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The London sale “The Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds” on 30 April 2026 features over 80 selected rugs and carpets, with a focus on museum-grade provenance. The auction is led by the floral Toledo Mughal carpet from India, recently deaccessioned from the Toledo Museum of Art. Of particular historical significance is the Safavid Holms Hepburn Coronation carpet, which was used during the coronations of British Kings Edward VII and George V.
The auction house Sotheby’s will host the "Arts of the Islamic World and India" sale in London on 29 April 2026. The auction features a highly curated selection of just six carpets, including two pieces from the prestigious Lewis and Susan Manilow collection.
German e-commerce remains unaffected by general consumer restraint and recorded a significant increase in turnover in the first quarter of 2026. According to the German E-commerce and Distance Selling Trade Association (BEVH), revenues rose by 3.6% compared to the same period last year, reaching a total of EUR 20.4 billion. The furnishing cluster developed particularly well, generating growth of 2.4% with a total turnover of EUR 3.66 billion.
Following its insolvency in 2025, Carpetright is returning to the Dutch market with a radically restructured business model. The brand will henceforth operate without physical stores, functioning as a pure-play online retailer focused on professional in-home consultancy. This relaunch of Carpetright IP BV is led by former executives Gideon Tienkamp and Maikel Hofman, supported by the new investor De Verfzaak, a well-known paint and wallpaper retailer.
The Scandinavian interior retail chain Jysk is significantly expanding its market presence in the Netherlands by acquiring five former Leen Bakker stores. The locations in Amsterdam, Leek, Veendam, Zierikzee, and Meppel will be completely converted to reflect the latest Jysk store concept. While the first four of these branches open simultaneously on 15 April, the Meppel site will follow in May.
The current political instability in the Persian Gulf and the resulting effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz are burdening the carpet industry with drastically rising raw material costs. The production of machine-woven rugs is particularly affected, as prices for petroleum-based synthetic fibres, such as polypropylene and polyester, have surged.
The management of the insolvent Hammer Raumstylisten GmbH has informed its workforce of significant restructuring measures: 44 of the currently 80 branches are set to close by late March or early April 2026. Negotiations are already underway for many of these affected sites with interested parties from the food and non-food sectors, who are also considering takeover offers for the staff.