Antique Karachov Rug, Karachov, Kazak Mountains, South-West ...

Item Ref
BM/K1

Ranking as one of the very best of the highly collectible Karachov rugs, this magnificent rug displays a beautiful pea-green field with standard Karachov large, central, octagonal gul and two smaller guls at each end containing '8-pointed stars'. The stunning madder-red main border contains the continuous vine pattern, symbolising the eternal cycle of life.
Made in the Karachov region of the Kazak Mountains in the south-western Caucasus around 1860 -1870, the rug is in excellent overall condition albeit with good, evenly-low pile.
Size: 1.93m x 1.44m (6' 4" x 4' 9").
SOLD

Antique Feraghan Carpet, North-West Persia

Item Ref
GP1

This is a fabulous north-west Persian Feraghan carpet from the second half 19th century in very good overall condition albeit with some minor areas of wear, expected in a carpet of this age. The main border is truly superb - certainly one of the best main borders I have seen on such a carpet! The indigo-blue field contains an overall 'herati' pattern i.e. stylised fish swimming in a water garden and all the colours are vegetable-dyed.
Size: 4.27m x 3.51m (14' 0" x 11' 6").
SOLD

Antique Karachov Rug, Kazak Mountains, South-West Caucasus. ...

Item Ref
BM/K1

This magnificent, mint condition rug was made in Karachov in the Kazak Mountains, south-west Caucasus during the last quarter of the nineteenth century. The classic Karachov design in this fabulous rug has been knotted in soft, lustrous natural-dye wool. It is certainly one of the best Karachovs I've laid my eyes on.
Size: 2.80m x 1.78m (9' 2" x 5' 10").
SOLD

Antique Feraghan Carpet, Feraghan, North-West Persia.

Item Ref
BM/CH

This stunning carpet was made in the Feraghan region of north-west Persia circa 1870-1880.
The indigo-blue field contains an overall design of stylised shrubs in beautiful natural colours. The main border is superb and powerfully-drawn with its cartouche motifs all the way round.
In very good overall condition.
Size: 4.40m x 2.80m (14' 6" x 9' 2").
SOLD

Antique Prayer-Rug, Timuri - Yaqoub Khani Sub-Tribe, ...

Item Ref
BM/RMI

This is undoubtedly the best Timuri Yaqoub Khani namazlyk (prayer-rug) that exists in the world market today. A bold statement, but having handled and being aware of what is in private collections world-wide, I have never seen such a complete and mint-condition piece as this one!
Acquired from a private collection in Mashad in north-eastern Iran last month, I can only guess that this rug was made for an important person at the end of the nineteenth century, possibly hardly used and kept in a 'bokcha' (special dowry bag), totally preserved with its complete brocaded skirts. Amazing!
The extremely finely knotted natural camel-hair field contains the symbolic 'tree-of-life' rising upwards from the underworld, the branches in the earthly world leading to the spiritual realms. The brocaded skirts have highlights of silver and gold thread woven into the nesting birds as can be seen in the close-up photos, indicating this was commissioned by a wealthy member of the tribe, possibly the Khan himself.
This is a hugely important rug and highly collectable.
Size: 1.65m x 0.78m (5' 5" x 2' 7").
SOLD

Antique Agra Carpet, Agra, India.

Item Ref
BM/HC

This beautiful Agra carpet has been in the possession of an old English family since the early 20th century and was acquired by the current owner's grandfather.
The carpet is in very good overall condition and dates to the last quarter of the 19th century.
Size: 5.00m x 3.70m (16' 0" x 12' 0").
SOLD

Antique Timuri Main Carpet, Western Afghanistan.

Item Ref
BM660

To Timuri and Baluch collectors, this carpet can only be described as fabulous! Albeit worn in the centre and also with corroded brown, it still glows as the best of Timuri carpets do. Look at the brocaded ends - just magnificent and complete! There is only one small area of repiling in the top right-hand corner where there was a slight ruck due to the tightness of the brocaded skirts, otherwise it is completely original.I hope it goes to a good home - to someone who will treasure it.
Size: 2.19m x 1.44m (7' 2" x 4' 9").
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 Soumak, Kuba Region, South-Eastern Caucasus.

Item Ref
BM1770

Carpets woven in the soumak technique don't come much better than this one!
Acquired from a private English house where it had been hanging on a wall for over 60 years, the overall condition is excellent. Woven in the Kuba region of the south-eastern Caucasus during the last quarter of the nineteenth century, this is an unusually large size as most soumaks made in this area were a good bit smaller. You have to look closely at the overall symbolic representation and particularly interesting is the upper-most blue lozenge with its depiction of two men standing above what might presumably be horses! Note also, horses depicted in the outer field as well as other stylised creatures and birds scattered throughout.
This is an amazing and highly collectible carpet which would provide a fantastic floor covering.
Size: 3.60m x 2.26m (11' 10" x 7' 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