HALI NEWSLETTER No. 481

[View this email in your browser]( Wannenes is hosting its online 'Antique Carpets and Fabrics' auction on 5 November, offering 96 carpets, tapestries, and antique fabrics. The lots can be viewed by appointment, and further information can be requested via email. Among the lots is a tapestry from Brussels (lot 45), circa 1560, attributed to Michel Coxcie. Made using wool and silk, it depicts the battle between Cyrus the Great and Spargapise (estimate €30–40,000). An intriguing Zilou mat (lot 58) from the 6th–7th century BC, originates from the Yazd region of Persia (estimate €8–10,000). Created using high-quality cotton fibres, this type of kilim would have appeared in mosques and households. The auction also features a rare 'Piccolo Punto' Art Deco carpet (lot 48), part of a limited collection by Teddy Sumner, displaying geometric patterns and innovative uses of natural dyes (estimated €4,500–5,500); Plus, a Chinese carpet from Beijing (lot 36), with a central medallion and emblems of good fortune (estimate €9–12,0000). The auction offers a unique opportunity for collectors and enthusiasts to discover textile artworks of significance. To access the online auction, please visit the [Wannenes]( website. The MITA Cultural Centre, Italy, currently exhibits ‘Transylvanian Turks’—Anatolian carpets discovered in the churches of Romania. Until 10 November, the exhibition highlights 36 significant 'Transylvanian' carpets and explores their rich culture, as well as the stories of how they came to be. For more information, visit [Fondazione Tassara.]( Image: 'Turchi di Transilvania', MITA The Victoria and Albert Museum, London, hosts ‘Hazara Dress and Embroidery from Afghanistan’ until 24 July 2025. The exhibition highlights the skills of Hazara textile artists, and celebrates the sense of community they find through dressmaking and embroidery. For more details, visit the [Victoria and Albert Museum.]( Image: The Victoria and Albert Museum For this week's [#RugFactFriday]( we continue our exploration of ‘Polonaise’ rugs. Last week's sale of an impressive silk Safavid ‘Polonaise’ carpet at Christie’s London auction triggered us to revisit the Doris Duke 'proto-Polonaise’ silk rug which sold for a then record-breaking $4.4 million in a Christie’s New York auction on 3 June 2008. In HALI 212, Elisabeth Parker reflects on her time at Christie’s New York and her memories of the piece, which she describes as her ‘all-time favourite carpet’. What makes this ‘Polonaise’ so memorable? Parker recalls her visit to Rough Point, the American socialite Doris Duke’s Newport home, where she was astounded by the ‘range and breadth of the carpet collection she amassed’ and by ‘her authentic and insatiable appreciation of Persian art’. The significance of the ‘Polonaise’ for Duke is emphasised; ‘she would keep it rolled up beneath her bed when she wasn’t in residence. After closing her purple silk curtains in her bedroom, she would unfurl this exquisite rug so that it was the first and last thing she stepped on when getting in and out of her four-poster bed’. ‘Age, high-quality materials, finesse of weave, exquisite design, harmonious color and interesting provenance’ all contribute to its value. 'Woven during the reign of Shah Abbas I (1587–1629), the rug encapsulates the apex of Safavid weaving. The fine quality and expert execution suggest an earlier date than almost all of the Esfahan ‘Polonaises’. The full article can be accessed with a digital subscription to HALI, which occurs automatically with a normal [subscription]( to the magazine, or which can be bought separately. Image: The Doris Duke, ‘proto-Polonaise’ silk rug, Persia, late 16th century. Christie’s New York, 2008 [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