AN INDO-PERSIAN QUILTED KALAMKARI COVER Possibly Iran or India for the Iranian export market, second half 19th century The white cotton ground printed, resist-dyed, and painted in dark indigo, madder red, ochre yellow, and sage green with black outlines, featuring a central roundel with scrolling flowers and further vegetal motifs set against a lively and densely decorated ground with bold lotus flower sprays, rosettes and foliage, perched amidst them several birds with long tails, possibly stylised peacocks, quarters of the same central roundel repeated on each corner, the outer borders with lobed rosette cartouches on ochre ground and drop-shaped green boteh leaves (paisley), lined with polychrome block-printed cotton with rosette festoons, edged with bias-cut indigo cotton, 145.5cm x 113cm.

Composed of several subsidiaries, the Drouot Group is a major player in the art market. Hôtel Drouot, located in the heart of Paris, has been the world's largest public auction center since 1852. 15 salerooms are available to more than 70 auction houses. The emulation generated by an annual offer of 230,000 artworks from 21 major specialities - from Antiquity to street art - attracts some 3,000 visitors every day. The Group's digital platform, Drouot.com, offers digital sales - Live auctions (live broadcasting and participation in auctions), Online-only auctions (dematerialised auctions) and Buy Now sales (sales of lots at fixed prices). Nearly 2 million items are offered annually by 600 auction houses. Auction news is reported every week in La Gazette Drouot, the leading weekly magazine for the art market and culture published by Auctionspress.