I need some help with this one please.

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

Here is an oddball Tekke Bokora. The size is 107 x 87cm.

It appears to have lost some edging at some point. It really makes no since to me. The carpet is not well made with inconsistent design patterns and the “X” motif symbol on the top and bottom have me somewhat confused as I haven’t seen this design before.

To me it either looks like a bad copy or something a new weaver in training may have made since it does appear rather old. The backing is not brittle or crisp but it’s not soft either.

it has been crudely repaired at some point on the lower bottom right Gul. There are other signs of wear and a couple small holes here and there.

Many thoughts and questions as to why this rug was saved? Why was it repaired and what was it used for? I would like to think it’s old. Maybe not in value but hopefully it lived a full nomadic life prior to being taken to the USA.

I picked this up a few weeks ago from a pile of rugs from a hoarder. He was older and I have no clue where he got it or even how long he owned it. Honestly I would normally pass on something like this but this one needed a good home and some homework to try to figure out it’s past.

All comments would be greatly appreciated.

Joe Lawrence

[PaulSmith Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close PaulSmith]

Hi Ortali,

Well, we certainly disagree about this rug. Why was this saved?! Because it's awesome! In my opinion, this is a pretty old (c.1870-80) Tekke piece, so-called "dowry rug." I suspect that the wonkiness of the drawing has to do with the inexperience or collaborative nature of the weaving of these. Considering the mechanical drawing of later commercial Tekkes, I find the vibrancy of the drawing here to be very charming. You've got excellent colors, including pale yellow, and a nice light blue. It looks like some of the guls in the border at the top are outlined in cotton (?), maybe there's some silk in there somewhere. Perhaps it's missing a little on the ends, but the sides have been re-selvaged and the ends are secured. The pile is in pretty good shape.

Here is a Tekke dowry rug woven by your weaver's grandmother, when she was fourteen or something. Even wonkier than yours. The traditional elements are all over the map. I love this thing. I don't know, if you don't like your lovely piece, I'm sure you'd have no trouble selling it. There are not that many with this age and character, in my opinion.