James Blanchard

Hi all,

While traveling a short while back I happened to run across a Yomud engsi. As with many other types of rugs, I still have very much to learn about this genre of rug, but decided to purchase it because I found it quite appealing, and was especially drawn to the rather bold elem.

Since purchasing the rug I have tried to learn a little bit more about Yomud engsis and have discovered that they tend to vary much more in design and style than do Tekke engsis. I have seen some references to clues as to age, but am not persuaded that it helps me much with assessing the age of mine, other than to suggest that it does not seem out of place with others ascribed to the 19th century.

Its dimensions are 72" (183 cm) x 51" (130 cm). Structurally it is symmetrically knotted with approx. 16v x 8h = 128 kpsi. There is no warp depression. Warps are very light brown wool, and wefts appear to be grey wool. The selvage is a single cord wrapped in medium blue wool.

I am attaching a full picture and one close-up. I will attempt to get better pictures a bit later when I have the opportunity.

Any further information about Yomud engsis in general, including clues to assessing age, would be appreciated. Also, any specific comments about my rug would be welcome.

One particular line of discussion that I would like to pursue is with regard to the elem design. I have seen this on a few examples. It appears to be a mix between flora and fauna... sort of like flowers with arms and hands.

Cheers,

James

Steve Price

Hi James

Nice catch!

That's as nice looking a Yomud engsi as any I've seen; I especially like the harmonious borders and the elem. I'm not much of a believer in age attributions, but it certainly seems to meet the usual criteria for calling it 19th century.

Congratulations.

Steve Price

James Blanchard

Thanks Steve.

Actually, I am not usually attracted to Yomud engsis, but this one caught my for the reasons you mentioned. It has a very nice and colourful border system and a complementary but striking elem.

I am attaching a couple of additional photographs, the first to give a somewhat better look at how the elem fits with the rug design, and the second to illustrate the drawing and colours. I have seen this design motif in the quadrant fields of Yomud engsis, but don't know what to call it as yet. I have noted that the drawing on mine seems to be quite good, in that it is less squashed and less angular than some. I also like the drawing of the border elements; the horizontal and vertical "tuning fork" motifs.

Another interesting feature on this engsi is the use of filler motifs to balance the field composition (when there is not enough room for another main motif), and the addition of some comb-like amulets. I don't think that is common on engsis, but that is based on a very limited experience.

James

Marvin Amstey

One of the truism about Yomud engsi's is the belief (fact?) that the upper quarters are longer (more rectangular) than the lower ones. That and the colors on yours puts it in the mid 19th c era, IMHO. Very Nice!

James Blanchard

Hi all,

I have a follow-up question about the main field motif on this engsi (pictured below). Has anyone seen a name provided for this motif, which appears in various versions on Yomut weavings? It seems a rather complex motif, actually. Also, can anyone comment on the "proper" drawing? I have seen a variety of renditions, many seeming more angular than the version on my engsi.

Below is a version from Jourdan (plate 145), which has the same basic elements but incorporates an "m" into the centre.

Any insights would be appreciated.

James

Steve Price

Hi James

I'm sure it has a name, even if it's one known only to ruggies and not to the Yomud.

Your question about what the proper drawing is seems to me to presume that there is a proper drawing. I guess this would be the most archaic version. It would astonish me if anyone actually has a specimen old enough to allow that question to be answered.

The "w" in the central element of the motif in the Jourdan example looks mighty like the "comb-like amulet" to the right of the motif in the detail of yours. That ought to get the speculations out of the starting gate.

Incidentally, I don't think I've seen the "bird on a pole" (tuning fork?) middle border done with a red background before, and I've been keeping an eye open for that for the past few days. The soldat motif is common enough in Yomud work, but I don't recall seeing it used as the outermost element framing the rest of any other piece.

There's a lot of interesting things about this one. Do let me know if you become homeless and need someone to take care of it for you until things improve.

Regards

Steve Price

James Blanchard

Thanks Steve.

Of course, you are right that it will be nigh impossible to truly know the "correct" drawing for that motif. However, I have seen a number of motifs on Yomud weavings that do seem derivative and simplified compared to this.

Here is an example from Jourdan (plate 142), which bears some resemblance but seems to be a simplified rendition. Or, perhaps, these don't have any design linkage.

Actually, I also do like the choices made for the border system, including the use of a reddish ground for the soldat ("tuning fork") border. I too have looked for other similar examples, and find that the norm seems to be a white ground for it.

As to your offer to mind it for some time, I will note that my wife finds it quite "masculine", which means that it will take some convincing to find prominence in our home. So stay tuned...

James

Steve Price

Hi James

Just a couple of points, to get us onto the same page:

1. The soldat is the outermost motif on your engsi, at both ends and both sides. The word means soldier in German, and I assume that the motif was given that name by a merchant who spoke German, because it can be imagined to represent a column of soldiers in its vertical orientation.
2. What I've been referring to as "tuning fork" is more often called "birds on a pole". It's much better articulated on yours than on either of the two pieces from Jourdan that you showed, where it's on the usual white background.

Regards

Steve Price

James Blanchard

Hi Steve,

Ooops.... I hadn't heard the term "soldat" before, but it is a common design element on Yomud and some other Turkmen weavings.

I do like the drawing of the "tuning fork" or "birds on a pole" on mine. It was one of the features that impressed me initially.

James

Martin Andersen

Hi James

very beautiful - and the elem is fantastic

best
Martin

henry sadovsky

Hi James-

Perhaps you will find the following 'comparo' interesting. Knowing neither piece, I can add nothing to what the images may have to reveal.

Henry

James Blanchard

Thanks Henry,

The only real similarities that I see are the use of the "tuning fork" design in the border and a similarity in the outermost edge border.

Are there other aspects to the comparison that caught your attention?

James

henry sadovsky

Hi James-

O.K. Here's a similar(?) one.





Henry

James Blanchard

Hi Henry,

Yes, that does look more similar, especially the lower elem.

Thanks for the reference.

James

Donald Ruyle

Hello James:
What a great rug! When I first saw it, I was somewhat put off by that vivid medium blue that isn't seen much in Turkman rugs. After looking at the same color in a very old sumak rug I own, I decided that the color is probably indigo on white wool. What really catches my eye is the way the colors are worked throughout making it hard to tell just how many combinations of wool and dyestuffs were used. The result being a rug of indigo and madder (and maybe weld) that seems to shimmer like a very hot bed of coals. I think that very effect was the goal of the Turkman weavers. My eye wants to keep moving, never coming to rest. And the diagonal movement of the colors in the four quadrants being the same in three and opposite in the fourth adds to the feeling of motion. So much variety in such a repetative design!
I really don't see any yellow in the images, but some of the blue (blue-green) looks like it is probably indigo over yellow. In several small Turkman rugs I own, only a couple of them have only very small amounts of yellow, but the one which I think is probably the oldest does have this same blue-green and no yellow at all. Anyway, again, A great rug enjoy!
regards, Don

Martin Andersen

and the filling motifs along the center pole in this otherwise highly well-organized ensi are really great., haven't seen something like this on an ensi before
best
Martin

James Blanchard

Thanks Donald and Martin.

Actually, I like the blues in this rug a lot. There are at least 4 different shades, including the medium blue of the lower elem, a darker indigo, and two lighter shades ("teal", my daughter says), one of which tends more towards green. I think that the varied use of the blue shades is one of the aesthetically pleasing aspects of the rug. There is actually a light "butter" yellow, though it is not prominently featured in the rug. Here is a closeup of the outer border showing a few light yellow square patches. (for some reason the reds in this picture became too sharp after converting to the web, but you can see the yellow).



Martin, I agree that the filler motifs in the field are interesting, and something that caught my eye immediately. I have seen this uncommonly on Yomud engsis. In addition to the "ashik" filler motifs, there are also comb-like amulets. I have seen these occasionally. In fact, I was thinking about starting a thread to discuss the types of Turkmen weavings in which these sorts of amulets are common (e.g. kapunuks), not uncommon (e.g. engsis), and uncommon (e.g. torbas and juvals). I have wondered whether these sorts of protective amulets might be more commonly featured on weavings that adorned entrances, or had some other function at the home. But that is pure speculation. Below is a better picture of the use of the fillers and inclusion of amulets in the field of my engsi.

James

Martin Andersen

Hi James
must admit I haven't looked at a lot of Yomut Ensis, but I find the relation between the very beautiful, well spaced and controlled layout of the totality your Ensi and the prominent use of the small filling motifs or amulets in the central part of the rug’s layout very intentional, aside from aesthetics.
It could be very interesting with a tread only on fillings, amulets and small asymmetries. They are generally easily overlooked when rugs are illustrated, especially in the literature, because of their diminutive or secondary nature.
best
Martin

Richard Larkin

Hi Martin,

I've been out here admiring James' ensi without much of importance to say, but I must commend your keen observation regarding the contrast between the very careful and skillful arrangement of the piece as a whole, and the apparently casual serendipity of the filler motifs. That does seem like an intentional departure from the overall plan. I don't recall having seen the like of it, though I lack your sharp eye. One wonders what the point was.

Rich Larkin