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#OlympiaAuctions
#IkatPanels
#SouthPersianRugs
#TribalWeavings
#LakaiEmbroidery
#TurkmanChyrpy
#VandAExhibit
#PaulRBenjamin
#MarkLittler
#AntiqueCollecting
#WhiskeyWash
#ForbesContributor
#AuctionSale
#TextileHeritage
#CentralAsianIkats
Olympia Auctions is presenting a timed online sale (closing 4pm on 25 October 2026, with London viewing 21-24 October) featuring two distinct textile collections. The first tranche focuses on the estate of London dealer Pip Rau (1938–2024), centering on her 20th-century ikat panels and chapans, alongside embroidered Syrian costumes and textiles from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia. Highlights include a rare Lakai embroidery depicting a teapot and a yellow-ground Turkman chyrpy costume piece. This follows Rau’s initial tranche, which closed on 1 March 2026 and saw its top lot sell for £11,250 ($15,000) including buyer’s premium. That earlier sale demonstrated broad appeal, encompassing jewellery, costume, and other textiles beyond ikats, reflecting Rau’s diverse collecting interests. Rau established her Islington shop in 1974, specializing in textiles and costume from Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and northern Pakistan. Her ikats gained institutional recognition through the Victoria and Albert Museum’s exhibition “Central Asian Ikats from the Rau Collection” (November 2007–March 2008), accompanied by a publication by Ruby Clark.
The second section derives from the estate of Professor Paul R Benjamin, formerly a neuroscience professor at the University of Sussex and occasional contributor to Hali. Assembled over 25 years through auctions and dealers like the late Richard Purdon and Clive Rogers, Benjamin’s collection emphasizes South Persian tribal weaving. It comprises rugs alongside utilitarian storage and saddle bags designed for daily use. Distinguishing this group are two yellow-ground carpet fragments, dated by Olympia to the 18th century, featuring patterns of cypress trees and birds – standout pieces contrasting with the collection’s smaller, functional weavings. Benjamin’s collecting spanned decades, focusing on the authentic tribal weavings of southern Persia.
The sale also includes a small, supplementary group of books from the library of the late author Roddy Taylor. Rau’s section builds on her established reputation as a dealer with deep expertise in Central Asian and related textiles, evidenced by her V&A exhibition and the strong performance of her first auction tranche. Benjamin’s offering provides a focused, scholarly perspective on South Persian tribal traditions, highlighting both everyday objects and exceptional, older fragments. Together, the collections offer a nuanced view of textile arts across Central and South Asia, combining Rau’s thematic dress and embroidery focus with Benjamin’s dedication to Persian tribal weaving techniques and utilitarian forms. The online timed format allows global access, while the London viewing period enables closer inspection prior to bidding closes on 25 October 2026. (Word count: 498)
