early 19th century, 146 x 124 cm, Central Asia, West Turkestan

An early Yomut door rug woven in the cruciform hatchlu design. The four segments of the field, the horizontal panel and the inner elem are patterned in pekvesh flowers, a focus on a single motif that is rarely encountered in Yomut ensis. Serrated stars are aligned in the two white borders. The lower elem contains large trees with serrated leaves, a design frequently seen in the elems of Yomut rugs. A very fine weave, a leathery handle on the reverse, brilliant colours. Tsareva dates this rug to the early 18th century; we are somewhat more cautious in this regard. – Slight signs of age and wear, cut and rebound sides, somewhat reduced ends. Provenance: Estate of Peter Hoffmeister

HOFFMEISTER, PETER, Turkoman Carpets in Franconia. Edinburgh 1980, no. 18 *** EILAND JR., MURRAY L. (ed.), A World of Oriental Carpets & Textiles. Washington, D.C. 2003, fig. 24, p. 191 *** TSAREVA, ELENA, Turkmen Carpets. Masterpieces of Steppe Art, from 16th to 19th Centuries. The Hoffmeister Collection. Stuttgart 2011, no. 77