eBay Turkmen Shootout

Described as a chuval fragment,but actually a piece of main carpet,this splendid artefact sold  May 6 2012 on ebay for a well-deserved 960 dollars.(eBay nr: 270965945969)

1

Main carpets with the torba gul and chemche secondary are uncommon.The pattern is basically that of the six-gul "Smith " torba group,characterised by the addition of lateral hooks to the major and minor guls.

2-Smith group tekke torba

In this case the hooks are missing from the major,which is somewhat flattened,but the fragment is replete with ultra-desirable Tekke-green.An ancient chalk-stained back,which probably no amount of washing will remove,would seem to place this in the 18th century.

3

And judging by the closeups,it is at least partially Turkish-knotted,which of course is impossible? 

4

Perhaps its new owner can shed some light on this.

The other carpets of this design group:

5-David Sorgato

6-Udo Langauer

7-E.Herrmann SOT 5-80

8-Sothebys 13.12.2007

The last piece from Sotheby`s seems to be the nicest and oldest. 5 x 10 is almost always preferable to 6 x 12.The eBay fragment is a strange thing,hopefully not Kordi,but that is unlikely.In which case it is probably Yomut.Good luck to the buyer.