Some arabesque design rugs

A rug sold at Rippon Boswell`s on 24 November 2012(Lot 196)did cause the otherwise stalwart team of reporters at Hali`s Auction Price Guide some headaches.

1-RB

2-Hali 175-138

It had been published by Jack Cassin in his 1990 publication,"Kelim,Soumak,Carpet and Cloth",plate 7.

The same border was used on a Kuba runner sold at Finarte`s on 15 November 1986,and reviewed by Hali in issue 34,page 83.

3-Finarte

4-Hali 34-83

The suggestion that the Cassin border/Finarte field relates  to a group of three older arabesque rugs is not shared by the author.The most developed of the three carpets,in the MET,is obviously a crudely re-drawn Lotto design.

5-Metropolitan Museum of Art-wb-08-208

6-Chris Alexander 7

7-SOT 9 Plate 35

The above having sold at Skinners on 16 December 1986(Lot 115) for $15,400.