Afghani?

[Marc Sahli Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Marc Sahli]

Dear all,


Happy new 2025! I have for almost 20 years this Turkmen / Afghani (?). Unfortunately just these 2 pictures. It is 206x346cm. It looks newer than it is. That time when buying it on a bazaar in Tripoli, Libya, I have been told, that it was from an old italian abandoned villa, and that it has been at least 60 years lying at the same place. It is almost without damage. Just the kelim endings are short, the side shirazi are complete. No damage in the pile.

Can somebody tell me the exact tribal name? Thank you. All the best, M.

[Chuck Wagner Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Chuck Wagner]

Hi Mark

In my view, the design is non-traditional with respect to tribally affiliated look and feel. If you have other photos, please do post them. What I can say is that the palette, border motifs and Turkmen elements are consistent with production from the Andkhoy region and I would be comfortable placing it there. But there's not enough in the images to narrow it to tribal groups.

Regards
Chuck

[Joe Lawrence Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Joe Lawrence]

Try searching “AFGHAN TRIBAL BALUCH YAQUB KHANI”

[Chuck Wagner Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Chuck Wagner]

Hi Joe,

This rug is a very, very, very long way from a traditional Yacoub Khani rug, which are typified by a field populated with small rugs as the field motif. See image below. It may be that someone is marketing such work (clearly post-1950s) as Yacoub Khani, but I think they are bending the legend a bit too far. The palette, ornamentation, and finish all scream Afghan Turkman.

Regards
Chuck
This is what an old Yacoub Khani looks like:

[Joe Lawrence Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Joe Lawrence]

Thank you for the clarification Chuck.