Posted by Bill Eagleton on January 02, 1999 at 12:16:28:
In Reply to: Omer's rug ---- Heading cord? posted by Daniel Deschuyteneer on January 01, 1999 at 16:58:45:
: To the three rugs illustrated, you might wish to add Plate #46 from my Kurdish rug book. This rug was identified as being from the area north of Erbil in Iraq.
I agree that Omer's rug looks like an Iraqi Herki or related tribe. The rug from the Dodd's collection has bright colors that suggest an Iranian Kurdish origin, probably near Mahabad (Sauj Bulaq) which is on the other side of the border from Iraq. Marvin's rug does not come through very clearly on the screen but from its color it could be either from Iraq or Iran.
Regarding selvages, the most common in that area has two bundles overcast with what I called a figure 8. The flat selvages usually seem to come from the more remote areas. I have not been able to use selvages to identify tribal origins because of the wide variety used. Of course many older rugs have new side overcasts. The end finishes are interesting and varied but also not a great help in determining provenance other than that they are Kurdish. I am not familiar with the term "heading cord finish" but it looks to me like the finish often found at one, but not both, ends of Kurdish rugs.
Happy New Year!