11 Gabbehs - which ones are Luri?

Out of the following team of eleven gabbehs, all but 3 were described as Luri by the sellers from whom they were acquired.

Can you tell which of these are Luri and which are not?

Best wishes
Danny

(1) Poles


(2) Aubergine


(3) Dowry


(4) Kites


(5) Maybe kurdish?


(6) Lozenges


(7) Mystery


(8) People


(9) Salt and pepper


(10) Sewan medallion


(11) 4x4 feet square

Gob o' Gabbehs

Danny,

Number 10 looks like what I have seen described as Bakhtiyari.
Number 5, labeled as Possibly Kurdish, is probably a good bet to not be Luri.
And, finally, number 3. Even though it looks the most like mine. The squares in the corners have the diamond appendages, but the main motif, which looks like two skinny people with long arms standing on either end of the central medallion, is quite a bit like Qashqa'i gabbehs. (At least gabbehs that have been described as Qashqa'i)
This is an impressive gaggle of gabbehs you have assembled!
My favorite is Lozenges, with the squid-looking Sewan Medallion and People gabbehs close behind!

Patrick Weiler

Hi Danny,

Numbers (1) and (2) look like Qashqais to me, particularly (1). In the mid 20th century, when Qashqai gebbehs were "discovered", a subtribe called the Shuli started weaving gebbehs for resale. They have the dimensions of old gebbehs, roughly 33" x 60". The wool is thick, and feels like it's still on the sheep. They generally have large and relatively simple geometric shapes, more ordered than a lot of the more spontaneous older gebbehs. They're done in mixed shades of synthetic and artificial browns and undyed wools on a beige or ivory field, and the warps are often a very coarse dark goat hair. Brown & white barber pole wrap on the selvage. I have one; the warps are tucked under and wrapped at the top of the rug and are a typical fringe at the bottom. If I can find an image I'll post it. P.R.J. Ford's book on Oriental Rug Designs has a writeup on then, albeit short. Number (1) looks like a Shuli to me.

Number (10) has a "Kurdish Bijar" look to me, but the blues fit with Pats suggestion that its a Bahktiari. I would have expected a more angular design on a Bahktiari.

The color scheme in (7) says early 20th century Qashqai to my eyes.

My personal favorites are (2) and (3), leaning toward (3) because of the bipedal homonids.

Regards,
Chuck

__________________
Chuck Wagner

Chromosomes

Leslie,

Did you notice the chromosomes in the #10 Sewan Medallion gabbeh? There is one in each spandrel.
These are much more like the chromosomes in the border of one of the salon rugs,



Obviously, since there are two sets of x chromosomes, this is a girl rug.

They are nothing like the chromosomes on your box rug, though, which seem more like a lattice surrounding the boteh field design.



Patrick Weiler

Interesting input

Hi Patrick and Chuck,

Thanks for your input, you both make some very valid observations. Let's wait to see if any more readers will post their opinions over the next week or so and then I could reveal the quiz answers - at least what I was told by the dealers.

Best wishes
Danny

The answers

Ok, the quiz is over. Per the various folks who sold me these rugs, only numbers 3, 5 and 7 were described as non-Luri.

Best wishes
Danny

The Other Shoe

OK, Danny,

What did the sellers tell you that 3,5 and 7 were? #7 especially looks Luri, with the latch hooks, the floral meander border, the scattered rosettes, etc.


Patrick Weiler

Hi Patrick, I agree, #7 looks Luri to me too. Numbers 3 and 7 were called Qashqai, #5 was called simply "gabbeh" or "kurdish" and I assumed Qashqai but I now think it may well be Luri too.

Best wishes
Danny