Delivered to auction on June 5, 2013 by Sotheby’s on New York Square, 

The Clark Sickle-Leaf Carpet, a Persian rug from the beginning of the XVIIth century, renowned for being one of the most beautiful in the world, was exchanged for the astronomical sum of $33.76 million. 

This is the highest price ever paid for a collector's rug and an oriental art object sold at auction.

This exceptional piece, which owes its nickname to the American industrialist and senator from Montana William A. Clark(1839-1825) who owned it and its fossil-shaped leaf motifs, was estimated at between 5 and 7 million dollars.

This rug was placed in the sale by the Corcoran Gallery of Art, like 24 others from the 16th and 17th centuries originally from the William A. Clark collection, bequeathed to the institution in 1926.

The previous record for a rug sold at auction was 

6.2 million pounds.

This amount was disbursed

in April 2010, in London, at Christie’s, 

for a Persian carpet from the mid-17th century.

It was also a record for an Islamic art object sold at auction.

This last carpet had been purchased 

For 19,000 euros in 2009 ina private sale of a big Hotel in Germany.

Hearing the news of the astronomical price at which it had been resold, the original seller took legal action against the German auctioneer who had more than underestimated her property.