Nader Bolour is the man behind the remarkable offerings in this sale. Bolour’s destiny was wrapped in the luxurious world of carpets. He grew up around them, his grandfather establishing Rahim Bolour & Son Carpets in Iran before the family relocated to London in 1979 where, as a boy, Bolour worked in his father’s warehouse sweeping and cleaning carpets. In 1998, just three years after establishing his presence in New York, Bolour acquired the venerable gallery Doris Leslie Blau. 

The Doris Leslie Blau gallery was founded in 1965 by Doris Blau, who became a legend in the world of design for her outstanding collection of avant-garde and antique carpets from around the globe. Blau likened carpets to sculpture appreciating their tactile and sensual nature, inviting clients into a homey gallery where they could take their time in selecting the perfect carpet for their homes. 

With a keen eye and wealth of knowledge, Bolour continues in the footsteps of his renowned predecessor, offering exceptional carpets as well as creating bespoke rugs that are certain to become the classics of tomorrow. 

The carpets of Judith Johansson feature colorful patterns inspired by nature and geometry. Johansson and her husband opened a weaving studio in Knäred, Sweden in 1938. By 1945 she was designing carpets for the Nordiska Kompaniet department stores and by the 1950s she was making carpets and textiles for churches and embassies. Carl Malmsten, the architect and furniture designer, sold her designs through his shops. Widely admired, Johansson’s works have won various awards.