SKINNER’S SALE IN BOSTON, 11 MAY 2013
Skinner’s Spring rug auction happens on 11 May at the 63 Park Plaza saleroom in Boston. Gary Richards of Skinner’s is one of the handful of the regional auctioneers in the States who is taking advantage of Sotheby’s and Christie’s intention to go for higher value consignments in the rug and carpet fields as well as not hosting specialist rug sales. The quality of consignments is thus improving, making sure that these rooms deserve and receive considerable international attention for these bi-annual sales. Highlights include the following pieces, arguably the best of which is this Shahrisyabz suzani:
Shahrysyabz suzani, Uzbekistan, 19th century, (very small crude repair in center), 8 ft. 7 in. x 7 ft. 2 in. Lot 118, estimate $2,000-3,000
Pinwheel Kazak rug, southwest Caucasus, mid-19th century, (even wear, areas of repiling, minor reweaves on both ends and both edges, re-overcast), 7 ft. 2 in. x 5 ft. 7 in. Lot 129, estimate $15,000-20,000
Akstafa prayer rug, east Caucasus, last quarter 19th century, (spots of minor wear, reovercast), 5 ft. 8 in. x 3 ft. 2 in. Lot 127, estimate $4,000-6,000
Daghestan Prayer Rug, Northeast Caucasus, last quarter 19th century, (three crease repairs, some black oxidation), 6 ft. x 3 ft. 5 in., estimate $12,000-15,000
Serapi carpet, northwest Persia, last quarter 19th century, (small spot of wear, minor end fraying), 10 ft. 10 in. x 9 ft. 6 in. Lot 112, estimate $12,000-15,000
Kashmir “Moon” Shawl, north India, first half 19th century, (several holes to black field, very small repair), 5 ft. 6 in. x 5 ft. 6 in. Lot 119, estimate $10,000-15,000
Beshir Prayer Rug, West Turkestan, first half 19th century, (outer guard stripe rewoven on both ends, small crude repairs, very slight moth damage), 5 ft. 6 in. x 3 ft. 6 in. Estimate $15,000-20,000
Trans-Caucasian rug, last quarter 19th century, (small areas of flat-stitch restoration, outer guard stripe partially missing from both ends, small end patch), 8 ft. 6 in. x 4 ft. 6 in. Lot 248, estimate $1,200-1,500
Ladik Prayer Rug, Central Anatolia, late 18th/early 19th century, (areas of wear mostly in oxidized brown areas, some selvedge damage, slight end fraying), 5 ft. 10 in. x 3 ft. 6 in. Estimate $4,000-6,000
Baluch Bird Bagface, Northeast Persia, last quarter 19th century, (small patch in corner, small sewn tear, slight moth damage, black oxidation, reovercast), 2 ft. 10 in. x 2 ft. 8 in. Estimate $700-900
Resht Embroidery, North Persia, late 19th/early 20th century, (tear in bottom main border, small repairs in outermost red border), 9 ft. 4 in. x 5 ft. 4 in. Formerly the property of Pietr Jaroszewitz, Prime Minister of Poland 1970-1980. Estimate $2,500-3,500
