Wolf Collection of Early Anatolian Kilims

Early Anatolian Kilim Rugs – The Wolf Collection Exhibition

Click here to view our entire collection of antique flat-woven kilim rugs

During the weekend of April 11 through 13, New York witnessed a major antique rug event. A symposium sponsored by the Hajji Baba Club was held on Saturday at the New York Historical Society, along with an exhibition, From Timbuktu to Tibet , which open Friday evening, comprised of outstanding pieces from New York private collections.

Marilyn Wolf and Jason Nazmiyal at Antique Turkish Kilim Exhibit at Nazmiyal

Marilyn Wolf and Jason Nazmiyal

In conjunction with these events Nazmiyal was pleased to host an exhibition on Sunday, Early Anatolian Kilims from the Collecton of Marilyn and Marshall Wolf . Early Anatolian kilims have come to be widely recognized as some of the greatest artistic achievements of the Oriental rug weaving tradition, and the pieces from the Wolf Collection certainly attest to the validity of such opinion. These kilims, some twenty-five in number, represent a variety of designs and regional types from Anatolia or Turkey produced between the seventeenth and the nineteenth centuries.

Jason Nazmiyal and Walter Denny at Antique Turkish Kilim Exhibit at Nazmiyal

Jason Nazmiyal and Walter Denny

They are works of great artistic individuality and power, demonstrating that kilims are not simply the humble country cousins of urban workshop rugs in pile technique, as they were once thought to be. Rather, they exemplify a cultural authenticity, and a sophistication of design and color that can match and even outstrip the finest classical pile Oriental carpets. In fact Anatolian kilims represent an extremely archaic artistic tradition which disappeared early on in the process of expanded production throughout the rug-weaving regions of the Orient in the later nineteenth century.

Barbara Davis and Christopher Andrews at Antique Kilim Exhibit at Nazmiyal

Barbara Davis and Christopher Andrews

Works of this kind have rarely been exhibited even in the museums dedicated to textile arts and design. But here in this exhibition, it was possible to appreciate all the magic that these wonderful kilims have to disclose, both individually, and collectively, where each piece challenged its neighbors for the viewer’s attention. One example from the exhibition especially demonstrates the passion and dedication of the collectors.

Marshall Wolf and Bruce Baganz at Antique Anatolian Kilim Exhibit at Nazmiyal

Marshall Wolf and Bruce Baganz

Marshall Wolf acquired a fragment of this piece in the market in Istanbul. Some time later the rest of the kilim came up at auction, where he went the distance needed fend off all other buyers, so that both halves could be happily re-united as they now appear. The symposium and the exhibitions attracted a wide audience of rug enthusiasts and experts from all over North America and Europe as well. The gallery of photos from the exhibition at Nazmiyal provides a nice sample of the distinguished participants.

Sally Sherill and Jason Nazmiyal at Antique Anatolian Kilim Exhibit at Nazmiyal

Sally Sherill and Jason Nazmiyal

David Castriota, Emily Kiefer, Michael Kiefer, right, Roger Pratt at Antique Kilims Exhibit at Nazmiyal

At center, David Castriota, Emily Kiefer, Michael Kiefer, right, Roger Pratt

Danny Shaffer and Jason Nazmiyal at Antique Kilims Exhibit at Nazmiyal

Danny Shaffer and Jason Nazmiyal

Kristin McCarthy and Roger Prat at Antique Turkish Kilim Exhibit at Nazmiyal

Kristin McCarthy and Roger Pratt

Paul Ramsay at Antique Anatolian Kilim Exhibit at Nazmiyal

Paul Ramsay

Marilyn Wolf and Jason Nazmiyal at Antique Turkish Kilim Exhibit at Nazmiyal

In foreground Marilyn Wolf and Jason Nazmiyal

Marshall Wolf, Jeanette and Tripp Miller at Antique Anatolian Kilim Exhibit at Nazmiyal

Marshall Wolf, Jeanette and Tripp Miller

Beate Maeder-Metcalf at Antique Kilim Exhibit at Nazmiyal

Beate Maeder-Metcalf

Marilyn Wolf at Antique Turkish Kilim Exhibit at Nazmiyal

Marilyn Wolf

Maris Gailitis at Antique Turkish Kilim Exhibit at Nazmiyal

Maris Gailitis

Giammaria Zanderighi and Paula Krugmeier at Antique Kilims Exhibit at Nazmiyal

Giammaria Zanderighi and Paula Krugmeier

Mary Jo Otsea and Judith Glass at Antique Anatolian Kilim Exhibit at Nazmiyal

Mary Jo Otsea and Judith Glass

Joe Doherty and Michael Chagnon at Antique Turkish Kilim Exhibit at Nazmiyal

Joe Doherty and Michael Chagnon

Catherine Bennion and Mary Jo Otsea at Antique Kilim Exhibit at Nazmiyal

Catherine Bennion and Mary Jo Otsea

Mark Shilen at Antique Anatolian Kilim Exhibit at Nazmiyal

Mark Shilen

Jason Nazmiyal, Alberto Boralevi , Betsy Murphy, Karin and Moshe Tabibnia, and Baby Tabibnia at Antique Turkish Kilim Exhibit at Nazmiyal

Jason Nazmiyal, Alberto Boralevi , Betsy Murphy, Karin and Moshe Tabibnia, and Baby Tabibnia

Shiv Sikri and Allen Freedman at Antique Kilim Exhibit at Nazmiyal

Shiv Sikri and Allen Freedman

Daniel Nadler and Ladan Akbarnia at Antique Kilims Exhibit at Nazmiyal

Daniel Nadler and Ladan Akbarnia from the Brooklyn Museum

Thomas Murray at Antique Anatolian Kilim Exhibit at Nazmiyal

Thomas Murray

Dr. Jon Thompsom at Antique Kilims Exhibit at Nazmiyal

At Center Dr. Jon Thompsom

Vinay Pande and Susan Lukats at Antique Anatolian Kilim Exhibit at Nazmiyal

Vinay Pande and Susan Lukats

Klara Nagy and Jason Nazmiyal at Antique Turkish Kilim Exhibit at Nazmiyal

Klara Nagy and Jason Nazmiyal

William Robinson of Christie's London at Antique Anatolian Kilim Exhibit at Nazmiyal

William Robinson of Christie’s London

This art blog post was published by Nazmiyal Antique Rugs, located in the heart of Manhattan, New York City, NY.

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