Leilão Bidspirit | Bezalel Rug – Herzl's Cedar

Bezalel Rug – Herzl's Cedar – Jerusalem, Early 20th Century - A small pictorial rug depicting Herzl's Cedar, made by Bezalel. Jerusalem, [between 1906 and 1914]. Wool knot-pile on cotton foundation. The central panel depicts the cypress tree planted by Theodor Herzl in the colony of Motza during his visit to Palestine in 1898. (The tree is erroneously thought to be a cedar; thus the name ”Herzl 's Cedar”). The tree is shown on a background of barren hills, growing out of a mound of stones. Inscribed at the bottom ”Herzl's Cedar” (Hebrew). The rug is framed by a woven border composed of a chain of ornamental cartouches; the upper and lower borders bear the signature ”Bezalel – Jerusalem” (Hebrew). 60X82.5 cm. Good condition. Some repairs. Fringes worn and partly lacking. Suspension strip sewn to the reverse. Reference: • Anton Felton, Jewish Carpets, Antique Collectors ' Club, Woodbridge, 1997, p. 101. • HALI, issue 92, May-June 1997, p. 108. Provenance: 1. The Anton Felton collection. 2. Kedem, Auction 68, 19 September 2019, Lot 268. 3. The Prof. Shaul Ladany collection.