War Rug Classics: The Red Rug!

These are like "Bokara" rugs in terms of color, origin and structure, but their designs are contemporary.

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Red Rug with Pairs of Armored Personnel Carriers Afghan Rug
Red Rug with Pairs of Armored Personnel Carriers
The range of colors and how they play of the red field make this rug beautiful. The abstracted script is consistent with these rugs. The realism of the AK-47's drawing is brilliant. The airplane border moves the eye round the outside of the rug.
ID: 1816

$975

40 x 66 inches
101 x 168 cm
Vivid Color Red Rug with Thick Wool Afghan Rug
Vivid Color Red Rug with Thick Wool
This rugs wool is soft and lush, and its colors are crisp and vivid. The bullets in the border are pointed perpendicular to most bullet borders on Red Rugs. The tertiary motifs are and delicate. This is a cool rug.



Of the Red Rugs posted in December 2022 (#1813, 1814, #1816) this one, #1815, is most similar to the classic 1990's Red Rugs. The similarities are the black selvedges, the bright colors, and the drawing of the tanks and APC's.

ID: 1815

$875

36 x 58 inches
92 x 148 cm
Red Rug with Helicopters Outlined with White Dots Afghan Rug
Red Rug with Helicopters Outlined with White Dots
This is a stunning rug in new condition. The strongest visual effect are the white checkered lines around the helicopters. The high contrast dots make the whole rug pop, and highlight the grey helicopter in the middle of the rug.

There are a couple very small places with spots of missing pile. See photos, but one must study the rug closely to notice.

Red Rugs were mostly woven in the refugee camps in Pakistan during the 1990's. This rug was imported to the US in the mid 2000's so the exact creation date is hard to say.

The bullets in the magazines are a nice touch. Also, the bullets that make the border look Afghan mujaheddin in their traditional clothes and hats. The color palette is harmonious and the composition is classic Red Rug, reminiscent of the guls in traditional Turkmen "Bokara" rugs.
ID: 1814

$925

41 x 60 inches
104 x 153 cm
Bulbous Grey APC Red Rug Afghan Rug
Bulbous Grey APC Red Rug
Rug #1813 is in new condition. This rug's drawing is charming with the bulbous armored personnel carriers. The red field with ochre, burgundy, and grey accents works beautifully. The bullet - border hints at Afghan figures in local dress and caps. The small rifles are drawn in a style typical of Baluchi rugs from the 1980's and not typically found in Red Rugs
ID: 1813

$850

39 x 61 inches
99 x 155 cm
Burgundy Red Afghan Rug with Planes Afghan Rug
Burgundy Red Afghan Rug with Planes
ID: 1692

$850

40 x 57 inches
101 x 145 cm
Early Rug with AK47 Afghan Rug
Early Rug with AK47
This is an example of a 1980's rug featuring AK74. The cutaway APC's and helicopters showing the seating inside is classic for the type, and it influenced other rugs.

This rug was woven at a refugee camp, probably in Pakistan, but since I first discovered war rugs, it has been argued these rugs were woven by refugees in Iran.

This rug was bought second hand, and it is a little dusty, but he condition is very good.
ID: 1675

$1250

21 x 38 inches
53 x 96 cm
Weapon Inventory War Rug made from only Undyed Wool Afghan Rug
Weapon Inventory War Rug made from only Undyed Wool
Perfect new condition. Slightly pucker at center top, see photos.
Rare example of a rug woven from only undyed wool. All the colors in the rug are the natural colors of the sheep.
ID: 1668

$1255

47 x 68 inches
119 x 173 cm
Red War rug with 8 pointed stars Afghan Rug
Red War rug with 8 pointed stars
This rug is in new condition. Red Rugs were woven in the 1990s in Pakistan until the international community forced the Taliban out of Afghanistan in 2001. The weavers of these rugs were Afghan refugees who returned to Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban. The Red rugs currently available have been sitting in warehouses since they were woven in the 1990's so their condition is excellent and like new.
Red Rug wool is mill spun and dyed in bulk, so it rarely shows much abrash. This rug though has an unusual and beautiful touch of abrash running across the middle.
ID: 1560

$1500

37 x 61 inches
94 x 155 cm
Red rug with colored bullet trim, grenade, flower, and air bomber pattern Afghan Rug
Red rug with colored bullet trim, grenade, flower, and air bomber pattern
This is a very unusual Red Rug. The drawing of the images in uniquely simple. The simple helicopters and the APC filled with circles with circle wheels are both unusual. The use of many small tertiary designs throughout the field creates an interesting all over effect. Well drawn classic bullet border.

This rug is in new condition. Red Rugs were woven in Pakistan during the 1990s until the international community forced the Taliban out of Afghanistan in 2001. The weavers of these rugs were Afghan refugees who returned to Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban. The Red rugs currently available have been sitting in warehouses since they were woven in the 1990's so their condition is excellent and like new.
ID: 1558

$1250

40 x 64 inches
101 x 162 cm
Red rug with numbered tanks/helicopters and 5 square pattern Afghan Rug
Red rug with numbered tanks/helicopters and 5 square pattern
This rug is in new condition. Red Rugs were woven in Pakistan during the 1990s until the international community forced the Taliban out of Afghanistan in 2001. The weavers of these rugs were Afghan refugees who returned to Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban. The Red rugs currently available have been sitting in warehouses since they were woven in the 1990's so their condition is excellent and like new.
This is an unusual example of a red rug. The handle is different, and the border is atypical. Also unusual are the white outlines around the armored personeel carriers. The numbers and script throughout the field is seen is some Red Rugs, but mostly rugs from the early 1990s. The bullet in the AK magazine are a nice touch.
The four images that look like daggers at either end of the green helicopters are actually a trip wire triggered anti-personnell land mines.
ID: 1555

$1575

36 x 63 inches
91 x 160 cm
Red Rug with Najibullah Structure Afghan Rug
Red Rug with Najibullah Structure
This is the mate for rug 1522. Both are woven at the same time and place with same wool and same structure.
ID: 1520

$1499

39 x 56 inches
99 x 142 cm
AK-74 and Rocket Launchers
 Afghan Rug
AK-74 and Rocket Launchers
This is a second generation AK74 Red Rug. The first ones were woven in the mid 1990's and they were a small sub-group of the red rugs.
ID: 1518

$1499

40 x 58 inches
101 x 148 cm
Original, 2002, War On Terror War Rug #1368  Afghan Rug
Original, 2002, War On Terror War Rug #1368
Rugs of the same style, Afghan Kazak, were proposed as official gifts from US government. A variety of new and unique imagery is present on this rug; man on an ATV, predator drones, and the labeled jets and helicopters are all striking and detailed.
The unity of the Afghans and the US is symbolized by the crossed AK-47 and the M-16 (both weapon types noted on stock).
Similar to this rug.
ID: 1368

$2500

45 x 41 inches
113 x 104 cm
2004 Large Iraq Rug (Exhibition #26) Afghan Rug
2004 Large Iraq Rug (Exhibition #26)
Iraq Rug Large, perfect new condition. Thick soft pile. Note misspelling in ""Welcome""
ID: 1363

$1799

64 x 97 inches
162 x 246 cm
WTC Afghan Rug with crosses where planes hit.  Afghan Rug
WTC Afghan Rug with crosses where planes hit.
ID: 1138

$1500

22 x 33 inches
56 x 84 cm
Small Red War Rug with Blue Selvedge Afghan Rug
Small Red War Rug with Blue Selvedge
This classic war rug features an assortment of bright colors and is characterized by its bright cobalt blue selvedge. The bright pinks and greens pop from the red field.

The drawing of the armaments and the composition are indicative of the high point of Red Rugs in the mid 1990's woven in Pakistan by Afghan refugees.
Please see photos for places where moths have eaten distinct colors in places.
ID: 1125

$269

25 x 31 inches
63 x 79 cm