Late 19th century, 129 x 112 cm, South Persia, Kerman region

A precious prestige object, this splendid horse cover appears to have been rarely if ever used since the pile shows no signs of wear. The blue-black field is decorated with a very few large motifs. A huge, light red circular medallion enclosing flowers arranged around a central blue star marks the place where the rider was seated above the wide bowl-shaped cut-out for the cantle. Above it, the white form filled with a flowering shrub lacks a vertical slit for the pommel, again suggesting that the cover was never used for its actual purpose. Five large botehs adorn the sides of the field. Consigned to Nagel in Stuttgart by the Müller Collection, South Tyrol, the cover was bought there at auction by the collector in 1993. – The original selvedges have been lost all around and the sides reselvedged.

NAGEL, 21st special auction, 12th November 1993, # 165