Overall measurements; 176cm across the top, 179cm across the bottom, 237cm the left hand side, 237cm the right hand side Scattered areas of repair, largely along the central vertical and horizontal axes and there is a weakened section to the foundation found along the vertical axis in the upper central palmette, which may need professional attention to stabilise. There are further scattered cobbled repairs within the border, for example central right hand side. Some small patched repairs, examples of which can be found in the field, lower left side, approximately one quarter of the way up from the bottom, measuring approximately 9 by 8cm and one further found lower to this in the border measuring approximately 7 by 6cm. Other scattered repairs throughout. There is a band of abrash found in the upper 45cm of carpet, as visible from photograph. Carpet has been interlined and many of the consolidating repairs are through the lining. Would benefit from a professional clean and stabilisation. This is a very rare survivor and in good condition considering age. First hand inspection is advised, photographs can be requested from the department.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

'The poet James Fenton recalls Hodgkin’s agitation when he spotted a rare 17th-century Alcaraz flat weave carpet folded up amid a pile in a shop window in Biarritz — he could only have seen two or three inches of it — and wordlessly tried to draw Peattie’s attention to it by frantic eye movement alone.' Moore. S., 'Howard Hodgkin — painter, gatherer', Financial Times (Online), 8 September 2017. 

Carpet weaving came to Spain with the Islamic invaders sometime between the 8th to the late 15th century. After the Christian conquest, in 1492, weaving continued to develop with changing tastes and new designs flourished. Silk brocade production developed in Italy and the technique soon spread and ton-sur-ton, with bold, expansive patterns, began to appear in Spain - believed to have originated in Alcaraz. A 16^th century example of such a silk is in the Metropolitan Museum, New Y𓂃ork, accession number 22.165, and the present carpet appears to have derived from such a design. This silk bears pairs of armorial style birds within the lozenge motifs - Armorial was another of the thee main Spanish carpet designs, the other Anatolian inspired. These have become more stylised within the present carpet suggesting a slightly later date.

It is interesting that the present work is flatwoven; most comparable examples, by design, are pile woven carpets. For example the carpet fragment cited by Friedrich Spuhler in Oriental Carpets in the Museum of Islamic Art, Berlin, London, 1988, pp. 122 & 284, pl. 145. This example shares similar tracery and lozenge motifs; however it is the earlier silk production to which the present work seems more akin. In Bunt. C., Spanish Silks, England, 1965, fig. 23, the 14^th century silk damask pictured shows a similar star lozenge motif within the ton-sur-ton trellis, which is repeated in the border of the offere♊d lot.