This is a very rare Turkmen rug dating from the early 1980s. Baluchi weight and feel, but medallions are called by Parsons "Baba Saqal".
Excellent. Artistic use of fluorescent colors. Borders: 1 main with one outside guard stripe. Lots of nice greens and greys. Around light helicopter is natural fields with jade outline over grey outline. Different color, also natural. Thirteen separate colors: beautiful.
Good, new
new, good
new, good
The condition of this war rug is excellent. This rug uses a variety of similar but contrasting colors to make a very elegant pattern. New condition. Very good wool, variety of size motifs, classic Baghlani layout with tanks, helicopters and rifles. Field color looks to be natural madder dye. The color is very rich and shows beautiful abrash.
War rugs of this type typically depict weapons only arranged in rows, sometimes with secondary motifs of flowers or people. This war rug is different because it has medallions. There are some design elements of this war rug that make it look Baghlani: one knot wide yellow lines around border, the helicopters, the colors used. But the definitive element to the Baghlani attribution is the structure. The knot structure, size and dimension are typical of rugs from Baghlan. The condition of this war rug is new and perfect. The pile is dense and short.
This prayer war rug is new. The prayer format is defined by the arch at the top center, as well as the house forms in the top corners. The rest of the design is uncommonly organized, with a clutter of urban and rural motifs throughout the field including three cars
. At first these three cars appear to be the only modern imagery, but closer examination reveals a stinger missile hidden in the lower field. It may be an example of art imitating life but often Stinger missiles appear hidden in designs. Stinger missiles are the most rare of weapons depicted in war rugs. This could because, according to one account, the US supplied only 500 pieces, so a limited amount of people would have actually seen or used them. Also they were not introduced in Afghanistan until late 1986. Please see the third picture down of this rug to see a similar depiction of a Stinger missile click here. The Stinger in this rug is dissected. The top half is to the left and the bottom half is to the right, on the right side of the red dots.
This war rugs condition is excellent.
The colors are dark with a predominantly black field. Black is typically used in mourning rugs. Red is combined with blue for a purple effect which is rare. The border's primary color is undyed wool.
The back of this war rug has a corduroy feel and texture.