Sauj Bulagh?

Here's a Kurdish rug with similarities to ones discussed before. It has a corroded field that puts design elements in relief, field color changes (blue/brown/black), changing light outline colors, and narrow borders with drawing and color changes. Has been reduced in length, and the wefts are mostly orange but red in some sections. Uses some subtle, tough-to-photograph color distinctions in blues and orange/ copper/ cinnamon. The design is a bit like the rug on the cover of Hali 62. Poor Michael has endured questions on this one already , can anyone provide more info (age, etc.) or direct me to similar rugs in pictures?

interesting rug

Bob:

Interesting rug made more interesting by the circumstances in which Bob found it - what was that? An east European Gypsy flea market?

I have seen rugs with this design, Jim Burns' well known piece is one example. But the scale here is remarkable.

Can we all agree to call rugs from the town called today Mahabad, "Sauj Bulaq"?

Another Salon by Daniel discussed this group of rugs and its characteristics.

Thanks, Michael

Michael: Flea market? Despite its German condition, it came from Hungary :-)

maybe a 1st quarter 20th c. rug?

5th quarter

Bob:

It could be older than that, but who knows?

The borders are unexpected. Eagleton has suggested that 3 identically drawn borders is typical of commercial rugs from western Azerbaijan. This simple, repetitive border and the rug itself do not seem too commercial. The simple, narrow borders seems to allow the field's palmettes to assume an even larger scale.

It is a wild thing.

MW