Description

This southwest Persian long rug with the proportions of a kelleh dates to the last quarter of the nineteenth century.

The field design of vertical stripes, roughly twelve centimetres  in width, which are filled with a chain of flowering shrubs is fairly unusual for carpets from this area. It is echoed in the main border on a white ground. The same format of vertical stripes, albeit filled with botehs in alternation with flowers on a stem, is found on the Qashqai rug published by Opie (in: Tribal Rugs of Southern Persia. Portland, James Opie Oriental Rugs Inc., 1981, page 21). He attributes this rug to the Kashkuli, due to its firm handle and tight weave. The rug in hand is the complete opposite and has a handle more like a Luri rug. However, as Opie points out (op.cit., page 20), the Lurs are an ancient people in southwest Persia, and it is highly likely that there was a considerable cross-over between the Qashqai and the Lurs. This mutual influence would have extended to carpet weaving.

An outstanding feature of this carpet is the quality of the extremely soft, lustrous wool. The colours, too, are soft and beautifully saturated, and they are all naturally dyed. The effect is that of a carpet with a warm glow.

The carpet is woven in wool on a wool foundation and is in excellent condition, including original sides.