Antique Khorjin (saddle-bags), Shahsevan Tribes of Khamseh, ...

Item Ref
BM/LPN6

Acquired from a private collection, this superb khorjin (saddle-bags) was woven in extra weft wrapping technique by Shahsevan nomads in the Khamseh region of north-west Persia around 1870-1880.
The khorjin is in excellent complete condition with original lappits and ties and given the purpose of hard use on tribal migrations, the weaver has even sewn leather strips onto the base of the bag and around the lappits, in order to protect it from daily wear. This is a truly magnificent and rare khorjin in amazing condition.
Size: 1.50m x 0.56m (4' 11" x 1' 10").
£3,500

Antique Mini Khorjin 'saddle-bags', Shahsevan Nomads, Moghan ...

Item Ref
BM/RP5

Just in from a private collection, a fabulous pair of mini saddle-bags - 'khorjin' in Persian - woven by Shahsevan nomads during the third quarter of the nineteenth century in the Moghan region of Azerbaijan.
These magnificent saddle-bags are finely woven in soumak technique on both bag faces with the back in madder-red, plain-weave technique. The lappits and woollen loops are intact and the bag is complete and in excellent condition. This is a rare and very collectable pair of saddle-bags.
Size: 67cm x 28cm (2' 2" x 11").
£2,750

Antique Half Saddle-Bag, Shahsevan Tribes of Bijar, ...

Item Ref
BM1966

This rare and highly unusual, knotted-pile, half saddle-bag was made by Shahsevan tribes in the Bijar region of north-west Persia during the last quarter of the nineteenth century.
The beautiful natural colour in reds, blues and green dominate the unusual overall 'shrub' pattern on an ivory background with nuances of golden-yellow intermixed.
The back, in plain-weave technique, is exciting with its wide horizontal bands of 'zig-zags' which, I was told by an elderly nomadic woman during my time with the nomads in the 1970s, represented migrating birds.
At one time this bag would have had a bridge leading to another bag of the same, but as is often the case, these saddle-bags were cut up by unscrupulous dealers who saw the prospect of making more money from individual bags! Nevertheless, this bag is unique and very collectable.
Size: 66cm x 76cm (2' 2" x 2' 6").
£1,250

Antique Shahsevan Tribal Rug, Moghan Region, Azerbaijan. ...

Item Ref
BM1933

A most unusual rug and possibly of Shahsevan tribal origin from the Moghan Plain in Azerbaijan.
The Shahsevan are well-known for their fabulous 19th century soumak weavings whereas knotted-pile weaving is relatively rare amongst this tribe. In this knotted-pile rug, which appears to have two sections surrounded by borders rather than the whole rug with one complete border, the weaver has also created a narrow horizontal band in the centre incorporating a stylised male figure - by the looks of things!! Above the male figure in the upper-most panel is an inscription which to me is illegible, and an Islamic date, which might possibly read 1330 - translated to 1912 in the solar calendar.
Nevertheless, this is a rare and very interesting rug, the likes of which I've never come across anything similar!
Size: 1.68 x 1.42m (5' 6" x 4' 8").
£1,150

Antique Half Saddle-Bag, Shahsevan Tribes of Lowshan, ...

Item Ref
BM1912

Once part of a pair of double saddle-bags, this survivor was recently found, strangely enough, in south-eastern Iran and sent to me. It's a beautiful example of early to mid 19th century Shahsevan weaving from the Lowshan region, Gilan Province, northern Persia. I have just had it washed and the colours have brightened considerably to the poor, grubby state it was in when it arrived!
I love the depiction of stylised dragon symbols in the lower and upper madder-red horizontal field panels (see the close-up photos) and framed in the centre, three octagonal shapes with ancient totemic symbols contained within. The left and right octagons are highlighted in ivory cotton, as is the main border surrounding the field and the additional panel at the very top. The remains of the plain-weave lappits are intact. A very collectible piece of early Shahsevan weaving.
Size: 59cm x 76cm (2' 0" x 2' 6").
£950

Antique Saddlebag-Face, Shahsevan Nomads, Moghan Region, Persian ...

Item Ref
BM1738(a)

This is the last one of a pair of early to mid nineteenth century saddle-bag faces, woven in reverse-soumak technique by Shahsevan nomads in the Moghan plain. The colours are beautifully old and saturated in this half of what was once a full khorjin (saddle-bags). The other half is illustrated on my website under the reference BM1738(b).
These are highly collectable weavings from an early period of Shahsevan production.
Size: 48cm x 48cm (1' 7" x 1' 7").
£850

Antique Saddle-Bag-Face, Shahsevan Tribes, Azerbaijan

Item Ref
BM573

This rare and early Shahsevan piled saddle-bag face with good natural colours has been washed and restored. Highly collectable!
Sizes: 56cm x 61cm (1' 10" x 2' 0") each.
SOLD

Antique Saddle-Bag Face, Shahsevan Tribes, Azerbaijan

Item Ref
BM573

The pair to the previous saddle-bag face, made by Shahsevan tribes in Azerbaijan around the 1850s. The bagface is in knotted-pile with some of the outer minor border missing on the left side and at the bottom. Nevertheless, this is a rare, early and very collectable example of the piled Shahsevan saddle bags.
Size: 56cm x 61cm (1' 10" x 2' 0") each.
SOLD

Antique Salt-Bag, Shahsevan Nomads, Moghan Region, Azerbaijan. ...

Item Ref
BM/LPN12

Just arrived from a UK private collection, this magnificent 'namakdan' (salt-bag), is a rare example woven in soumak technique, by a Shahsevan nomad in the Moghan region of Azerbaijan circa 1870-1880.
The bag is completely original with plain-weave back in traditional narrow horizontal bands of madder-red and deep indigo-blue and the sides are over-bound in different colours with original vegetable-dye wool.
The main body of the bag comprises of double-headed sun-birds, symbolically the guardians of the gates of Paradise, and a popular design amongst the Moghan Shahsevan.
Size: 43cm 33cm (1' 5" x 1' 1").
SOLD

Antique Bag-Face, Shahsevan Nomads of Moghan, Azerbaijan. ...

Item Ref
BM1676

A very fine and possibly late 18th or early 19th century bag-face, woven in soumak technique by Shahsevan nomads in the Moghan region of Azerbaijan.
The indigo-blue background contains stylised 'dragons' or 'peacocks' - a design that ranks highly amongst collectors worldwide.
The plain-weave back is missing but the tie-lappits remain.
Size: 53cm x 56cm (1' 9" x 1' 10").
SOLD

Antique Namakdan (salt-bag), Shahsevan Nomads, Azerbaijan.

Item Ref
BM/LPN11

This namakdan (salt-bag), woven in flat-weave technique by Shahsevan nomads circa 1900, contains a field of hooked lozenges, disappearing under the border and out into infinity.
The bag is in mint condition bar a break in the braided handle which has been repaired. The back is in typical plain-weave technique with horizontal bands of different colours.
Size: 41cm x 35cm (1' 4" x 1' 2").
SOLD

Antique Chanteh (Vanity Bag), Shahsevan Tribes, North-West ...

Item Ref
BM796

This very old and rare Vanity Bag ('Chanteh' in Persian) was woven by Shahsevan nomads in north-western Persia around 1850. The finely executed soumack technique is indicative of a tribe that produced probably the very best flat-woven work up until the end of the 19th century. The front top of the plain-weave section of the bag is expertly re-woven as is the lower section of the back.
Size: 25cm x 25cm (10" x 10").
SOLD