One rugs only auction and several general auctions which included large numbers of rug lots have been held during the fall. Prices and interest remain keen and so it is expected that the December auctions, on which we will report in our February/March issue, should be quite strong.
Sotheby's September 28th Arcade rug sale included 216 lots. Attendance was rather light but sales were better than average, with 75% sold for a total of $750,000. The European presence was strong, but we were struck particularly by a South American dealer who seemed to have bought about 15% of the total lots sold. In general, those who bought got very good buys in this sale.
We wondered why some of the pieces were not held for the main rug auction in December, for example, Lot 23, a Caucasian/Anatolian jajim which sold for $3,000 (est. $2,000-2,500); Lot 62, an all-over boteh Tabriz, sold for $2,800 (est. $1,500-2,500); or a Serab runner, Lot 106, sold for $3,500 (est. $2,000-2,500). On the other hand, our catalog comments (marginal notes) describe a high percentage of pieces as boring, dull, synthetic, freak, vulgar, kitsch, or ugly.
A group of soumak bagfaces, Lots 13-18, did stand out as a surprise as only one of these lots sold. The estimates were not out of line for these pieces, and Lot 18 sold for $2,000 (est. $1,200-1,800), and also included two Baluch pile bag faces, one of which was exceptionally nice. Were the buyers for soumak bag faces simply not there?
In contrast, Lot 35, a small Kazak rug, 5'x3', in excellent condition, was estimated at $1,500-2,000 and sold for $9,000. We thought this was an exceptional piece with its brilliant tomato red and luscious abrashed sea green field. Although unusual, it was not at all freakish. The house obviously did not think this rug was beautiful - it was not even pictured in the catalog - but there were several bidders present who did. At the conclusion of this sale, we admittedly were puzzled by what we had experienced. Some wonderful pieces went at very reasonable prices, some dogs sold for outrageous money, and some pieces which should have sold didn't.
On September 17, Sotheby's auctioned the bulk of the rugs from the Boone estate. The contents of this estate were given to Johns Hopkins University to benefit its endowment; therefore, the aim was to convert contents to cash. When we heard that all 61 rug lots sold, we assumed there were no reserves; but that was not the case. This was not a give-away- sale.
An interesting mix of rugs, it included a large number of truly antique Chinese rugs and a typicat mix of Middle Eastern rugs. It is our understanding that the Chinese rugs were used in the home in the summer, while the others were used the rest of the year. The oldest of these, which were worn the most, sold mainly to European dealers, but in most cases they sold within or above the high estimate, e.g. Lot 896 for $2,500 (est. $1,500-2,000) and Lot 908 for $1,800 (est. $1,500- 2,000). More decorative pieces and those in better condition went to American privates well above their estimates. Lot 912 sold for $7,000 (est. $3,000-4,000); Lot 950, a five dragon type with an apricot field, 15'5"xll'3", brought $28,000 (est. $4,000-6,000).
Most of the Persian pieces did well, too. Lot 934, a beautiful, large (11'4"x6'4"), boteh Afshar, went to a U.S. collector for $7,000 (est. $1,500-2,500). Lot 940, a 19th century Karaja runner, 15'7"x3'3", made $5,000 (est. $2,500- 3,500). A Feraghan carpet, 20'xll'9", made $12,000 (est: $7,000-9,000). A 12-gul-per-row Tekke main carpet with restorations and condition problems but with a rare floral skirt pattern was gavelled in at $9,500 (est. $3,000-4,000).
The auction of goods from a private collector, widely reported in the press as the Von Bulow estate, contained 10 lots. A Pontremoli English needlepoint from the 1920s, 38'5"xI4'8", sold for $190,000; an Axminster went for $44,000; and a Heriz, cut and reduced down the center, closed at $37,500 to the New York trade. Do they plan to reweave the missing section?
Sloan & Company in Washington, D.C., had a large group of mainly 20th century rugs in their September 18th sale. There were two rugs of 19th century weave in which we were interested, and here too the prices were very good. Lot 2238, a Qashqa'i (probably Khamseh), 7'4"x4'10", with good bold color and drawing, made $3,250 (est. $2,500-3,000), a very good buy in our estimation. Lot 2221, a Gerus Bijar, 18'11"xI2'2", had a small, all-over repeat of this design, great color, and a well-balanced and complimentary main border design, something not always true with this type of rug. At $21,000 (est. $15,000-25,000) it was a bargain.
Christie's had several general sales, the best for rugs being the Kranzler estate on November 2. Of the 44 rug lots, all but one sold. A fairly standard 1930s Heriz, Lot 784, 9'8"x7'2", went for $4,800 (est. $2,500-3,500). Lot 748, an unusual Qashqa'i bag face, made $1,300 (est. $500-700). What appeared in a black-and-white photo to be a quaint Baluch Tree of Life prayer rug only made $420 (est. $500- 700). The complete Afshar donkeybags from the deMille estate, mentioned in our last issue, sold for $1,500.
In all of these auctions there were lots of European rugs - Aubusson, Savonnerie, needlepoint - which continue to exhibit great strength in the decorative market. However, these are usually floral, architectural, or pastoral patterns and not those with heroic or religious themes. Michael Grogan had several of these in his October 29th sale. The hammer price for a Brussels tapestry was $11,000 and $10,500 for a 6'x9' continental needlepoint.
It also seems that tribal main carpets are getting more play. Several Tekke, Ersari, and Yomud carpets sold at levels above estimate, but in most cases they were in very good condition and a type that people would be using decoratively rather than as collection pieces. The major auction houses are well stocked for the winter auctions, and it will be interestin~ to see if any new trends emerge.
