Saffronart the India’s largest online fine-art auction house, concluded its thematic 24-Hour Online Auction – ‘Carpets & Rugs’ with sales totaling Rs. 54.6 Lakhs (USD 111,384). Successfully expanding Saffronart’s online auction platform to carpets of Indian, Persian and Turkish carpets, this sale saw active bidding and participation, with many of the lots exceeding their estimates.
The ‘Carpets & Rugs’ Auction featured 30 lots in a range of sizes, colours and weaves including a mix of exquisite Indian, Persian and Central Asian carpets. This auction catalogue appealed to wide audiences of ‘dye in the wool’ carpet connoisseurs interested in a selection from the famous centres of carpet-making in Asia. From free form pastel squares and subtle lace-like designs to boldly patterned graphics and abstract quilt-like patterns, the collection represented a sophisticated sense of colour and an eclectic, motifs and patterns of Tribal and City carpet designs. Each of the designs was exclusive and hand woven with the finest quality wool using natural dyes and superior craftsmanship.
The success of this auction, which featured online, iPad and mobile catalogues but no print catalogue, reinforced the confidence that collectors have in Saffronart’s online platform as well as the growing demand for significant collectible items like period carpets and rugs. The auction’s quality offerings and well-priced estimates attracted Saffronart’s existing base of collectors as well as a new group of collectors to the platform.
In this auction, the trends were largely towards the Tribal carpets from Kashgar, Khotan in Central Asia and Afshar and Shiraz in Persia that appealed to contemporary tastes. ‘Persian Dabeer Kashan – Garden of Paradise’ (Lot 16); a Persian carpet dating back to circa 1920’s was possibly produced in the royal workshops of Kashan in North Central Iran with a lustrous finish and restrained colours. The Persian Dabeer Kashan sold for Rs. 21 lakhs (USD 43,416). The asymmetrically colored and densely formatted stepped diamond designed ‘Kashgar’ (Lot 19) a tribal carpet fromCentral Asia fetched Rs. 4.8 lakhs (USD 9,796). Set in off-white ground, arabesque arches frame a profusion of flora and fauna in intricate colors, the ‘Laver Kerman – Tree of Life’ carpet (Lot 1), closed at RS. 4.3 lakhs (USD 8,868) Laver is a town close to the city of Kerman is renowned for the exquisite carpets it produces.
Amongst the lots with multiple bids was the Persian Bakhtiar inspired carpet woven in an Amristar prison dating back to the Circa 1930s. The ‘Amristar Jail Carpet’ (Lot 3) with ten bids, the lot closed at Rs 1.27 lakhs (USD 2,610). The ‘Khotan Carpet’ (Lot 7) and the ‘Agra Jail Carpet’ (Lot 30) both fetched up to eight competitive bids each, closing atRs 1.10 Lakhs (USD 2,250) and Rs 1.19 Lakhs (USD 2,436) consecutively.
Dinesh Vazirani, Co-founder and CEO of Saffronart said, “Saffronart’s Inaugural Carpets & Rugs auction was a unique opportunity for carpet connoisseurs, rug enthusiasts, interior designers and private buyers. The aim of providing collectors with access to a range of fine art and collectibles in a trusted environment was successfully achieved with over 50 lakhs ($100,000) worth of carpets sold in just 24 hours. We are looking forward to introducing more categories of online auctions over the course of this year and further reinforce our position as the leading auction platform for fine collectibles.”
Saffronart launched its new 24-Hour Auction series in February 2011 in response to the growing demand for quality works of art and collectibles. These condensed and thematic adaptations of Saffronart’s more comprehensive annual seasonal auctions offer collectors and the trade more frequent avenues to acquire important works of art.
Saffronart’s seamless technology and online platform provides buyers with a trusted, transparent and user-friendly interface. Collectors can also bid via Saffronart’s proprietary mobile bidding application on their Blackberry or iPhone.