A rare and unusual Northwest Persian figural Josheghan carpet early 19th century

With inscription: "Order of [illegible] Senneh 1236;" accompanied by an extensive evaluation by John Kimberly Mumford dated November 29, 1915.

Provenance: The Collection of Thomas F. Jeffress, Esq., Richmond, Virginia.
Accessioned by Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia, 1982.
Deaccessioned from Wilton House Museum to benefit future acquisitions and care of the museum.

This carpet was sent by Thomas F. Jeffress from Richmond, Virginia to New York in 1915 to be evaluated by the legendary specialist John Kimberly Mumford in order to determine whether it was of sixteenth century origin, as Mr. Jeffress had been told upon its acquision.

After nearly two years of correspondence, Mr. Mumford issued a fifteen-page evaluation dated November 29, 1915 in which he describes the carpet as "not only of considerable age," but also that it is "altogether likely that no other carpet has ever been brought from Asia to this country embodying the quaint and original border feature which gives this fabric such marked individuality." At the time, Mr. Mumford was arranging a sale at Anderson Galleries, and attempted to convince Mr. and Mrs. Jeffress to include the carpet in that sale, as it would "probably be among the best half-dozen pieces in the collection... [and] might show you a very substantial profit over its cost."

Though the field pattern is similar to one that originated in India, Mr. Mumford notes that it "appears, in the form here shown, more frequently in West Persian rugs not of Kurdish manufacture, made during the Eighteen Century in the Province of Djushaghan and Southwester Feraghan, where the tree forms are drawn in a manner very similar to that here employed. He notes further that "the leaves of some of the plant forms are drawn in the shape of the so-called palm leaf or river loop, which is characteristic of Khorassan, and perhaps indirectly traceable to India."

In regard to the figural border design, "which so far as I know, has no counterpart, in any rug, consists of serried ranks of soldiery drawn up at attention....They are obviously 'regular troops.' The delineation of them is studios and laborious and has clearly been accomplished after a careful study of a uniformed body and with scrupulous attention to the details of equipment. There is, to be sure, an expression of profound and settled melancholy about most of these soldiers, but one who is familiar with Persia and has come in close touch with the Persian soldier, can have no hesitation in assigning a cause for such a condition of the spirit. The man who is compelled to serve his country for twelve years....has abundant cause to wear a woebegone countenance. The selection of such a border pattern as this suggest strongly two things, first, that the soldiery here portrayed were troops of prime importance, and second, that the carpet was made for use by some person of rank interested in or connected with military affairs. The shape of the carpet further suggests its importance since the great majority of Djushaghan fabrics were of the kali or elongated shape which was used as the central piece in a triclinear arrangement in Persian rooms.... Carpets of the dimension here shown were seldom made except for state apartment.... It is quite reasonable to infer, therefore, that the fabric was woven for a provincial ruler and possibly for an audience room."

Through careful observation of the uniforms--European in style--facial hair--moustaches without beards, after the Qajar dynasty ordered the shaving of all beards in 1780--and firearms--a side-mounted bayonet which was standard from the mid-17th century through 1844--Mr. Mumford deduces that the carpet could not possibly date to the sixteen century. He concludes that it is "unnecessary for me to fix a date to it, although I might do so with approximate accuracy." Declining to specify a date, we can assume from his analysis that the late-18th to mid-19th century would be an accurate range.

With inscription: "Order of [illegible] Senneh 1236;" accompanied by an extensive evaluation by John Kimberly Mumford dated November 29, 1915.

16 ft. 10 in. x 13 ft. 6 in.

Provenance: The Collection of Thomas F. Jeffress, Esq., Richmond, Virginia.
Accessioned by Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia, 1982.
Deaccessioned from Wilton House Museum to benefit future acquisitions and care of the museum.