Anatolia, the western region of Turkey, has a long-standing rug-weaving tradition, dating at least as far back as the 13th Century. As the explorer Marco Polo once wrote, ‘Here they make the most beautiful silks and carpets, and in the most beautiful colours.’ It is these carpets, among the first to reach the European market in the Early Modern era, that can be spotted in many of the paintings of the Old Masters, including those of Holbein, Vermeer, and Reubens.

This unusual c. 1900 example, despite being a Turkish weave, showcases creative design characteristics borrowed from early 19th Century Sarab carpets from neighbouring Persia, with a wonderful all-over drawing in lustrous wool (either Merino, or something of a similar category) – an elegant, well-balanced composition, with a variety of vegetable-dyed colours including cornflower blue, light terracotta, and pale greens, over an ivory ground, framed by a wide, decorative border.

Retained in very good practical condition for everyday use, still preserving its plain outer borders on all sides – its organic dyes have taken on a characterful patina with age.

A striking and unusual example of its type, to suit a wide variety of interiors.