Austria Auction Company’s sale in Vienna and online at Live Auctioneers on Saturday 29 September, comprised of many excellent lots from the estate of the Swiss collector Theo Haeberli and from other European collections. It produced an outstanding result for the auctioneers, with 210 of the 212 lots apparently finding new homes at hammer prices (add up to 28% buyer’s premium) ranging from a high of €27,000 for a good small 17th century ‘Transylvanian’ type Lotto arabesque rug from the Haeberli collection (lot 40, estimate €15-20,000), to just €60 each for a couple of Shahsavan jajims (lots 46 and 106).
Lot 40, Lotto arabesque rug, 17th century, Turkey, Theo Haeberli private collection, €27,000
Other leading items that performed within or close to their estimate parameters included lot 41, a ‘Transylvanian’ double-niche rug from an Austrian collection (€17,000), a so-called Igdir (Yomut) Turkmen main carpet (lot 161) and a Tekke Turkmen ensi (lot 53), consigned by a German owner, which made €15,000 each, and Mr Haeberli’s three-medallion Khotan carpet (lot 68, €11,000). However, the high quality of many of the rugs and textiles on offer, made a nonsense of some rather erratic estimates, with some very good ‘exotic’ textiles and collectable rugs, especially the Haeberli pieces, performing far above expectations.
Lot 41, Transylvania rug with cartouche border, late 17th century, Turkey, Austrian private collection, €17,000
Most notable of these was lot 72, a graphically powerful Nazca interlocking warp and weft tunic, which as second highest price in the sale fetched €17,000 against an estimate of just €2,000-3000, and lot 195, a beautiful Swedish agedyna tapestry panel with cartouches containing three heraldic beasts, which was estimated at only €1,200-1,800, and sold for €8,500. Two good Kaitag embroideries from Daghestan, lots 36 and 39, each more than doubled estimates to make a similar sum, while lot 26, a handsome white-bordered Zakatala rug fetched a well-deserved €6,000. Although sold within its estimate range at €3,200, lot 204, Mr Haeberli’s very quirky east Anatolian Kurdish ‘keyhole' design rug, at €3,200, deaerved to go for more, having been acquired at Rippon Boswell some years ago for rather more money.
