Seemingly unusual Ersari

[Eric Trowbridge Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Eric Trowbridge]

I recently acquired this squarish Ersari rug. I estimate it's from around 1900 and most likely Afghan. The colors are nicely saturated and look natural. The knotting is fairly coarse and pile is thick and glossy - in fact, the condition of the rug is pretty remarkable considering its apparent age. At 4'3" x 5'2", it's sized like an ensi but doesn't look like one. In fact, I've never seen this particular field design or combination of design elements before (though the borders are fairly common in MAD pieces).

Has anyone seen an analogous piece? Do you think it's just a big small rug or could it have been an ensi? Have you seen the field design before? Any other thoughts? Thanks.

[Eric Trowbridge Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Eric Trowbridge]

Here's a detail of the back.

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

I have a “similar” one about the same size if not identical. I too often wondered what exactly it was intended for. These are older pics. At some point, somebody used a machine to put on the yellow border. I removed this and replaced it with brown 100% wool yarn. A little interesting back story, this came from from the estate of a well known Hollywood figure that had won two Oscars.

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

I like your piece and it reminds me of these two Okbash.

[Eric Trowbridge Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Eric Trowbridge]

Joe:

That ensi - and based on the cruciform field and outer border, I think yours is an ensi - is really nice. Far from run of the mill. The way color clarifies the design is especially effective.

There are quite a few Turkmen rugs with geometric patterns and diagonals were always popular, but MAD/Beshir pieces often exhibit what seems to be an experimental approach. It'd be interesting to know the decisions that went into making something that didn't follow established norms. For example, did the weavers think to themselves, "I want to do something like this?" And/or did someone else say, "Think you can make something along these lines?"

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

Eric,

I think it is fair to say that such Ersari work, with a field fully filled geometrically with a small square or diamond motif, is uncommon. There are too many out there to say they are rare, but there aren't so many as to just yawn and keep going. I think you're right about the age, and I'm inclined to place it in the middle-to-upper Amu Darya bin on the Turkmenistan side, but not "Afghan" in the sense that the ornamentation might show a later and internal Afghan provenance. I know there are images in some of my books; I'll try to hunt some up over the weekend. Nice piece.

Regards
Chuck

[Eric Trowbridge Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Eric Trowbridge]

Thanks, Chuck. I haven't been able to find anything with a similar field design. I've seen a torba or two with something like it but hardly exact. The white edged triangles that create the diagonals seem particularly unusual.

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

I thought for sure I’d find a similar example in one of my numerous books. I found nothing. Not even close. I have a lot books to include many rare ones. Yes I used the term rare….at least with books we can say that.

[Eric Trowbridge Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Eric Trowbridge]

I found a torba that perhaps shares inspiration. Maybe a variation on a theme. But it's the only thing I've been able to find that might be in the same ballpark.