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Lot Essay
A carpet to this design was exhibited by Liberty & Co. at their "Irish Carpet Exhibition", held at the Grafton Galleries, London in March 1903 (see photograph above, reproduced from The Studio 1903, Vol. XXVIII, p. 286.)
Fifteen Donegal carpets were shown at the Grafton Galleries; the short contemporary report in The Studio comments that 'these Irish carpets possess technical qualities identical with those of the old-fashioned Turkish and Persian rugs and carpets. Like their eastern prototypes, they are hand-woven and hand-tufted, and they display an individuality which no power loom could produce.'
In his 1991 book Haslam describes the present design as the "Fintona". Haslam later suggested that, based on the descriptions from the unillustrated Liberty booklet, Irish Hand-Made Carpets published shortly after the Grafton Gallery exhibition, this name actually referred to another design. (See footnote to Lot 153, Arts and Crafts and Architectural Designs, Christie's New York, December 12, 1992.)
The attribution of the design to the Silver Studio is well supported on stylistic grounds, and bears comparison to known designs from the Silver Studio, several of which have been attributed to Archibald Knox.
cf. A London Design Studio 1880 - 1963. The Silver Studio Collection, 1980, pp. 103/4, no. 199.
Fifteen Donegal carpets were shown at the Grafton Galleries; the short contemporary report in The Studio comments that 'these Irish carpets possess technical qualities identical with those of the old-fashioned Turkish and Persian rugs and carpets. Like their eastern prototypes, they are hand-woven and hand-tufted, and they display an individuality which no power loom could produce.'
In his 1991 book Haslam describes the present design as the "Fintona". Haslam later suggested that, based on the descriptions from the unillustrated Liberty booklet, Irish Hand-Made Carpets published shortly after the Grafton Gallery exhibition, this name actually referred to another design. (See footnote to Lot 153, Arts and Crafts and Architectural Designs, Christie's New York, December 12, 1992.)
The attribution of the design to the Silver Studio is well supported on stylistic grounds, and bears comparison to known designs from the Silver Studio, several of which have been attributed to Archibald Knox.
cf. A London Design Studio 1880 - 1963. The Silver Studio Collection, 1980, pp. 103/4, no. 199.