"Transylvanian" rug, Western Turkey, 17th century, Ottoman Empire. Al Sabah Collection, Kuwait National Museum, formerly in the Lucas collection. Sold at Sotheby's 14 Dec 01, New York, Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 104,250 USD. Size: 5 ft. 2 in. by 3 ft. 8 in. (1.57 by 1.12 m.)

The rug display the classic attributes of the "Transylvanian" prayer rug: rich glowing color, delicately articulated floral ornamentation and a singularly well developed sense of space.

It is unusual for the addition of a supplementary reserve between the mihrab and the upper border. This feature appears on two other "Transylvanian" prayer rugs, one sold by Rippon Boswell, November 18, 2000, lot 113, and another published by Herrmann, Eberhart, Von Konya Bis Kokand, III, Munich, 1980, No. 1. All three rugs share a sophisticated rosette, palmette and curled leaf border, more directly derived from those of their Ottoman antecedents than other "Transylvanian" prayer rugs.