Antique Afshar Tribal Rug, Afshar Nomads of ...

Item Ref
BM/KA1

What an amazing sky-blue ground!
This stunning Afshar pre-dates the later 19th century examples with its beautiful sky-blue field containing large 'palmettes' beautifully drawn in varying colours of red and coral.
The colour palette indicates to me that it was made by Afshar nomads in the Shahr Babak region of Kerman province circa 1860-1870. This fabulous and highly collectable Afshar is in very good overall condition with a few minor areas of expert restoration, so extremely good that it cannot be seen!
Size: 1.70m x 1.28m (5' 7" x 4' 2").
£5,500

Antique Afshar Rug, Neiriz Region, Kerman Province, ...

Item Ref
BM1977

Truly magnificent!
In full, lustrous woollen pile, this fabulous rug was made by Afshar tribes in the Neiriz area of Kerman Province circa 1900-1910. The overall design of vases of flowers are depicted on a natural ivory field and surrounded by three borders containing stylised flowers and a continuous vine, symbolising the eternal cycle of life. Note in the close-up photos, the depiction of three human forms - possibly a man, his wife and child!
All the beautiful vibrant colours are from natural dyes.
This is an extremely beautiful and highly decorative rug and a great example of Afshar weaving in full pile.
Size: 1.97m x 1.50m (6' 6" x 4' 11").
£3,500

Antique Afshar Tribal Rug, Aqta', Sirjan Region, ...

Item Ref
BM/JS2

The indigo-blue field contains a myriad of 'botehs' - flame symbols originating amongst the Zoroastrians of Kerman Province. Extremely finely knotted, this fabulous rug was made by Afshar tribes in the vicinity of Aqta' in Kerman Province during the second half of the nineteenth century.
The rug is in very good overall condition with an evenly-low pile and some expert areas of restoration. This is a highly collectible example of early Afshar weaving.
Size: 1.63m x 1.27m (5' 4" x 4' 2").
£2,450

Antique Afshar Tribal Rug, Sirjan Region, Kerman ...

Item Ref
BM/AF

This charming and uncommonly small Afshar tribal rug, just acquired, has an overall field design of the zoomorphic 'dragon & phoenix' design on a deep indigo-blue ground, symbolising the fight between good and evil. This design is often wrongly referred to as 'shield' pattern, purely because they look like shields!!
Made by Afshar nomads in the Sirjan area of Kerman province, southern Persia circa 1880, the small format and beautiful natural, saturated colours in shades of green, blue and red make this rug a very collectable tribal rug. The ivory main border consists of a continuous vine and stylised flower pattern symbolising the eternal cycle of life. The rug is in very good condition with full pile.
Size: 1.32m x 0.91m (4' 4" x 3' 0").

£2,250

Antique Afshar Tribal Carpet, Kerman Province, South ...

Item Ref
BM1886

This large-size Afshar rug or small carpet was made in Kerman Province, south Persia circa 1870-1880 and comprises a small flower or shrub design surrounding an ivory central lozenge - a symbol frequently seen on Afshar rugs and weavings. It is interesting to note the single 'birds-heads' lozenge to the lower right of the central lozenge as seen clearly in the sixth image down - the only insertion of this symbol in the whole field of this carpet! Could it be the weaver's signature? The carpet is in good pile all over and retains its plain-weave skirts at each end.
Size: 2.56m x 1.47m (8' 5" 4' 10").
£1,500

Antique Bread Sofreh, Afshar Nomads, Kerman Province, ...

Item Ref
BM1999

I just love the nomadic artistic expression in these utilitarian bread sofrehs, this one woven by an Afshar woman during the early part of the 20th century in Kerman province, southern Persia.
The purpose of these flatweaves was for kneading the dough and rolling it into balls before flattening it out to make the wonderful 'lavash' or flat-bread.
These 19th and early 20th century sofrehs exude nomadic art at its finest and look amazing hung on the walls of western houses today. They are also a lot cheaper than purchasing a Klee, Mondrian or Rothko!!!
Size: 1.22m (4') square.
£1,450

Antique Afshar Tribal Rug, Aqta' Region, Kerman ...

Item Ref
BM/MI2

This rug is outstanding! Certainly one of the very best Afshar rugs I've ever handled or even seen in private collections worldwide.
Having a rather illegible date in the madder-red panel, top right hand corner of the diagonal-band field design, my feelings are that this rug is early, possibly around 1870. Finely knotted, one needs to concentrate on the indigo-blue inner field which contains a myriad of birds, quadrupeds and human representation. The two cenral lozenges highlighted in sky-blue, contain '8-pointed stars', symbols of protection. But look at the upper star. It contains a small bird, symbolising the carrier of the soul from the earthly world to the realms of the spirit.
Altogether, an amazing and truly fabulous rug.
Size: 1.93m x 1.31m (6' 4" x 4' 3").
SOLD

Antique Afshar Tribal 'Masnad' (throne rug), Bardsir ...

Item Ref
BM1926

Just magnificent!
A very fine, rare small rug, probably made as a 'masnad' - a very special rug made as a ceremonial king's rug. When the king had no access to the royal throne, a small rug called a masnad substituted for the throne. Masnads were, however, mainly used within the Afshar tribes for the Khan to sit on when he made a visit.
The myriad of well-fed chickens depicted in the central indigo-blue field are generally associated with the nomads of the Khamseh Confederacy, but here we see the chickens rarely depicted in an Afshar piece!
Very special and highly collectible.
Size: 1.40m x 1.04m
SOLD

Antique Afshar Carpet, Afshar Tribes, Kerman Province, ...

Item Ref
BM1759

This beautiful nineteenth century Afshar tribal carpet is finely knotted with a highly stylised 'herati' pattern in the indigo-blue central field interspersed with 'double-headed birds heads' lozenges. The outer madder-red ground contains tiny stylised 'botehs' providing a powerful guard. The overall pile is evenly-low with no signs of any sporadic wear and the carpet is complete with plain-weave skirts each end.
This is truly a superb large carpet made by Afshar tribes in Kerman province, south Persia circa 1870 and has to be seen to be fully appreciated.
Size: 2.74m x 1.47m (9' 0" x 4' 10").
SOLD

Antique Afshar Tribal Rug, Kerman Province, Southern ...

Item Ref
MJ1

Beautiful shades of vegetable colours abound in this magnificent rug made by Afshar nomads in southern Persia at the end of the 19th century. I particularly love the sky-blue spandrels and the myriad of creatures depicted in the central field. The rug is in very good condition and retains its brocaded ends. This rug was sold by me some 20 years ago and just acquired back. It is published in my book 'Tribal Rugs - Treasures of the Black Tent' on page 116 of the first edition which was published in 1997.
Size: 2.00m x 1.35m (6' 6" x 4' 6").
SOLD

Antique Afshar Tribal Rug, Kerman Province, South ...

Item Ref
BM1787

A spectacular Afshar rug with a design of octagonal 'guls' covering an indigo-blue ground. Within each of the guls are '8-pointed stars' - symbols of spirituality and protection.
I have never come across an Afshar rug with this design before! The weaver must have been having an amazing time fitting all these charming little guls into the field of the rug and with such a variety of natural colours!
The Afshar originated in eastern Turkistan and came down into different parts of Persia in the eleventh century with the Ghuz hordes, the majority of the tribe settling in the province of Kerman. Thus in this rug, with its myriad of guls, we see the link with the guls of the Turkmen tribes of Turkmenistan.
The rug is in excellent full-pile all over and dates to circa 1870-1880.
Rare!
Size: 2.09m x 1.60m (6' 10" x 5' 3").
SOLD

Antique Afshar Masnad, Afshar Nomads, Bardsir Region, ...

Item Ref
BM/CB2

This is a truly fabulous and very rare 'masnad' (seating-rug), made by Afshar nomads during the middle of the nineteenth century in the Bardsir region of Kerman Province, south Persia.
The 'masnad' was specifically made in a small, square size for the Khan or visiting dignitaries to sit on whilst giving an audience to the principal leaders amongst the tribe. The masnad was therefore a very special and highly prized rug, never intended for sale.
The design in this little masnad is rare. It probably depicts either a highly stylised lotus blossom or an open-winged eagle, amid vegetal patterns and embellished with stylised 'tree-of-life'.
See a similar example of the type in Parviz Tanavoli's 'Afshar - Tribal Weaves from South East Iran'.
Size: 1.20m x 1.09m (4' 0" x 3' 7").
SOLD