Baluch Prayer Rugs
Examples:
Persian Baluch Type Prayer Rug
This is an antique Baluch rug. This rug copies a Salor/Saryk/Tekke Gul. Khorasan, Iran, 19th century. 3 foot 5 inch by 5 foot 3 inch.
Structure: Asymmetrical knot open left. 10 knots per horizontal inch and 10 knots per vertical inch. 100 per square inch (1550 per square decimeter). Slightly depressed.
Yarn Spin: Z.
Warp: 2 ply white wool.
Weft: 2 shots tan wool.
Ends: warp fringe. When new, this rug most likely had kilim skirts, which are now gone.
Selvages: 2 cord wrapped in brown wool.
Further Notes: This is an antique collectors piece. The condition is good. The pile is low and the rug shows areas of wear and corrosion.
The degeneration of design elements is rather like the ripples in a pond when a pebble is thrown in. First a small ring, then a larger, and a larger, and a larger until it disappears. By taking any one of the rings, a person can calculate where the stone was thrown in because it will be a point equidistant from all sides. There can not be a big ring them a smaller then a large again, the rings must follow a predictable and logical order. So it is with the degeneration of design. If one accepts that the Baluch copied from the Salor et al then the most Turkman like rug is most likely to be older.
A point of interest is the kilim-like end skirts. This piece most likely had kilim skirts. One thing someone can notice about old Baluch rugs was that they usually contain at least some corrosive dyes. When they start to corrode, it will often affect the kilim skirts first.
Seh Mihraba Taimani Rug
Size: 3 foot by 5 foot 6 inch.
Seh Mihraba means 3 mihrabs and refers to a type of rug from Afghanistan that is usually attributed to the Taimani. These rugs are attributed to the Shindand market area.
20th century.
Structure: Asymmetrical knot open to the left. 9 knots per horizontal inch and 7 knots per vertical inch. 63 per square inch (976.5 per square decimeter).
Yarn Spin: Z.
Warp: 2 ply tan wool.
Weft: 2 shots brown wool.
Pile: 2 wool singles.
Ends: 1.5 inch plain weave with weft replacement and heavy crossed wefts with .5 inch warp fringe (top); 1.5 inch plain weave with weft replacement and overhand knots with .5 inch warp fringe (bottom).
Selvages: 2 cord double-looped blue, brown goat.
Handle: Light, durable.
Further Notes: Excellent condition.
Baluch Prayer Rug Persia second half 19th C
Baluch Prayer Rug, Northeast Persia, second half 19th century. Areas of wear, creases. 3 ft. 8 in. x 2 ft. 8 in.