OAKLAND, CA.- Claremont Rug Company today announced its 11th annual online curated exhibition of the “50 Best of Their Type Antique Rugs” sold during the previous year to its international client base. More than half of these extremely rare antique Oriental carpets were acquired for display or private collections.
Included in the exceptional array of rugs from the Second Golden Age of Persian Weaving (ca. 1800 to ca. 1910) are two museum-level pieces that are rarely available to private collectors.
“All of the pieces in this trove would be classified as High-Collectible or Museum-Level on our “Oriental Rug Market Pyramid,” said Jan David Winitz, founder/president of the Gallery that he created in 1980.
Claremont’s Pyramid® classifies rugs into six levels (1 thru 6), with Tier 1 being “Museum Quality,” followed by Tier 2 (High-Collectible), Tier 3 (Connoisseur-Class), and Tier 4 (High-Decorative). Antique rug collectors typically are attracted to Levels 2 thru 4. Museums, generationally wealthy families, or royalty most often owns level 1 rugs. Levels 5 (Decorative) and 6 (Reproductions) include rugs that have generally been produced in the 20th or 21st century or are reproductions and of no intrinsic value to collectors.
Among the highlights of the 2021 list are:
• A Museum-Quality, Tier 1, Bakshaish camel hair “Lion Rug” from Northwest Persia woven in the early part of the 19th century, measuring 7’ 2” x 7’ 8”.
• A Museum-Quality, Tier 1, Ladik Prayer Rug from central Turkey. woven in the second half of the 18th century, measuring 3’ 8” x 6’ 3”.
• A High-Collectible, Tier 2, a South Caucasian Fachralo Kazak, 2nd quarter, 19th century, measuring 4’11” x 8’ 0”.
The range of weaving groups represented was broad, reflecting the educated and eclectic tastes of the Claremont clientele.
“There are 18 distinct weaving styles among the selections,” said Winitz, not including sub-groups. “Along with wool carpets, there are also two silk and three camelhair pieces among the 50.”
Winitz also noted that 10 of the carpets are Caucasian, nine are Bakshaish, and six are Mohtasham Kashans. “The finest pieces in all three of these weaving groups have become extremely rare and highly sought after by `collectors,” he said.
While sizes vary, a significant portion of the Top 50 are room-size (20), including a High-Collectible Sultanabad from West Central Persian woven in the third quarter of the 19th century measured 13’ 7” x 17’ 7”.
Claremont Rug Company
Jan David Winitz’s Claremont Rug Company (www.claremontrug.com), founded in 1980, is an international art gallery with an inventory of 2500 Oriental rugs woven during the “Second Golden Age of Persian Weaving” (ca. 1800 to ca. 1910). Rugs at Claremont are valued in the $7,000 to more than $500,000 per piece range.
The Gallery, located in Oakland, CA, does not participate in off-site exhibitions, shows, or auctions. Widely written about, Winitz has been featured in publications including Apollo, Art & Antiques, Art Daily, CEO Today, Financial Times, Luxury Daily, New York Times, Private Air/Luxury Homes, PrivateWealth.com, Robb Report, San Francisco Business Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and Wall Street Journal.
