HALI NEWSLETTER No. 473

[View this email in your browser]( Bruun Rasmussen in Copenhagen, Denmark will hold an auction of 'Antique Carpets and Rugs' on 17 September 2024 at 3pm CEST, and of 'Modern Carpets and Rugs' on 19 September at 4pm CEST. Preview the pieces from 12–15 September. Of the antique carpets, highlights include an exceptional private collection of Persian figural rugs, classic Caucasian pieces, a pair of high-quality Turkish Hereke full silk carpets, and an 18th-century yellow Ningxia dragon carpet. Additionally, there will be a selection of exceptional large vintage decorative carpets from an impressive collection of antiques, art, and design that once adorned the interiors of Danske Bank’s former headquarters at Holmens Kanal. Modern carpet highlights include a wide range of pieces by some of the most popular 20th-century Scandinavian textile designers including a rare 'Finspong' carpet by Barbro Nilsson from AB Märta Måås-Fjetterström, along with several others. For further information, please contact Henrik Schleppegrel, rug and carpet specialist: T: +45 88181145 E: hsc@bruun-rasmussen.dk [View the antique carpets and rugs.]( [View the modern carpets and rugs.]( Taking place at the Saint Louis Art Museum and showcasing exquisite silk garments and decorative pieces from its collection, this exhibition highlights the extent of silk's appeal in Japanese culture. It features works used in imperial ceremonies, theatre and weddings, and is running until 20 October. Image: Hanging with Design of Dragon and Phoenix amidst Waves and Clouds, Japan, late 19th century. Saint Louis Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Alexander B. Pierce 253:1951. This exhibition, running at the Cleveland Museum of Art until 8 December, features two late 19th and early 20th century Diné (Navajo) textiles, as well as a 1920s watercolour by Pueblo artist Oqwa Pi (Abel Sanchez), who played a pivotal role in reclaiming Indigenous cultural representation in Southwest art. Image: Hubbell Revival-style Rug with Moki (Moqui) Stripes, Native North America, Southwest, Diné (Navajo), c. 1890–1910. Cleveland Museum of Art, 1917.62. Schuler Auktionen in Zürich, Switzerland is holding a major auction of rugs and carpets, including fine silks, important and rare Persian and Caucasian pieces, as well as tribal rugs. Auction previews will take place from 6–10 September and the auction itself will take place on 13 September at 3pm CET, 2pm BST. [View the online catalogue.]( The New England Rug Society is launching their 5th season of rug and textile webinars. On 7 September at 6pm BST professor Walter Denny will present a longer version of his keynote address at the recent International Conference on Oriental Carpets in Istanbul. 'What’s Next? New Frontiers in Carpet Studies' will expand on Walter’s provocative and engaging ICOC keynote address, looking at the future of carpet studies, and noting that, unlike other areas of art history, our current knowledge of more recent carpets is primarily founded on, and continues to be furthered by, information from the marketplace. If you are a professional buyer of rugs and carpets, it's your last chance to register for COVER Connect New York! The boutique show for leading high-end rug brands is returning to Manhattan next week, 14–16 September 2024. Hosted by HALI's sister publication, COVER magazine, the fourth edition of the show will host forty-five dynamic companies, displaying outstanding contemporary, transitional and traditional rugs. New exhibitors for 2024 include Lila Valadan, Momeni, Bespoke Tibetan Carpets, Izza Berber, Akhavan Farshtchi and S&H Rugs. A collection of textiles from Bhutan, Nepal and Tibet are included in the forthcoming sale of 'Arts of Africa, Oceania and the Americas' at Woolley and Wallis in Salisbury, England, taking place on 17 and 18 September. The sale will include a selection of dresses, robes, aprons, blankets, tunics, belts and sashes, both ceremonial and everyday, which highlight the rich traditional weaving of these areas. Also in the sale is a collection of Nigerian and Ghanaian textiles from the estate of the artist Tom Phillips (1937–2022). [View the online catalogue.]( The current segment of [#RugFactFriday]( uses the HALI archive to look at dating rugs and all the problems that come with it. An article from our most recent issue, [HALI 220]( poses the question: how old is a Tibetan rug? It’s a question that has perplexed connoisseurs and researchers for a long time. Through submitting the largest selection yet to radiocarbon dating, Felix Elwert seeks answers regarding a significant number of 15th- to 17th-century examples. Elwert begins by explaining that Tibetan rugs are notoriously difficult to date for several reasons. Unlike rugs from other regions, 'Tibetan rugs exhibit no datable design discontinuities' before the 20th century. Additionally, 'literary references and visual representations' are scarce, and 'surviving local inventories do not record rugs.' Western documentation of these rugs only begins in the late 19th century. As a result, most experts categorise them broadly as either pre- or post-1900, assigning older, nonfigurative, and naturally dyed examples to the 19th century. However, distinguishing between 19th-century and earlier rugs remains 'exceedingly difficult' due to the limited surviving examples. Fellow collector Rudi Molacek and Elwert submitted sixteen Tibetan rugs from their collections for radiocarbon dating, and Elwert delves into the ensuing findings throughout the article. He ultimately discovers that seven were determined to originate from the 15th–17th centuries, a fact which goes 'against the conventional practice of assigning all evidently antique Tibetan rugs to the 19th century'. Elwert determines that this study therefore 'contributes to filling the gap in the historical record'. He concludes with: 'While age may not matter much for appreciating rugs as art, it matters for art history and for understanding the evolution of Tibetan weaving and its connections to other artistic traditions. For connoisseurs, confirmed age delivers the delights of a palpable past.' Read the full article to discover how the rugs were categorised into specific groups following the results of the study. The article can be accessed by purchasing a copy of HALI 220, or with a digital subscription, which occurs automatically with a normal subscription to the magazine, or which can be bought separately. Image: Throne seat (triden), Lhokha province, Tibet, 15th–17th century. Felix Elwert Collection. [Subscribe to HALI.]( [Get a digital subscription to HALI.]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Website]( [LinkedIn]( Copyright © 2023 Hali Publications, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: HALI Publications 6 Sylvester Path London, Hackney E8 1EN United Kingdom Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. This email was sent to {EMAIL} [why did I get this?]( [unsubscribe from this list]( [update subscription preferences]( Hali Publications Ltd · 6 Sylvester Path · London, England E8 1EN · United Kingdom