ISI War Rug
| ID# 1101 | Date: Unknown, likely late 1980's | -:- | Size 68 x 52 inches
(173 X132 cm) |
| Knots/Inch: 6 h X 8 | Origin: Afghanistan | Style: -Landscape Pictorial War Rugs, Other examples of this style | Tribe: Unknown |
|
A central motif of what looks to be a town contains imagery of cars, small buildings, military vehicles, mines, helicopters, and a faded landscape in the background. At the center-bottom of the motif a building with "ISI" in large blue lettering, the emblem of the 'Inter Services Agency'. Text is dispersed throughout the rest of the central field.
The main border is made up of 8-pointed-star shapes in brown polygons interspersed with turquoise geometric patterns. Some text is visible in a few of the shapes. The top and bottom main borders are slightly different with slightly more variance in geometry and possibly letters visible in the turquoise shapes. A pink and turquoise diagonal stripe stretches across the outside edge of these borders. This rug has been heavily bleached once made with bright pink, turquoise, orange, red, and others, the carpet now takes on a more subdued color scheme. The bleaching is genius idea of the European dealer from whom we bought this rug. He was famous for his washing, and he ruined some important rugs like this one. Some damage (holes and unravelling) is evident in the top right side of the rug, possibly due to the bleaching process. |
| Wool: Thick and dry. | Sheen: Good sheen. | Handle: Thick, medium floppy. | Selvedge: Red on the bottom half, brown on the top. Overcast with decent coverage. |
| Fringe: 1.5in long plain woven naturally colored wool with three red-and-naturally-colored weft brocades. Small tufts of red, natural colored, and turquoise wool throughout. | Pile: 6mm | Warp: 2S naturally colored wool with knots at the base. | Weft: Black cotton thread. |
| Warp Depression:Slight warp depression. | |||
