Ghorbaghe Baluch Rugs
Examples:
Baluch Rug
This rug is like an old friend. It was first published as “Baluch Area” Plate 13.19 from Opie, James. Tribal Rugs. It was again published in Oriental Rug Review, ‘The Qarai Rugs of Turbat-i-Haidari’ Dec./ Jan. 1989, vol. 9, number 2, page 53 by Michael Craycraft.
While no one questions the beauty of this rug the Craycraft article was highly controversial. Opie called this rug “Baluch area”. Craycraft proposed a new attribution to the Qarai of Turbat-i-Haidari, hence the name.
The Craycraft Qarai Attribution
I remember speaking to SFBARS in Berkeley Ca. on Afghan Baluch type rugs and someone in the audience started questioning me on where I stood on the Craycraft Qarai theory. Now you have to understand SFBARS is one of the top rug clubs in the country and they ask tough questions. I explained that Craycraft may be right but I did not feel comfortable in taking his theory and applying it to a stack of Baluch type rugs and sorting them out into a Qarai and non-Qarai groups. That being said I am not saying Michael is wrong and maybe someday I will see enough Baluch rugs to see the point he made. Then I added that Qarai are Persian and my talk was on Afghan Baluch type. That was then and to this day I am still not comfortable with the attribution. But if anyone has a big antique Baluch collection it would be fun to try and see if we could verify Michael’s grouping.
Baluch Group Rug
Size: 129.54 x 83.82 cm
Region: West Asia > Persia > Northeast Persia > Baluch
Type: Rugs and Carpets
Date/Period: 19th century
Materials: Wool pile on wool foundation.
Structure: Asymmetric knot inclined toward the left. Two-three ground wefts between each row of knots.
Condition: Good. Some areas of oxidization to the browns. Sides are worn. Some wear creases. Otherwise, full pile with no holes or moth damage.
Full Description:
The colors are very strong, particularly the varying shades of blue and the extensive and rich aubergine.
Baluch Group Rug
The rug looks like a Baluch but with a knot count over 200 KPSI it is in a very rare group. Col. Jeff Boucher who one of the all-time great Baluch collectors had a finer than average collection but he only had 2 pieces, neither of them rugs, with a knot count over 190 and none over 200 Baluch Woven Treasures. see Plates 14 and 32.
Baluch Group Rug Boucher did have one rug with the unusual 8 petal flower in a octagonal medallion but that only has a knot count of 96 KPSI Baluch Woven Treasures. Plates 46. Neither Plates 14, 32 or 46 strike me as particularly similar to this rug in overall style or coloration. The only piece that seemed even fairly close is Plate 49 in Siawosch Azadi’s Carpets in the Baluch Tradition. Azadi calls it “Kurd Baluch?” it has similarities but I am not sure enough to apply that attribution to this rug.
Unusually Fine Weaving
With all the unusual features of this rug I have to wonder if it was made with a special intent. Weavers were known to weave extra fine dowry pieces and men were even known to weave presentation prayer rugs for Sufi masters. There were fine carpets woven as presentation pieces for officials and tribal leaders. Even among these groups this rug is unusually fine. One of the factors in fineness is the wool used to make the yarn. One of the reasons Baluch rugs tend to be coarse is that Baluch sheep tend to give a thick fiber. I have to suspect that the spinner went to great lengths to sort out the finest fibers or perhaps the weaver acquired wool from another breed.
Unusual End Finishes
One of the several less common features of this rug is the end skirt is pile instead of the more usual kelim.
Baluch Group Rug
Size: 155 x 87 cm
Region: West Asia > Persia > Northeast Persia > Baluch
Type: Rugs and Carpets
Date/Period: 19th century: last quarter.
Main Color Madder
Materials: Wool
Structure. Fine weave with greater than 200 knots per square inch – high offset in warp.
Condition: very good – some low areas – small repair to end.
Full Description:
Very rare Baluch type from NE Persia. Fine weave with greater than 200 knots per square inch – high offset in warp. Size is 87 X 155 cm (2′ 11″ X 5′ 2″). Ends are pile weave (not kilim) of a traditional kilim design.