall, almost 2 mm in depth, with flexible, floppy handle and is beautifully woven. There is some lighter abrash in the putty colour of the border at the upper end of the rug (visible in the illustration). There is a really minute amount of oxidisation (a few knots only) in the light beige flowerhead on the top right immediately beneath the right hand bird. There may be a minute repair in the upper top right hand corner of the red area of the medallion - the tension feels slightly different on the back but there is nothing visible on the front. There is some localised surface dirt in the lower tip of the medallion. There is a very short length of loose thread from the side cords on the lower right and a section of re-overcast sidecord on the left approximately 7 cm in length. There are very slight losses to the fringes as visible in the illustration. There is old herringbone tape stitched to the reverse along the left hand side, which has been used to support the rug whilst hanging. The piece does not appear to have ever been used on the floor. Overall the condition of this piece is outstandingly good; a fabulous and unique object, with a extremely important inscription and date.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Baba Khan (later Fath-‘ali Shah) was nominated as the heir and vice-regent by Agha Muhammad Khan Qajar after his accession to the throne in 1200 (1786), see Encyclopaedia Iranica, (http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/fath-ali-shah-qajar-2). Bamdad references Baba Khan being nominated as a Na’ib al-saltanah and notes historians have suggested various dates for exactly when he was nominated, as there is no recorded seal of Baba Khan as a na’ib al-saltanah.  Perhaps the impetus for commissioning this splendid and finely woven carpet was that nomination. On an intense golden yellow field is a lobed medallion enclosing an ivory strapwork cartouche with madder infill that encloses a pair of mirrored stylised crowns.  Three plane vine scrollwork is used to decorate the medallion, with the tan scrolls terminating in the mythical animal and bird heads of the Vaq-Vaq tree and enclosing flower sprays and floral vines.  The field itself is filled with a variety of motifs familiar from 17th century classical carpets: lyre palmettes, sickle leaves, rosettes and small vases of flowers. The spandrels are indicated with red vine scroll interlace, terminating in further mythical animals and attenuated peacocks.  The sand coloured border encloses cartouches formed of hooked stems entwined with flowering vines.

The Vaq or talking tree in Turkic legend was a tree with fruits resembling human or animal heads,  which talked with one another: “Vaq-vaq.” As an ornamental motif it appears in the decorative arts of the Middle East from medieval times, often as decoration in miniatures, it is also seen in stonework, metalwork, embroideries and in carpets.  Further discussion and examples can be found it Kerimov, Lyatif and Tagieva, Roya, Vaq-Vaq, Hali 6/1, Spring 1983, pp.36-37.

In the 19th century, the Vaq-Vaq tree is found as the primary motif in a group of silk rugs normally ascribed to Heriz. On first acquaintance, Heriz would seem the most likely place of manufacture for this rug too, were it not for the inscription ‘The work of Nawruz Saruqi’.  Did the weaver or the artist come from Saruq and was the rug made there or further north in the Heriz area? Piled wtih glossy, luscious silk and with a flexible handle, this piece has 8 knots per/cm vertically and 7 knots per/cm horizontally.

Dated silk rugs are rare: one of the best known, the Ritman Burns silk rug is illustrated Frontlines Masterpiece, Hali 168, Summer 2011, p.33.  It has three dates (1213 (1798/99); 1216 (1801/02); 1238 (1822/23). A silk rug, possibly Kirman and dated 1210 or 1219 (1795 or 1804) is illustrated in Shaffer, D., Joining up the dots, Hali 198, Winter 2018, p.62.  Not only is the present rug highly important for the rarity and content of its inscription, ordered for the vice-regent Baba Khan, the future king, Fath-’ali Shah, it also appears to be the earliest dated post-classical silk rug known to date.

EMBARGO ON IMPORTATION OF PERSIAN/IRANIAN WORKS OF ART TO THE U.S.A
Please note that there may be restrictions on importing certain types of property of Persian/Iranian origin into the United States. Clients should enquire with the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) regarding the proper importation of items subject to such restrictions. Due to recent changes in U.S. law, carpets and rugs of Iranian/Persian origin may no longer be imported into the U.S. Please contact Sotheby's if you are uncertain as to whether a lot is subject to these or any other restrictions or if you need assistance with such enquiries.