Antique Turkmen Rug, Teke Tribes, Merv Oasis, ...

Item Ref
BM2019

This beautiful, small-size Turkmen rug was made by a Teke woman, possibly as a dowry rug, during the third quarter of the nineteenth century. The beautiful madder brick-red ground colour is magnificent - a colour I am always searching to find in these special pieces - but such pieces are rare. This rug contains three vertical rows of six Teke 'guls' or tribal crests and is in excellent condition. A truly fabulous rug.
Size: 1.60m x 1.15m (5' 3" x 3' 9").
£4,500

Antique Turkmen Engsi, Yomut Tribe, Trans-Caspian Steppes, ...

Item Ref
BM2133

This magnificent Turkmen 'engsi' - yurt door-rug - was made by the Yomut tribes in the trans-Caspian Steppes, Turkmenistan during the mid 19th century.
Engsis were made to hang on the inside of the yurt door facing inwards, and were importantly symbolic. The lower panels represented the 'sky-door' through which the soul then entered the quartered field which depicted the four gardens of Paradise. Once there, you were spiritually secure. Particularly attractive are the two, powerful lower panels, one in a beautiful shade of sky-blue.
The rug is in very good condition albeit it with a few small areas of staining which might be expected in a piece of this age.
Size: 1.83m x 1.30m (6' 0" x 4' 3").
£2,950

Antique Turkmen Engsi, Teke Tribes, Merv Oasis, ...

Item Ref
BM2093

Engsis were hung on the inside of the Turkmen tent and symbolised the gateway to Paradise. The bottom panel represented the 'sky door' with the cross design dividing the field into the four symbolic gardens.
This beautiful engsi, which was made during the last quarter of the nineteenth century by Teke Turkmen in the Merv Oasis, has a luxurious woollen pile and is complete and in excellent condition.
Size: 1.52m x 1.15m (5' 0" x 3' 9").
£2,300

Antique Turkmen Prayer-Rug, Kizyl Ayak Tribes, Turkmenistan, ...

Item Ref
BM/KA1

Made by Kizyl Ayak tribes in Turkmenistan circa 1900, this little prayer-rug comprises a madder-red ground with a vertical row of four 'guls' (tribal-crests) in the centre and surrounded by a pale-yellow inner border creating a double rams-horns motif at the top - symbolising power.
Overall, the rug is in fairly good condition with some isolated wear and a couple of old repairs and thus priced accordingly.
Size: 1.30m x 0.84m (4' 3" x 2' 9").
£750

Antique Turkmen Main Carpet, Yomut Tribes, Trans-Caspian ...

Item Ref
BM/YC

This handsome Turkmen main yurt carpet was made by the Yomut tribe in the trans-Caspian Steppes circa 1870-1880. It comprises a beautiful madder-red field with a plethora of Yomut 'dyrnak' guls and protected by a striking ivory main border. The Yomut Turkmen used two types of guls in their main carpets, one being the 'dyrnak' gul, the other being the 'kepse' gul.
Both 'elems' (end panels) are different - stylised trees one end and flowers the other end - which adds to the charm of this magnificent carpet. Added to all this, the selvedges are over-bound in silk which suggests this carpet was made for an important tribal member, such as a khan.
Size: 3.05m x 2.00m (10' 0" x 6' 6").
SOLD

Antique Turkmen Main Carpet, Teke Tribes, Turkmenistan, ...

Item Ref
BM/FL

A magnificent main yurt carpet made by Teke Turkmen tribes during the third quarter 19th century. The glowing madder-red is just to die for (excuse the pun) and the carpet is in excellent overall condition with stunning elems (skirts). The weave is as fine as they get as can be seen in the close-up photo and all I can add is that the weaver was obviously at the very height of her weaving ability.
Size: 2.81 x 2.24m (9' 3" x 7' 4").
SOLD

Antique Turkmen Main Carpet, Teke Tribes, Turkmenistan, ...

Item Ref
BM1532

The very best madder-red can be found on the early rugs, carpets and trappings of the Teke and Salor Turkmen tribes.
Here we see in this fabulous yurt main carpet made by Teke tribes during the mid 19th century, this fantastic use of glowing madder-red on which are depicted the tribal crests or 'guls' of the Teke tribe. You can't get much better than this!
Highly collectible and amongst the very best of type.
3.23 x 1.90m (10' 7' x 6' 3").
SOLD

Rare Antique Turkmen Engsi, Ersary Tribes, Middle ...

Item Ref
BM1980

What a stunner!
A rare Turkmen Engsi - yurt door hanging - made by Ersary nomads in the middle Amu Darya region of Turkmenistan in the early to mid 19th century. The lower elem is stunning in its simplicity as is the central 4 -gardens of Paradise with their depiction of stylised double birds-heads - symbolically representing the guardians of the gates of Paradise.
Illustrated in my book 'Tribal Rugs - Treasures of the Black Tent' and on the front cover of Uwe Jourdan's 'Turkmen Carpets' this is a highly collectable rug.
Size: 1.60m x 1.35m (5' 3" x 4' 5").
SOLD

Antique Turkmen Main Carpet, Teke Tribes, Turkmenistan, ...

Item Ref
BM2001

Teke Turkmen carpets pre-1900 are among my favourite tribal carpets. These large carpets were specifically made for use in the tent and the most common size is 3m x 2m.
The glowing madder-red ground in this main tent carpet is just magnificent with its four vertical rows of ten Teke 'guls' or tribal crests. In fantastic pile condition all over, this beautiful carpet would have been made circa 1870-1880, probably in the Akhal Oasis of Turkmenistan.
The carpet is complete with its fantastic 'elems' or skirts.
Size: 3.00 x 2.13m (10' x 7').
SOLD

Antique Tekke Turkmen Carpet, Turkmenistan, Central Asia. ...

Item Ref
BM736

Beautiful colours fill the field of this fabulous Turkmen carpet, made by Tekke tribes circa 1870.
Size: 2.95m x 1.93m (9' 8" x 6' 4").
SOLD

Antique Turkmen Engsi, Yomut Tribe, Trans-Caspian Steppes, ...

Item Ref
BM1684

This magnificent engsi (yurt door rug) was made by Yomut Turkmen in the trans-Caspian Steppes of Turkmenistan circa 1860-1870. To find engsis of this age and in such amazing condition is pretty rare these days. The vegetable-dye wool is lustrous, soft and glossy and the 'elem' or lower skirt is superbly drawn.
Engsis were made specifically for hanging at the door of the yurt and symbolised the gateway to Paradise.
This is certainly one of the very best made by the Yomut tribe.
Size: 1.67m x 1.35m (5' 6" x 4' 5").
SOLD

Antique Turkmen Rug, Teke Tribes, Akhal Oasis, ...

Item Ref
BM/MI2

This beautiful Teke Turkmen rug is as good as they get! Finely knotted with a glossy, glowing, madder-red ground - the best colour found in these 19th century Tekes. This fabulous rug dates to circa 1870 and is in near perfect condition, albeit with a small expertly-done re-weave at one corner. Otherwise in great condition. The field depicts three vertical rows of eight Teke 'guls' (tribal crests) and both skirts contain the symbolic entry to the spiritual world.
Size: 1.80m x 1.12m (5' 11" x 3' 8").
SOLD