antique art carpets - claremont rug company...at both claremont rug company and claremont ii...

V o l u m e 2 3 , N u m b e r 3

A N T I Q U E A RT C A R P E T S f o r t h e

Gracious Home Collection

COVER: Ferahan Sarouk, 11ft. 4in. x 14ft. 7in., circa 1875. An art-level room size carpet is a woven canvas that one can walk across and become enveloped within its splendor. This 140-year-old masterwork offers much to enjoy, from the continual nuance of its myriad flowering plants to its endless shifts of color. (Visit claremontrug.com for a complete description of this superbly preserved masterwork and of all the rugs presented here.)

A spectacular oversize Sultanabad carpet (circa 1850) unifies and adds visual depth to the living room of this Hamptons home. DESIGN: Bradley Thiergartner Interiors, New York, NY.

Antique Art CarpetsDiscover The World of

F

Our clients often tell us that our rugs are distinct from those

they have seen at people’s homes or at other sources.

They are more compelling and beautiful. Why is this?

or 31 years, we have specialized in the most inspired, hard-to-find antique Oriental

rugs, pieces we can comfortably call “art-level.” These are singular carpets that either

infuse new life into time-honored designs or are profound departures from those

traditions altogether. All feature palettes that demonstrate a painter’s sensitivity, often

with seldom-encountered, nuanced hues.

We seek out those carpets that exemplify the artistic principles of balance and harmony. Even within

complex patterns and myriad color shifts, all of the elements work in unity. As a result, they are more

harmonious with the home environment and infinitely more satisfying to live with. As one client put

it, “Your rugs have become part of our family.”

We are often asked how we are able to offer an inventory consisting exclusively of rugs that are of

this caliber. The members of our buying team are all seasoned connoisseurs who maintain long-

term relationships with our worldwide network of collecting families. When noteworthy pieces or

collections become available, we are the first to have access.

Yet, a great product is not complete without the support of first-cabin service. I work personally with

many clients and our sales consultants are dedicated professionals who have been with me for 15 to

30 years. We are extremely astute at assessing individual needs and interests, and will quickly provide

appropriate digital images or photos from our vast collection. Rugs of interest can be shipped on

approval usually within two days. And should you ever wish to trade or upgrade, you have the great

flexibility of our long-term full exchange policy.

As well as providing visual delight in our clients’ homes, our art-level rugs are precious tangible assets,

a time-tested means of wealth preservation. To see infinitely more than this brochure can offer, I invite

you to log on to our website — www.claremontrug.com — home to 900 stellar rugs from our world-

class inventory. Or visit our gracious, San Francisco-area gallery, where we will guide you to discover

which of these extraordinary weavings best complement your home and satisfy your sensitivities.

Very best wishes,

Jan David Winitz, Founder and President Carpet: Bakshaish “Tree of Life”, circa 1825.

Call: 1.800.441.1332 1

We have always offered an extensive collection of superb quality 19th century Serapis because of their majestic ambiance and great compatibility with both formal and casual decors. With its seldom-encountered soft earth tone palette and elemental, spacious design, this enrapturing early piece presents an aesthetic that is surprisingly contemporary. Its extremely good condition will allow it to be enjoyed on the floor for another generation or more.

Serapi | 9ft. x 11ft. 11in., 3rd quarter, 19th century

2 www.claremontrug.com

Explore Our World-Class Collect ion

at www.claremontrug.com

A rapidly growing number of clients furnish their homes directly from our 900-piece online selection, exemplary of our collection of 4,000 antique carpets. Each rug in the GALLERY can be viewed in crystal-clear, screen-size images that can be enlarged to see every detail. All are accompanied by informative texts.

We believe you will love our user-friendly Wish List feature, designed to allow you to save dedicated lists of your rugs for one room or an entire home and return to later on. You can also save your notes about specific rugs and view thumbnails of up to 12 choices at a time to review and prioritize candidates. You can also email your Wish Lists to anyone you choose.

Much faster than before, our easy-to-navigate website is an invaluable tool to gain access to our vast inventory, learn about many facets of antique rugs, read numerous articles featuring us in major

publications and view over 50 clients’ rooms furnished with spectacular carpets.

Shopping is Easy and Enjoyable—

exa

mp

le o

f h

igh

-re

solu

tio

n, s

cre

en

-siz

e im

age

s o

f o

ver

90

0 r

ug

s in

ou

r o

nlin

e g

alle

ry.

Scan the QR code on the back cover with your Smartphone or iPad to go directly to our website.

Call: 1.800.441.1332 3

Art-level carpets of unusually early vintage glow with patina and often offer a substantially wider range of exotic, nuanced colors than found in later pieces. This over 150-year-old carpet is a veritable Impressionist painting that possesses tremendous visual depth and subtlety. Its elaborate design of “ trees within trees” spans the entire field, rendered in a profusion of rare hues, including lavender and pistachio.

Laver Kirman | 9ft. 1in. x 12ft. 2in., 2nd quarter, 19th century


Azerbaijan in Northwest Persia was the primary district that produced art-level carpets woven with undyed camel hair, and the best of these pieces are widely sought after today. Their earthy hues and graphic designs meld perfectly into the clean lines and lighter ambiance of many contemporary decors. At once high art and supremely decorative, this singular Bakshaish presents layer-upon-layer of original, evocative motifs and a cheerful color palette that will comfortably distinguish a memorable décor.

Bakshaish Camelhair | 7ft. 9in. x 10ft. 10in., 3rd quarter, 19th century

Call: 1.800.441.1332 5

Our clients discover that a very large art carpet is an enormous canvas that immerses them in its artwork, visually surrounding them like a Renaissance fresco. Clients find this intimacy with the carpets’ myriad colors and designs to be awe-inspiring. Through its adroit use of proportion and space, this extraordinary palace-size Sultanabad achieves a perfect sense of balance and harmony on a grand scale. This extremely well-preserved masterwork is the enduring accomplishment of a team of spirited weavers who sustained an aesthetic vision over a period of three years or more to create an enrapturing carpet ideal for an important room.

Sultanabad | 13ft. 3in. x 24ft. 3in., circa 1875

This exquisite corridor carpet offers unusually crisply rendered multiple medallions, each encasing a balanced display of irises and other blossoms. Its color palette is restrained and highly sophisticated. For the needs of the large home, we have built a vast inventory of corridor carpets measuring 5x10 to 9x27 and runners up to 24 feet long.

Mishin Malayer | 5ft. 6in. x 11ft. 7in., circa 1875

We offer a very extensive collection of

seldom-found art carpets in sizes 11x15

to 18x30. See a sampling on our website where

you can review over 150 oversize and

palace-size carpets. Peruse 125 corridor rugs

and runners from our substantially larger

collection. We encourage you to call

us at 800-441-1332 for more information.

Call: 1.800.441.1332 7

Their small scale makes area-size rugs the perfect project for a weaver to create with great inventiveness and individuality. With its striking marriage between simplicity and refinement, this gem employs hues outside of the traditional Persian color palette. It appears to shimmer from the delicate combination of warm earth tones and an abundance of rare celadon green.

Hadji Jallili Tabriz | 4ft. 3in. x 5ft. 7in. 3rd quarter, 19th century

In any art form, truly peerless examples are one among many. To insure the sublime beauty and stellar quality of the rugs we offer, we concentrate our efforts on buying from a network of seasoned connoisseurs we have developed over 31 years of business. This approach affords us the opportunity to offer such memorable pieces as this singular area-size rug with its rare golden flax-toned field color and sculpted design.

Ferahan | 4ft. 5in. x 6ft. 6in., circa 1875


Seldom does an artistic medium offer so many enthralling tonalities as the seemingly limitless color hues of an antique art carpet. This first-rate Serapi presents constantly changing, subtle shades of translucent carmine, fully illumined by a rich patina. Beloved for their spacious, graphic designs and pure, complementary hues, the best early Serapis are often chosen to enhance contemporary rooms displaying art collections.

Serapi | 9ft. 4in. x 13ft. 2in., 3rd quarter, 19th century

Call: 1.800.441.1332 9

DESIGN: Carla Carstens Designs, Soquel, CA

Visit the ClIeNtS’ homeS section on claremontrug.com to view the deeply

welcoming ambiance created in over 50 rooms by our antique rugs.

In our site’s eDuCAtIoN section, read published articles written by President Jan David

Winitz from his great experience of guiding clients to stunningly furnish their homes

with antique rugs. Invaluable tips and guidelines are included.

Our Antique Carpetslend an incomparable mark of distinction to both contemporary and traditional decors

RUGS SHOWN: RIGHT – Very rare Bakshaish Camelhair; TOP – Laver Kirman; MIDDLE – Ferahan on the wall/Hadji Jallili Tabriz on the floor; BOT TOM – Caucasian Shirvan.

DESIGN: Sandy Rossi Interiors, St. Helena, CA

DESIGN: Staats & Co./Platner and Associates, Malibu, CA


Sultanabad became a thriving weaving center during the last half of the 19th century. Its finest pieces offer a varied, sophisticated design style, a splendid, vegetable-dyed palette of colors, and unusually lustrous wool, which make them incredibly compatible with today’s interior design. Some, such as this one-in-the-world representative, possess designs and tonal combinations so inspired that they delight the viewer as deeply as the best art of any genre.

Sultanabad Garden Compartment Carpet | 10ft. 3in. x 13ft., Late 19th century

Call: 1.800.441.1332 11

To view an art-level, 19th century rug woven by the tribespeople of the Caucasus Mountains is to be transported to a world where a tremendous array of age-old symbolic motifs unite into a magical whole. Along with its elaborate, yet exceedingly balanced pattern, this extraordinarily well-drawn piece displays a stunning field tone in which steel blue undulates to dusty pine green.

Small Serapi rugs were seldom woven in the 1800s and are extremely difficult to find. The very best have equal visual impact to their room-size counterparts. Surrounded by a deeply saturated rose red field and border, this piece’s exotic sunburst medallion with its kaleidoscopic layers is the entry point into its mesmerizing design nuances and color variations.

Caucasian Lesghi | 4ft. x 4ft. 4in., circa 1875

Serapi | 4ft. 9in. x 6ft. 7in., circa 1875


Seeing the impact that a well-chosen art-level carpet has on the fine home is an immediate visual education in its great decorative possibilities. A deeply inspired weaving such as this sumptuously hued piece is the product of a centuries-old knowledge of how to create carpets that evoke a profoundly harmonious atmosphere. Architecture, fabrics, paintings, wall treatments, and furniture all unite in a symphonic overture.

Ferahan Sarouk | 10ft. x 13ft. 7in., late 19th century

Call: 1.800.441.1332 13

These century-old room-size carpets reflect the superb level of quality and unique artistry of our extensive inventory of first-rate rugs woven at the start of the 20th century. At both Claremont Rug Company and Claremont II (1-800-883-1815), our introductory gallery, distinctive carpets from this era woven exclusively with appealing palettes of pure vegetable dyes and superb wool are available in all sizes from small mats to extremely large carpets and runners. We invite you to view the great variety of styles available at both stores, from geometric tribal rugs to floral Court carpets, on claremontrug.com.

Mahajiran Sarouk | 8ft. 6in. x 12ft., circa 1910 (above)

Heriz Tree of Life | 9ft. 5in. x 12ft., circa 1900 (below)

14

Laver Kirman is one of the most esteemed names in 19th century Persian “Court” or “City” carpets. Exemplified by the unforgettable oversize piece shown here, their extraordinarily refined designs, extremely fine knotting and wide-ranging, exquisite palettes continue to make them the carpet of choice among many of our clients. It is interesting to note that Laver Kirman and the related Kermanshah group were among the few to produce a notable selection of oversize and palace size carpets.

Laver Kirman | 12ft. 4in. x 17ft. 9in., circa 1875

Call: 1.800.441.1332 15

Collecting Antique Art Rugs

efore the proliferation of commercial interests in the rug-weaving world,

some master weavers viewed rugs as canvases on which to express their

understanding of life. Deeply moved by the splendor of the natural world

around them, some weavers succeeded in expressing in wool something

sublime rather than mundane, perfectly capturing a timeless moment frozen in

time. Whether they excel in their grandeur or their whimsy, these are the rugs worthy

of collection.

Today, many of us recognize a profound satisfaction in surrounding ourselves with objects

of great beauty that provide a counterpoint to the increasing pace of contemporary life,

supporting us to slow down, become inspired and refreshed. It is this need that leads one

to collect antique art rugs.

Given their great artistic magnitude and the impossibility that they could ever be created

again, the best 19th century rugs remain extraordinarily undervalued relative to other art

forms. Yet, attention to this niche is intensifying and affecting the dwindling supply of truly

worthwhile pieces. A growing number of our clients approach us seeking out deeply artful

rugs that they personally resonate with. Many are assembling family collections not only

for display on their floors, but on their walls and on tabletops under glass. They rotate their

inventories out of dedicated trunks, rug closets or specially designed cellars.

We are grateful to be able to offer an ever-changing selection of connoisseur-level to high-

collectible rugs accrued from our connections with long-established private collections.

The pieces shown here are just a few of the many exciting possibilities we can show you.

CollectingArt-Level Rugs

The Joy of

To study fine Persian rugs by era, one arrives at several conclusions. As one ventures further back in time, the number of well-preserved rugs exponentially diminishes. It is also clear that the earlier pieces frequently present greater creative inspiration and artistic innovation. In the best examples, one sees a wider, more exotic spectrum of dyes, especially in the subtler tones, and more nuanced detailing of the patterns. An entire chapter could be written about this consummately crafted, 150-year-old tribal rug – a splendid vision of cornflower to sapphire blue, glowing with the patina of great age.

Qashqai | 3ft. 9in. x 6ft. 4in., circa 1850

B

16

For the most sensitive weavers, a small rug was an intimate means of delivering that which could not be communicated in words. Dyeing the myriad natural hues and reinterpreting the traditional motifs that moved her, a new image would emerge from her inner world. The three-millennia-old lineage of great weavers gave her much to be inspired by, to learn how to convey the mysterious and whimsical simultaneously. This astounding Central Persian rug, extremely well-preserved and adroitly restored at two centuries of age, reveals a central sunburst, the creative force in nature giving life to flowers of various sizes. In counterpoint, its extraordinarily intricate border communicates the tremendous diversity of life.

Ferahan | 4ft. 2in. x 6ft. 6in., early 19th century

Call: 1.800.441.1332 17


The two highly collectible rugs on this page reveal why the weaving tradition of the Caucasus Mountains is such a compelling one. Each fold in those lofty mountains created a semi-autonomous culture that begot a particular symbolic design pool, some of which are recognizable, others enigmatic. The alternating bold and delicate patterning of this crisply drawn Lesghi, coupled with its expansive palette of rare hues, establish it as both a technical and artistic triumph.

Caucasian Lesghi | 3ft. 2in. x 4ft. 5in. 3rd quarter, 19th century

Since the Early Modernists, Western artists have explored the effect of color independent from design. Similarly, for millennia rug weavers have been inspired to capture the multitudinous colors of the natural world to use in their abstracted patterns. This entirely singular, very early piece reveals a seemingly effortless command of many unique, exquisitely dyed tones. In its main border, the confidant, impactful use of intentional color shifts is riveting. The effect of a great Caucasian rug is a never-ending wonder, which explains why last year The Wall Street Journal devoted virtually half of its feature article, ”The Rug Market Takes Flight,” to the growth in enthusiasm for them.

Caucasian Shirvan | 3ft. 7in. x 4ft. 10in., circa 1850

18

This enrapturing oversize masterwork of the esteemed Bakshaish style exemplifies the attributes that elevate a small portion of art-level antique rugs to high-collectible status. It features a truly unique, grand scale treatment of the medallion-on-an-open-field format. This mandala appears to hover above a carnelian red reserve, whose impact is heightened by virtuoso use of intentional color striation, or abrash. An inestimable power and beauty is gained from the perfect balance between its many-sized design elements, making this primitive carpet a magnum opus, meant to create a distinctive centerpiece for a cutting edge décor or a magnificent country manor. Its remarkable heavy-pile condition strengthens its status as a superb art investment.

Bakshaish | 11ft. 6in. x 15ft. 8in., 3rd quarter, 19th century

Call: 1.800.441.1332 19


Highly collectible rugs from the Khorossan province, the easternmost extent of Persian rug weaving, are extremely rarely encountered. This one-in-the-world piece interprets the classical Persian vase design with a painterly restraint, completely unique from the more elaborately ornamented versions woven elsewhere. The orchids that extend from the urn-like vase are drawn with a riveting delicacy, in brilliant counterbalance to the more refined borders. They are rendered in a series of exceedingly rare hues, including soft rose, peach, lavender and saffron, against an equally uncommon golden-celadon field. At a century-and-a-half of age, this extraordinarily well-preserved rug has a breathtaking ambiance.

Dorasht | 4ft. 4in. x 6ft. 6in., circa 1850

20

Appreciation is growing for the

Wall Street Journal —

“ Some of the most coveted masterpieces are now the ones on the floor.” “ The Rug Market Takes Flight”, June 18, 2010

Financial Times —

“ The urge to gather rugs — as works of art rather than mere floor coverings — is now enjoying a renaissance. They can look wonderful in both modern and traditional homes and the emphasis is on quality.” February 27, 2010

Art News —

“ Nineteenth-century rugs that were once considered by most as luxurious home furnishings are now seen as true art worthy of serious collection.” November 2010

The San Francisco Chronicle —

“Antique carpets are flying high as investment vehicles in a down economy.... Winitz, with his Claremont Rug Co., has become one of the world’s leading purveyors of antique art-level Oriental carpets, most from the 19th century.” January 16, 2011

Chubb Insurance Collector’s Newsletter —

“ Today, in the wake of the April 2010 sale of a 17th century Kirman rug at Christie’s auction for $9.59M (twice the previous world record set only last year), antique carpets are broadly acknowledged for their rarity and aesthetic achievement.” Fall 2010

as Works of Art for the Home

Best Antique Carpets

All excerpts above are from articles featuring Claremont Rug Company.

A two-page article featuring Claremont on the burgeoning interest in collecting art-level antique rugs. (June 18, 2010)

Call: 1.800.441.1332 21

6087 Claremont Avenue

Oakland, CA 94618 USA

P: 1-800-441-1332, Int’l: (+1) 510-654-0816

E: [email protected]

Located just 15 minutes from downtown San Francisco

Hours: Monday-Saturday 11:00-6:00

(For the best service, an appointment is suggested.)

The only antique rug company ever awarded Robb Report’s

“Best of the Best”

Visit our website to view over 900 carpets and

read articles about antique oriental rugs featuring

us in prestigious publications such as the

The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, The New

York Times, and Art & Antiques.

Financial Times — “claremont rug company —

One of the world’s best sources for antique carpets.”

www.claremontrug.com

Highly collectible Caucasian Bordjalou Kazak 5ft. 1in. x 12ft., 2nd quarter, 19th century

Scan this QR Code with your Smartphone or tablet to go directly to our website.

Carp

et P

hoto

grap

hy:

Mic

hael

Irw

in

antique art carpets - claremont rug company...at both claremont rug company and claremont ii...

Documents