HOUSTON, TEXAS – Lewis & Maese took bidders on a magic carpet ride on February 25 with two choice carpets leading the day’s auction of 531 lots. Top lot, at $15,625, including buyer’s premium, was a Nineteenth Century Turkish Oushak rug that measured 220 by 164 inches (shown). Runner up was an antique hand-knotted Oushak rug of the same dimensions, which went out at $10,625 with premium. In the realm of hand-knotted rugs, Oushaks, woven in a method known as the Turkish knot, are created by passing the colored weft yarn over the two warp yarns, which is then pulled through between them and cut to form the pile. Watch for a further review of this sale in an upcoming issue.