1.
GV EXTERIOR Sothebys
0.03

2.
SV INTERIOR Sign
0.06

3.
GV INTERIOR Carpets hanging from wall
0.10

4.
SV INTO CU 16th century north Persian shrub carpet which fetched GBP 62,000 (Lot 4)
0.32

5.
SCU PULL BACK TO MV 16th or 17th century Herat carpet (Lot 5)
0.48

6.
CU PULL BACK TO SV 16th of 17th century Herat carpet (Lot 7) (2 shots)
1.00

7.
CU Woman reading catalogue
1.01

8.
SV TILT UP 18th century Persian garden carpet (Lot 2)
1.09



Initials CL/1653 CL/1705



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: A rare 16th century Persian shrub carpet was sold for a world record auction price of GBP 62,000 sterling (117,180 U.S. dollars) by Sothebys, the London fine art dealers on Wednesday (14 April).

This was more than double the existing record price of GBP 26,830 sterling (about 50,700 U.S. dollars) for an oriental carpet, established only a few days ago in Stockholm, a Sothebys spokesman said.

The shrub carpet, so called because the design is made up of plants, came from the collection of a British connoisseur, Grace, Countess of Dudley. It was bought on the telephone by an anonymous bidder who also gave GBP 30,000 sterling (56,700 U.S. dollars) for a Herat carpet from eastern Persia.

A third carpet from the same collection also beat the previous record price and was bought by another anonymous bidder for GBP 40,000 sterling (75,600 U.S. dollars).

The total figure for Wednesday's carpet sale at Sothebys was GBP 372,740 sterling (over 704,000 U.S. dollars). In sales this week marking London's current Islamic Festival, Sothebys have sold Moslem works of art worth a total of GBP 1,370,676 sterling (over 2,590,000 U.S. dollars).

SYNOPSIS: Sothebys - the London fine art dealers - held a sale of Islamic rugs and carpets on Wednesday - marking London's current Islamic Festival.

This rare 16th century north Persian shrub carpet fetched a world record price of 62,000 pounds sterling - more than double the existing record price for an oriental carpet. It came from the collection of British aristocrat, Grace, Countess of Dudley and was bought on the telephone by an anonymous bidder.

This 16th or early 17th century Herat carpet - exact dating of some Persian carpets is impossible - was also bought by an anonymous bidder and fetched 40,000 pounds sterling. The previous record had stood at about 26,800 pounds.

Another 16th or early 17th century Herat carpet woven in the Shah Abbas design. This one was sold for 30,000 pounds sterling.

The total figure for wednesday's carpet sale was 372,740 pounds sterling.