Posted by Michael Wendorf on December 30, 1998 at 12:29:41:
In Reply to: Re: sauj bulagh or mahabad rugs posted by Daniel Deschuyteneer on December 29, 1998 at 15:56:35:
: Dear Michael,
: Thanks for your alert contribution.
: As the main borders of rugs 2, 3, 5, 6 presented in the second row of the "borders" linked page are exactly the same borders I don't clearly understand this part of your message.
: "In my experience, the major border on rug #3 ( WICH RUG????) is not typical of Sauj Bulagh rugs. It is found, however, on a number of older Kurdish rugs with both persianate and non-persianate designs (for example an old one with memling type guls) that have a somewhat depressed warp and a stiffer handle. In particular, I would like you to focus on the floral border element that appears like an "L" with a bud filled in on this rug. That element appears as both a border and field element in a variety of older Kurdish weavings, probably derived from shrub designs. Several good Jaff bags isolate this element and use it as a simple border repeat to nice effect.
: Normally "rug 3" is the SNY rug and I think you are speaking here of the main border of "rug 4" wich is the Eagleton rug. Is it?
:
: The border on rug #4( WHICH RUG ???) is a simplified border common to this group and I am not at all certain it is related to the others."
:
: Best regards
: Daniel
Dear Daniel:
I had not been able to access the border link page, now I have. I see that the border on the SNY rug #3 is the same. Looking at the overall image I believe I confused it with another border I associate with that group of rugs I referred to with the depressed warps and stiffer handle. Those rugs have an octagonal rosette with a line connecting to the next element. Related but different to this border. The L shape bud element you point out nicely there is a recurrent theme in both the borders and fields of a variety of Kurdish rugs. So, I am sorry for not being more careful. I agree now that the SNY rug #3 has the same border which is good because if it also has the flat back and handle it fits nicely into the group.
One further point, I spoke to an acquaintance last night who has visited Mahabad and the area around it. I showed him the "flame palmette" rug. He indicated that the area has petroleum saturation in some places that burns or flames naturally and that this may be a design source if they are flames. I have never heard of this and cannot confirm it but he said there is a information on this phenomenon in various geologic and petroleum science related publications. Anyone care to do a search of the literature? Iran's site does not mention this attraction(?) in its website.
Keep up the good work. Michael