The nuts and bolts?

Hi Fred,

Many of our readers may be unfamiliar with how these are made and used. Would you (or someone else) address those topics? And how do you display things with such odd dimensions?

Regards,

Steve Price

Steve -

Is your question how does one display tent bands?

I'd think distance is important.

One would optimally want to display them so that one could look at them closely. I once saw a display of a collection of walking canes positioned with the tops at eye-level along the wall of a longish hall. If the light is good, perhaps something similar might be a natural for tent band display.

I've also wondered how best to photograph them.

Regards,

R. John Howe

Hi John,

Yes, one of my questions was about how to display tent bands. Your suggestion is an interesting one, and I'm curious to know how Fred (who actually deals with the problem) does his. I'd guess that the bands are mostly rolled up with the most interesting segments exposed to view.

And since the Salon will be archived for future reference, I also asked if someone would post some information on the technical aspects of the weaving and on how the items were used by the people who used them.

Regards,

Steve Price

Hi Steve,

The subject of the structure is a lengthy one; perhaps readers can start with my article in HALI 84. I am in the process of writing a book on bands, and the chapter on structure is no doubt the hardest to put into simple language.

The problem of displaying objects that are as narrow as less than an inch, and as long as 40 feet may be the single most important factor in the lack of any prominent collections prior to the 1980's. Generally, I display bands in one of two ways. The first method involves hanging a rod, and looping the band around it multiple times, as in the first image. The second method is more involved: I use a 4' x 6' foam panel that doesn't off gas and harm the textile. I cover it with washed, undyed linen. The band is mounted using entomological mounting pins, as in the image showing two yuncu bands.







Regrettably, I do not display any of my Iranian bands, since these are the bands I take to rug societies and loan out to exhibitions. Additionally, for reasons I do not understand, my wife is opposed to filling all wall space with panels displaying bands, khorjin and rugs, using the lame excuse that she doesn't want to turn the house into a rug museum. Go figure.

I have attached two photos from the ACOR 6 exhibit, showing ways in which these bands can be displayed.





Regards,

Fred Mushkat

Hi Fred,

Thanks for posting the images. Not only do they show some ways to display these items, they also show the full lengths of the pieces, which may surprise some readers. The third and fourth in your post show a much greater range of motifs than most of the bands seen in the (very sparse) marketplace.

The third one is somewhat reminiscent of Turkmen pile decorated tentbands. The layout is very similar; a series of panels with brief separators between them. Is this common to bands from a particular tribal group, or is it just one of many variations in Persian bands?

Regards,

Steve Price

Dear Fred
I think Steve's suggestion that we discuss the construction and use of bands in more detail here is a good one. Perhaps, if you are to take this up, you might include a discussion of (Indian) split-ply camel girth's.
Thanks
Stephen Louw

Hi Steve,

The band in the 3rd photo posted in this thread is a Bakhtiyari band. There are no true separators in the field, but in a layout common to the Bakhtiyari, there tends to be a bit of a repeat in the ways the motifs are arranged. I have also seen this effect in Uzbek and Turkmen bands. I accept the premise that images on bands from all Near Eastern groups have iconography that is the oldest of their repertoire; it is not surprising that there are similarities between groups that have had no contact for centuries.

As for structure, all of the bands under discussion are warp-faced bands in one of five different structures: one-weft double cloth, warp-faced alternating float weave, warp-faced reciprocal warp weave, warp-faced plain weave with warp substitution, and warp twining. Due to a general lack of consensus regarding nomenclature, these terms do not always appear in texts in this exact fashion. Marla Mallet's text on woven structure uses different terminology to describe some of the different structures.

In all of these structures, the pattern is created with the warp threads; the wefts are hidden. This allows the band to have great tensile strength along the length of the bands, which gave bands the utilitarian advantage of holding loads on animals, and holding tents together.

In order to make a pattern, the warp threads move back and forth from the front of the band to the back, interchanging positions with a warp of a different color. Along any length of band, there are only two colors interchanging with one another. The limitations of design elements are further limited by the fact that large vertical areas of the same color weaken the fabric, making it more likely to break at that point. Consequently, the warps must interchange frequently with one another. Given the restrictive nature of these weavings, it is remarkable that such a wide and creative repertoire exists.

Color is added by using different warp colors along the width of the band, and by integrating bits of cloth, wool, shells, beads, and buttons into the band as it is woven on the ground loom.

Although this is a very superficial overview of the structure of bands, hopefully this will provide some understanding. As for ply-splitting, I regret that I am not familiar enough with that structure, as it is not used in any of the Iranian bands I have ever seen. There is an intruiging article in a recent HALI. Perhaps those who want to learn more about this structure should look at Peter Collingwood's website.

Regards,

Fred Mushkat

Hi Fred,

In referring to the layout of bands like your third one - the Bakhtiari shown again here:



I didn't mean that I thought the separators between segments were physical objects, just that they visually divide one segment from the next. In this respect they resemble Turkmen pile decorated tentbands, which also consist of fairly long segments separated by relatively short regions of simple design.

Regards,

Steve Price

Hi Steve,

That's what I meant too. The arrangement of icons creats the visual appearance of separation.

Regards,

Fred Mushkat

Attribution indicators

Dear Fred

Fascinating Salon. You are amazingly knowlegeable about these pieces. Since there is not--as far as I know--a great deal written on the structure and attribution of bands, what criteria do you use to distinguish between tribal or regional sources of Persian and Turkish bands? For example, how do you differentiate between a black and white Bakhtiari (non-soumak) packing band and a black and white Qashgai band? Have you drawn up a list of indicators?

Many thanks. Best regards, Ken

Hi Kenneth,

I apologize for referring again to my article in HALI 84, but there is a short list of indicators at the end of the article. Structure, color, materials, and design elements all play a role in identification. It is very helpful to handle and inspect different bands in order to develop a feel for attribution.

For example, it is relatively easy to distinguish between Bakhtiyari and Qashqa'i bands, even though the field colors are usually both dark blue on a white or ivory ground. Bakhtiyari bands are woven with warp-faced reciprocal warp weave, which creates a clear image on the obverse, and a less well defined image on the reverse. Qashqa'i bands, with rare exceptions, are made with warp-faced one-weft double cloth, which makes a clearer reverse side. Additionally, as a general rule, Bakhtiyari bands have a serrated border, whereas Qashqa'i bands have alternating 's' or 'z' shapes, usually in green and orange.

As for differentiating these bands from Anatolian examples, it is considerally more difficult. There are Anatolian examples which resemble Qashqa'i and Bakhtiyari bands, but have angora wool, and a distinctly different set of design elements.

The best way to learn about these is to see as many as possible, which is quite difficult, since many dealers have never handled an old band. It is rare for any but a handful of dealers to offer me a band with the proper attribution. I recently purchased 4 bands, 3 Bakhtiyari and a Shahsevan, all mislabeled as Qashqa'i. I have had some of the leading experts in tribal rugs mislabel these rarities, which is understandable, given the lack of available comparison material.

Incidentally, although it is difficult to prove, I do not believe that these bands were woven by settled nomads or city dwellers; the need to make these bands seems to have been a part of the nomadic lifestyle, which disappeared with the cessation of migratory life.

Regards,

Fred Mushkat

Thanks for information

Dear Fred,

Thank you for such a detailed explanation. It helps a great deal. I will go back over those few bands that I have and examine them more closely. I have also faxed a request to Hali for a copy of Hali 84, since it predates the time when I was ready to spring for a subscription.

I wasn't aware of these bands being considered urban or even village products. While a silver-tongued expert can always make a case for or against anything, to me it doesn't make sense. I have always thought of them as "dual-use" tribal items, serving a utilitarian purpose as a pack band or yurt tensioning band and as a statement of tribe, status, and perhaps also for warding off the evil eye during migrations. The only urban exception I can think of would be traditional uses for gers in Mongolian cities. I suppose it is possible that bands were woven in villages to be cut and joined into floor coverings offered for sale, but I think one would need more information before discounting a primarily tribal origin and function.

A note on displaying bands: I have been able to get my Minister of the Interior to allow me to hang shorter ones vertically in the narrow spaces between windows and to put up a fragment of a wide, white-ground turkmen band as a small frieze in the family room. I am also permitted a large, fabric-covered display board where I can pin up pieces for a while, but there is always pressure to rotate them. My wife tells me it is for my own good, since a resistance to change is a sure sign of impending male senility. And I don't want to prove her right.

Thanks again.

Best regards,

Ken

Dear Fred,

For 3 years, I got a band for free. It was messured by arms lenght 40x.
It was cut of because it was machine made.
It's ugly, it has the colors I didn't know existed.
I didn't object because I didn't want to offend.

My point is: There seems to be a market for machine woven, ugly bands sold per arms lenght.
And if there's a market for machine made bands now, what are they used for?
In shops only?

Best regards,
Vincent

Two Turkish and One Turkmen Bands

Dear folks –

The first images below are of two Turkish bands that I cut off a rather newish grain bag of the “Bergama Cuvallari” format. I did so because I didn’t want the bag, but the bands seemed noticeably older than it.

The first of these Turkish bands is, I think, one of the most frequent types encountered. The weave is the same on both sides. The dyes seem synthetic.



I am putting up this second band below in order to ask a question.



Some bands have either very simple designs, as this one does,or none at all. (I own a completely plain one currently in use to hold a cordless phone base in the proper position on my kitchen wall.) My question is this: a great deal of macrame, including plaits of various sorts, is done in one color and appreciated strictly in terms of texture alone. It appears that the band collectors do not collect entirely plain bands, being attracted only to those with colored patterns on them. I wonder a little why this is so. Yes, the colored ones are prettier, but one could make a case that the plain ones have their own attractions and are likely even more utilitarian if that feature is seen to be important.

The third band below is a Yomud tent band about 10 inches wide. I have two fragments totaling about 25 feet. The first image is of the best decorated end.



The image below is a detail of one front section. This diamond design is the most common of the Yomut tent bands of this wider type.



The image below is of the back. Note that there are floats on the band’s edges but only there.



Fred may be willing to comment on the structures in these three pieces.

Regards,

R. John Howe

Hi John,

Much like many of the comments in the virtual show and tell going on now about synthetic dyes, I suspect the collecting of plain bands is one of personal taste. No doubt, a band with great colors and iconography is usually preferred to a plain band. Some of the bands in my collection are quite simple in design, yet I bought them because I wanted to have examples of bands that were more utilitarian than decorative. Below is a detail of a 40 foot long Transcaucasian band with simple stripes. It was most likely used as a pack animal band.



I am currently reading a book on Ottoman tents, and find it curious that all the bands discussed are very plain, with virtually no decoration. Below is a photo of some bands from one of these tents; the photo is somewhat pink, but the bands are a plain ivory color.



As for the structure of the bands in your comments, the first band with the serrated borders is structurally similar to Bakhtiyari bands, with warp twining on the borders, and a type of warp-faced reciprocal warp weave. Below is a closeup of a similar band from my collection, which was used for carrying children on the mother's back.



The plain brown band with the dark brown center stripe appears to be a very simple structure, namely warp faced plain weave. This structure allows the band to carry weight along the long axis of the textile. Yomut bands like the one you have shown are made on a ground of warp-faced plain weave, with weft float brocading creating the designs. A discussion of this structure appeared in volume 18 of the Textile Museum Journal, written by John Wertime in 1979. Please see the attached caption.



Regards,

Fred Mushkat

Greetings all,

I'm posting some images of bands I've found which were purchased primarily because of the colors used in them and, to a lesser extent, that they are unusual within the marketplace here in Saudi Arabia. At this point I have no reason to believe that they are particularly old.

If anyone has comments or observations to make, feel free. If there is any interest, I have detail shots of the reverse sides as well.



The first is a Qashqai malband with very attractive finish work:




Next, an Uzbek yurt band. These show up here infrequently:




Last, two bands of unknown origin, although the yarns resemble those in the Uzbek band. They're each about 4 cm wide:


And last, a question. Does anyone have any idea how long it takes to weave a band that is, say, 6 inches wide and 30 feet long ? Are we talking days or weeks ?

Regards,
Chuck

__________________
Chuck Wagner

Hi Chuck,

It's always nice to see a collector of bands.

The first band has serrated borders, and the end of the band that I can see in the photo is a checkerboard pattern. The colors and end finishes are typical of Bakhtiyari bands, which are much less common in the marketplace than the Qashqa'i.

It is difficult to make out much detail on the wide Uzbek band, but the two bands below it are also commonly attributed to the Uzbek.

As for how much time it takes to weave a band, I have no direct field knowledge. Given the complexity of the structure, I doubt that the task could be completed in days for a 20 to 40 foot long band; I would guess that weeks is more likely.

Regards,

Fred Mushkat

Yay Fred

Hi Fred,

As it happens, the reason the first band was purchased was because I thought the colors were pretty unusual for a Qashqai piece, even though that's how the dealer had it tagged. I haven't seen that pale green in any Bakhtiyari goods I've laid hands on. Is it in common use in Bakhtiyari utility goods ?

Thanx
Chuck

__________________
Chuck Wagner

Hi Chuck,

These bands are so rare that there aren't a lot of examples out there. Green does occur in the serrated border, but I have not seen another with what appears in your photo as a light yellow green. It looks like a typical Bakhtiyari band otherwise.

Regards,

Fred Mushkat

Hi Fred,

For documentary purposes, I've included some closeups for anyone who's interested. The first is the malband; the colors are quite clear in this shot:




The others are paired front and back closeups of the Uzbek bands:





Thanx again Fred, for a very novel Salon topic.

Regards,
Chuck

__________________
Chuck Wagner

Dear folks –

While we’re putting up various bands, here are two images that relate to our discussion in this thread.

The first is a short Uzbek band.



One sees these rather frequently now on the market. Note that the color palette, like (but different from) that of Lakai pieces, is also quite different from that of most Turkmen weaving. Such bands are often found now in lengths that are very short. This one is about 4 feet long and has no ending “tie” area, raising the question for me of how they were used.

The second image is one illustrating the point I made above about how macrame often depends on texture alone for its effects.



This is a macrame belt that I made for my wife sometime in the 70s. It is made entirely with double half hitches and alternating square knots. The knots used in macrame work have advantages for “texture only” effects over most of “weaves” that weavers use, since the texturing provided by the knots is more distinctive. Macrame knotters choose cord carefully for such pieces that provides good “knot definition.” This belt is done in a number 10 cotton seine line.

Regards,

R. John Howe

Here's my two cents worth on how long it takes to weave some of these bands, having had experience will all of the techniques:

Most of the warp-twined bands (card-woven) are quick. One can easily do two or three meters of length in an hour's time. The Bakhtiari warp-twined bands with fancy patterning would not be so fast.

The double-woven examples, such as the Qashqai malbands require more time, as one must pick the pattern by hand for every second weft. Those, depending upon their coarseness, may require a hour or more for one meter. Of course one's skill and familiarity with the pattern makes a big difference.

Marla

Band Practice

Hi Fred,

Since I now know two things about a few of my bands:

1) The dealer had at least one attributed incorrectly

and

2) I haven't a clue how to attribute bands other than guessing about the colors,

I'll now post some images of the remaining two and go fishing for a little insight from someone else.

Band one (lots of south-Persian-looking colored tufts attached):






Band two:






And, John.. note that Band two has a leather strap stitched to one end and it looks like a buckle could have been attached to the other end. Does the Uzbek band you show look like it might have been set up for use with a buckle ? I can't see the ends very well in the image. Guess two: a strap for an over the shoulder utility article.

Regards,
Chuck

__________________
Chuck Wagner

Hi Chuck,

Both bands are Qashqa'i; the second looks younger than the first. The leather strap is used by the Qashqa'i to attach the buckle. There are people who collect buckles for their sculptural qualities, and it is not uncommon to find a band with the missing buckle. A dealer in London once suggested to me that the buckles were commonly removed and thrown away in order to reduce the weight of the textile at the time it was exported.

Regards,

Fred Mushkat