Condition: The blue background color is one of the best in the Herat Afghanistan palette. The sprinkling of light blue and red throughout the field enliven the design.This is simply a beautiful rug, and it's price is lowered significantly by the condition issues below.
The car border and central column give the rug a unique design. The use of very small motifs in the panels around the tanks set the field apart from the borders (and central column) in a beautiful way.
One by two inch section of old moth damage where moths have eaten down to the knots. Also, the light blue is a fugitive dye (a common color in Baluchi rugs from western Afghanistan) and it has tip fading.
Wool: Excellent. Thick, compact and dense
Sheen: Good
Handle: Baluchi rugs are floppy, but this one is thick and sturdy.
Selvedge: Single thick cord of braided wool overcast. This is unusual since these rugs' selvedges are ususally goat hair.
Fringe: Short plain weave kilim, overhand knots and fringe
Pile: 9mm
Warp: Wool warps are mostly undyed, but the middle section is lightly dyed blue over the ususal blond/light brown wool.
Weft: Grey cotton
