Mid 19th century, 115 x 69 cm, North East Persia, Khorasan

This rare, all-pile sofreh was woven by a Baluch tribal group, described as "Bahluli" by Dewitt Mallary in a HALI article. The Bahluli lived in the Qainat, a region close to the border with Afghanistan. In structure, their rugs differ from those of other Baluch tribes in their use of the symmetrical knot. – Woven in the sofreh format, our small rug appears to be very old. The proportions of the field and border look more balanced than in published comparative examples. The tree of life standing alone in the camel field is drawn in a filigree style, and in the red border the diagonal crosses decorated with flowers are airily arranged. – Signs of age and wear, low pile, heavily corroded light brown sections. Original selvedges and original kilim ends.

MALLARY, DEWITT, Bahluli?, in HALI 162, London 2009, no. 10, ill. p. 71 = WISDOM, GARY A., Baluch Tribal Weavings. The Wisdom Collection. Tubac, Arizona 2008, pl. 25 *** HALI 90, London 1997, ill. p. 103 (adv. Gilmore) *** HERRMANN, EBERHART, Seltene Orientteppiche X. Munich 1988, no. 87