Exceptional Collection Of Historic Rugs And Textiles To Be Offered At Bonhams New York

New York – Bonhams will present The Donald Gant Collection, a highly curated selection of important antique and historical carpets and textiles, in New York on January 18. Featuring rare classical carpets from as early as the 16th century as well as some of the finest antique rugs to come to market, it is the first auction of its kind to take place in the Bonhams New York saleroom and is a rare opportunity for such a large number of excellent examples to be offered in a single sale.

A New Jersey-native and partner at Goldman Sachs from 1954 until his retirement in 1990, Donald Gant’s love of Persian rugs began in the 1960s while working with a Manhattan decorator. Throughout the following decades, he subsequently bought handmade rugs of the highest quality and design from Iran, the Caucasus, and other tribal rugs and textiles from all over the world. With impeccable taste, Gant insisted on buying rugs and textiles that were in very good condition as well as aesthetically beautiful and he was most drawn to images of wild animals and birds, vivid colors and symbolic representations, and rare aspects such as the weaver’s signature, Farsi text, and human figures.

Standouts from this important collection are several rare and museum-quality classical carpets from Persia, India, Anatolia, and Europe highlighted by a stunning 16th century Alcaraz carpet from Hapsburg Spain in excellent condition for its age, estimated at $9,000 – 12,000. This rug beautifully exemplifies the shift in the carpet workshops of Spain after 1500 as they turned away from their Oriental origins and developed a new European ornamental vocabulary of medieval and classical derivation. The sale will also feature several 17th century Persian carpets including a sophisticated Isfahan hunting carpet, estimated at $15,000 – 20,000, as well as a more folk-like 17th century Northwest Persian “Golden Triangle group” animal carpet, estimated at $25,000 – 30,000.  An even more playful animal design can be found on the 18th century East Caucasian animal carpet, estimated $20,000 – 25,000.

The sale will feature many outstanding room-size decorative carpets as well as smaller decorative and tribal rugs including several Serapi carpets, a room-size silk Heriz, estimated at $15,000 – 20,000, fine Haji Jalili Tabriz carpets, Oushak carpets with soft palettes and spacious designs. The collection also features several other excellent antique rugs from the Caucasus, Anatolia, China, and Europe.

Rounding out the collection are several extremely important textiles highlighted by a monumental 17th century Indo-Portuguese Summer Carpet, estimated at $30,000 – 50,000. This large and important textile is in very good condition for its age and must have only been used on the floor for very special occasions. Additional textiles of note include a large-scale and early Caucasian embroidery, estimated at $12,0000 – 15,000, a mid-19th century Persian Sarouk Feraghan Carpet, estimated at $15,000 – 20,000, highly collectible pieces from Anatolia and the Balkans, and early European tapestries.