Ali Kwaja

ID#:1812, Poppy Design Ali Kwaja with Airplane Guard Stripes Price on request Ali Kwaja rugs are the best, and this is example is one of the best Ali Kwaja rugs. Ali Kwaja means roughly, gentleman. These rugs are extremely finely knotted: this rug has more than 160 knots per inch. The pile is very short, and the handle is very floppy. The wool is soft with a waxy handle and sheen. Extensive research suggests Ali Kwaja rugs are Beshir Turkmen. Supposedly, they moved across the border into Afghanistan after the Bolshevik revolution consumed the USSR. In the middle of the rug there are a couple of pea size areas where the pile has been damaged. The structure is intact, and damage is not readily noticeable. The field may look black, but it is actually a very dark and beautiful indigo blue Possibly, this rug was intended as a prayer rug, for notice the top two panels are separated from the lower panels by a white border stripe. The lower two panels are separated by a airplane border. Pomegranites are a classic image in Afghan rugs. In pre-Islamic Persia and Afghanistan, pomegranate represented the soul to Zoroastrians. The Quran says pomegranates will be found in Paradise.

ID#:1575, Ali Khwaja War Rug with Planes, Tanks, and Bombs Pouring into Map of Afghanistan. On Hold for MdC on 3/2/15 One of the most important Ali Kwaja rugs. Thicker than usual pile. Great condition. Sold into important Italian collection.

ID#:1433, Lion in Corner Ali Kwaja Excellent. Like new. No apparent use.

ID#:1417, Horsemen with Swords Al Kouwaja Rug This is an excellent rug, while not technically a war rug, it informs intimately war rugs of the Ali Kouwaja type. The figures on this rug are noteworthy, the Wizard of Oz-sequel winged figures, as well as the little Picachu type figures. The figuration in the field: horsemen, lions tackling deer, falcons, and other birds are beautifully arranged

ID#:1081, Ali Khwaja Pomegranate and Mosque Rug (Plate 39 Vol. 1) There is a mistake at the bottom: Mosque on the left is slightly smaller than the mosque on the right, disrupting the pattern.

ID#:802, Fine Ali Kwaja Vase of Flowers Rug This is a very fine high quality rug. The pile is super short as is typical with this style. The design is separate into 6 repeating motifs by thin lines, with the top two versions of the motif abruptly cut off by the top of the rug. The motifs contain large vases sprouting plants with four smaller bases beside them. The border consists of smaller stripes, the largest is formed from detailed drawings of helicopters on a red background, the others are a variety of geometric designs. (soda)

ID#:796, Woman on Lion in Corner (Nigel Selection) This red, gold, and blue large short pile rug contains interesting intricate designs of animals (lions, leopards, snakes, horses, camels, and other animals) and human figures interacting. Some of the interactions include: figures riding horses, large snakes constricting leopards, ladies sitting with sheep/goats, hoofed animals being attacked by mean looking smaller animals, and various birds, camels, and four-legged animals standing alone. Small images of helicopters and trucks are hidden throughout the composition. The border is made up of over a dozen smaller guard stripes and designs.

ID#:780, Small Dragon Ali Kwaja This very fine red, blue, and yellow rug depicts scenes of an unknown mosque with a man holding two swords. Two serpentine dragons on either side of the man flick their tongues with branches of flowers between them. Tanks, helicopters, planes, and cars snake around the composition.

ID#:767, Dragon Ali Kwaja Excellent, like new, appears never to have been used

ID#:550, Shah of Two Swords new

ID#:549, Man on Elephant in Bottom corner Writing at top in white elephants.

ID#:402, Al Khwaja Animal Rug Excellent example of a small format Al Kwaja rug. Sudeiths premise is that these rugs are Beshir Turkmen woven in Al Kwaja.

ID#:387, Swordsman Riding Green Lion in Corner Perfect