BOSTON — Of the 260 lots offered at Grogan & Company’s June 12 Fine Rugs & Textiles auction, a circa 1875 Alpan Kuba rug led the sale, crossing the block for almost two and a half times its high estimate. This rug hailed from the Caucasus Mountains, located between Persia and Russia, in modern-day Azerbaijan. The Kuba region was the largest rug center in Azerbaijan, and produced more than 12 subtypes of carpets, including Alpan, each named after the tribe which created them. Alpan carpets, like this one, were known for their medallion designs, most often surrounded by gul and crawfish motifs. The most recognizable colors used in Alpan carpets were dark green and yellows. This particular example, which had provenance to the estate of a Massachusetts rug collector, measured 11 feet by 4 feet and sold for $28,125. A more in-depth review of this sale’s highlights will follow in an upcoming issue.