Description

This is a fine hardcover copy in a near fine dust jacket. The book is completely clean inside and outside, with the dark green cloth covers free of marks, the gilt titles to front cover and spine still very bright. The jacket is just a bit toned at the top edge, with a three short closed tears, otherwise fine. This catalog was prepared to accompany an exhibition by the Arts Council at the Hayward Gallery in London in 1972. Introductory essay by David Sylvester discusses the history of collecting and exhibiting Islamic carpets and textiles in the 19th century and the few serious scholarly efforts to study them systematically. Against this background, Joseph McMullan began around 1930 to collect carpets from the Islamic world. Eventually his collection specialized in "Turkish" carpets. The entries for the 149 carpets in this exhibition are by McMullan and are mostly taken from his earlier work Islamic Carpets, of 1965. Also included is a note on techniques of carpet weaving by May H.Beattie. Area map. Chronological table. Illustrated with 49 full-page color plates. Folio, 12" high X 8" wide, 59 text, note and catalog pages + color plate section. A nice commemoration of an important collection and a beautiful book.