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

Item Ref
BM/SJ4

Private Collection just acquired.
This beautiful prayer-rug, made circa 1880 by Timuri Yaqoub Khani tribes, is as finely knotted as they come!
It has been hanging on a wall for many years and has survived in near-mint condition with complete 'elems' or skirts at each end.
The central field and hand-panels are knotted in natural, undyed camel-hair and comprises an intricately-drawn 'tree-of-life' in the centre. All the colours are good from vegetable-dyes.
An amazing rug and certainly best of type.
Size: 1.50 x 0.79m (4' 11" x 2' 7").
£4,750

Antique Prayer-Rug, Timuri Dokhtar-e-Qazi Tribe, Khaf Region, ...

Item Ref
BM2300

Another unexpected find on a recent short holiday is this beautiful Timuri prayer rug of the Dokhtar-e-Qazi sub-tribe, living in the environs of Khaf on the borderlands on north-eastern Persia and north-western Afghanistan and made circa 1900.
The rug has natural camel-hair field comprising stylised 'trees of life' rising to a pointed mihrab which is a common Dokhtar-e-Qazi symbol. The mihrab is surrounded by tiny shrubs on a cochineal-dye background.
The hand-panels are also in natural camel-hair and can be seen linking over the top of the rug. Although, possibly not clear in the photos, the tiny 'X' symbols surrounding the mihrab, have some highlighted in yellow cotton.
Also, in the lower field, there is a line of cochineal-dye silk knots, suggesting this namazlyk was a highly-prized possession or made for someone of importance.
In near-mint condition other than a tiny repair in the lower border, which will be re-done expertly, the namazlyk is complete with chevron-design, kilim skirts.
Size: 1.37 x 0.91m (4' 6" x 3' 0").
£2,350

Antique Prayer-Rug, Baluch Tribes, Khorassan Province, North-East ...

Item Ref
BM2156

This rare, small size Baluch prayer-rug has a beautiful drawing of the 'tree-of-life' on a natural camel-hair field and unusual yet striking, palmette in the prayer niche.
The hand-panels contain a simply-drawn 'tree' in each, again on natural camel-hair background.
In excellent condition and dating to circa 1880, this charming little rug retains its original plain-weave ends.
Size: 1.42m x 0.76m (4' 8" x 2' 6").
£1,100

Antique Baluch Tribal Rug, Ferdows Province, South-East ...

Item Ref
BM/IG1

Sold some 30 plus years ago from my Samarkand Galleries in Stow-on-the Wold, north Cotswolds, I have just been reunited with this unusual Ferdows Baluch rug along with two others.
This rug has a natural camel-hair ground on which 'lightening' patterns dominate the field and surrounded by a blue main border. The rug is in very good condition, dates to circa 1870 and is complete with long kilim skirts at each end.
Size: 1.30m x 0.84m (4' 3" x 2' 9").
£950

Antique Baluch Tribal Rug, Khorassan Province, North-East ...

Item Ref
BM/IG2

Another reunited Baluch rug sold over 30 years ago and nice to have it back. It has a beautiful madder-red ground with an overall small lozenge pattern, disappearing under the borders and out into infinity. The main border has a relatively typical Baluch continuous vine leaf symbolising the eternal cycle of life.
A very elegant and nicely-drawn rug, made circa 1880 in Khorassan province of north-eastern Persia.
Size: 2.00m x 1.20m (6' 6" x 4' 0").
£950

Antique Baluch Tribal Rug, Sistan Province, South-East ...

Item Ref
BM/IG3

A rare and beautiful Baluch tribal rug in excellent condition made in the Sistan region circa 1880.
Another rug I have been reunited with recently and after 30 years of being enjoyed elsewhere, it is lovely to have it back in the fold!
The unusual ground colour resembles burnt-orange with three central rectangles comprising 'Mushwani' type lozenges. Very finely knotted, the outer 'laleh abassi' border is beautifully drawn and frames the rug in the most stunning way. It is complete with short kilim skirts each end.
Size: 1.70m x 0.94m (5' 7" x 3' 1").
£950

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 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 Timuri Prayer-Rug, Timuri Tribes, Borderlands of ...

Item Ref
BM/MI3

This Timuri 'namazlyk' (prayer-rug) is as good as they come! Made circa 1870-1880, the central field incorporates the 'Dokhtar-e-Qazi' shrub and it's possible that this prayer-rug was made by the Dokhtar-e-Qazi sub-tribe. The light areas throughout the rug are knotted in magenta silk which suggests this prayer-rug was made for a very important person within the tribe - possibly the chief himself! This rug incorporates 'trees-of-life' in the upper hand-panels and it retains its original flat-woven skirts at each end.
The rug is in excellent overall condition and pieces like this today in the world marketplace are very rare.
Size: 1.53m x 1.26m (5' 0" x 4' 2").
SOLD

Antique Baluch Tribal Rug, Khorassan Province, North-East ...

Item Ref
BM/Baluch

Rare, early Baluchis like this one are few and far between and particularly in such very good condition.
Made around 1860 in Khorassan Province, north-eastern Persia, a similar example can be seen in the V & A collection, but not as early as this one! The intense indigo-blue field depicts a serrated leaf adjoining flower-heads - possibly nectar-blossom - and the continuous vine main border symbolises the eternal cycle of life. This fabulous Baluch is in excellent condition with a few expertly-done repairs and retains its long chevron skirts at each end.
This rug is among the best of nineteenth century Khorassan Baluch rugs and is highly collectible.
Size: 2.50m x 1.30m (8' 3" x 4' 3").
SOLD

Antique Timuri Carpet, Timuri Tribes, Western Afghanistan. ...

Item Ref
SJ1

The best Timuri carpet I've ever laid my eys upon! I can honestly say that. The carpet is superb in every way - a date of mid 19th century, very good condition but more importantly, a fabulous wealth of vegetable colours ranging from deep indigo-blue, sky blue, turquoise, aubergine, madder-red, corroded dark brown, highlights of ivory and a tiny amount of yellow. The flat-woven skirts are intact although were possibly slightly longer when first made. The four large archaic lozenges on either side of the six 'snowflake' motifs in the central field contain typical Timuri 'trees'. The whole carpet gives a feeling of immense power and is a magnificent testament to the much under-appreciated work of the Timuri.
Size: 2.92m x 2.08m (9' 7" x 6' 10").
SOLD

Antique Prayer-Rug, Timuri Tribes, Western Afghanistan.

Item Ref
BM/AE5

This must rank as one of the very best 19th century Timuri prayer-rugs I've had the great pleasure of owning for a very short while. I knew as soon as it was advertised, it would fly out - like the proverbial flying carpet! The condition was near-mint - beautiful soft, glossy vegetable-dye wool and complete with flat-woven skirts. It was previously acquired in the 1940s from a well-known carpet dealer in the West End of London and found its way to the Antipodes. I find myself very lucky to acquire it and now pass it on to someone who will, I know, treasure it.
Size: 1.50m x 1.20m (4' 11" x 3' 11").
SOLD