The keenly anticipated sale of Important Carpets from the William A. Clark Collection, deaccessioned by the Corcoran Gallery of Art took place today at Sotheby's New York. The 25-lot auction totalled $44m for the Washington DC museum. The undoubted highlight of the sale was the new world record price for a carpet sold at auction set by lot 12, the beautiful Clark Kerman sickle-leaf, vine scroll and palmette 'vase-technique' carpet, which sold for $33,765,00, almost five times high estimate and far outstripping the previous auction record of $9.5m paid for another 17th century Kerman vase carpet at Christie's in London on 16 April 2010. All 25 lots sold similarly strong prices. A full report from the saleroom will appear soon but in the meantime here are a few highlights.
The Clark sickle-leaf 'vase'-technique carpet, probably Kerman, southeast Persia, first half 17th century. Approximately 8ft. 9in. x 6ft. 5in. (2.67 x 1.96m.) Sold Sotheby’s New York, 5th June, lot 12 estimate: $5,000,000 - 7,000,000, sold $33,765,000
The Lafões Esfahan carpet, central Persia, second half 17th century. 44ft. 3in. x 14ft. 2in. (13.49 x 4.32m.). Sotheby’s New York, 5th June, lot 19, estimate, $800,000 - 1,200,000, sold $4,645,000
Ottoman circular carpet, Cairo, Egypt, second half 16th century. 7ft. 4in. x 8ft. (2.23 x 2.44m.) Sotheby’s New York, 5th June, lot 1 estimate, $80,000 - 120,000, Sold $785,000
