Carpets and rugs have long been used to adorn the floors and walls of our residences, from humble homes to stately palaces.
From the functionality of adding warmth or keeping furniture in place to showcasing skill and artistry, these coverings have seen multiple uses throughout time. Carpets and rugs are also sought after for their rarity and opulent materials by collectors and art aficionados, often achieving astronomical price tags at auction with some listings sold for millions. In the following passages, we delve into the threaded treasures that have become famous around the world for being among the most prized and expensive examples in existence.
1. The Clark Sickle Leaf rug
Selling for the staggering sum of $33.8m (£28.3m), this unparalleled Persian masterpiece is considered by many to be the most expensive rug that has ever seen auction.
The rug was originally obtained by Washington’s Corcoran Gallery of Art from its owner, the industrialist, and former-senator William A. Clark. When the gallery released the item, it became not only the most expensive rug auctioned, but the most highly priced piece of Islamic artwork to be bid upon, making it the holder of two unique world records.
The Clark Sickle Leaf rug went under the hammer at New York’s esteemed Sotheby’s auction house. Dating back to the early part of the 17th Century, the rug measures 2.7 metres in length by 2 metres in width. The celebrated item of antiquity is believed to have been crafted in Kerman, an Iranian province surrounded by mountains. Ornately detailed, it features a decorative pattern of gold sickle leaf with a deep blue border. However, it is the red used on the carpet that gives it value. The rug is believed to be the only surviving Kerman carpet employing this colour in its design.
2. Kerman Vase Carpet
Sold for over $9m ($7.5m) in April 2010 at Christies Auction House, this carpet dates back to the 17th century. Described as an exemplary piece of Kerman craftsmanship from the period, the item is among the earliest carpets of its era to feature the motif of a flower enclosed in a diamond, a pattern also known as “Herati.”
Until the Clark Sickle leaf rug was sold in 2013, the Kerman vase held the title of the most expensive rug ever auctioned in the world.
3. Mughal Star Lattice Carpet
Cleverly crafted in finest cashmere wool, the Mughal Star Lattice carpet finds its origins in the disputed territory of Kashmir. Exceptionally rare, the much-revered item is one of the just 12 remaining carpets designed in the millefleur star lattice style, with the name ‘millefleur’ being the French term for a thousand flowers. The carpet is believed to have been expertly woven between the 17th and 18th Century, based on the knowledge that the millefleur motif was popular with the nobility of the Mughal Empire reigning at this time. In 2013, the sought-after item earned $7.7m (£6.4m) for its owner at auction.
4. Louis XV Savonnerie Carpet
A French carpet from the 18th century, the Louis XV Savonnerie sold for $5.7m (£4.7m) at the turn of the millennium. The very last of three carpets designed by painter Pierre-Josse Perrot for France’s royal residences, it was woven at the built-for-purpose workshop called La Savonnerie. The premises were established specifically in 17th-Century Paris to create both woven upholstery and carpets for the King’s court.
5. The Pearl Carpet of Baroda
Created for a 17th-Century commission requested by the Maharajah of what was then Baroda, now Vadodara in India, this Persian-style rug sold at auction for $5.5m (£4.6m) in 2009. Fashioned from deer hide and silk, it features valuable embellishments including around two million individual pearls, glass beads from England, diamonds that are gold-set, as well as other precious jewels such as sapphires, emeralds, and rubies. The exquisite carpet was originally made for the Muslim prophet Mohammed’s tomb, but the covering did not reach its intended destination by the hour of the Maharajah’s death and remained within his family instead.
6. Doris Duke Isfahan Rug
This carpet formerly belonged to Doris Duke, a tobacco heiress. Receiving $4.45m (£3.73m) in a 2008 auction, the rug was woven in 17th-Century Persia and made purely from silk. It has been accredited with being an outstanding example of a style of art popular during the Shah Abba’s reign, known as “Safavid”. Following the death of the heiress, the rug was bequeathed to The Newport Restoration Foundation.
7. The Rothschild Tabriz Medallion Carpet
In final place is the Rothschild Tabriz Medallion, which was believed to have been looted by German soldiers during World War II. This unique carpet originally hails from Tabriz, well-known as one of the most ancient weaving centres of the known world. In 2008, the Sheikh of Qatar purchased the antique item for $2.4m (£2m) – a much greater sum than the estimated value of $400,000 (£335,000) at which it was listed.
