A Baluch Vase Carpet

The American rug dealer Wayne Barron is well known for his unorthodox offerings.This week on rugrabbit he is parting with a personal favourite,a Baluch rug with an unusual design.

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1-Wayne Barron Collection

A number of these carpets have appeared in the last few years;the first publication would seem to have been at Nagels Auction House in Stuttgart on 24 September 1981.

2-Nagels Lot 3028

The format is basically that of a prayer rug with tree design,upon which all kinds of beings perch.The carpets are directional,although the tree seems to grow out of a large pot,or vase.When reversed the rug can easily be used as an extemporary prayer carpet,with the large square form at the top representing a Karbala stone.A “cryptic” prayer rug,as it were.

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The vase at the base is always flanked by trees,and by two further gadgets resembling the “footprints”seen on some whiteground Selendi carpets.A row of botehs at the top is obligatory.Borders vary from piece to piece.

The ground colour is mostly white,pointing to a Zabol provenance,according to Azadi.However some-as Mr.Barron`s piece-exhibit other shades,such as Camel,rose-tan and olive-yellow.

Further examples were at auction in Paris

4-Christies Paris 14 october 2008-Lot 90

at Skinners

5-Skinners 5 December 2009-Lot 162

Sold at Skinners for $1126,the above re-appeared at Rippon Boswell on 29 May 2010,lot 155.

Another piece at Rippon Boswells

6-Rippon Boswell 28 May 2011-Lot 102

went unsold,but returned at Dr.Hull`s on 1 June 2012.

Eberhart Herrmann,writing in ATT 2,conjured a Senmurv-Snake combat scene from the square Kufi briquette at the flower`s base.Fanciful,perhaps,but then he did have the BOT (best-of-type)

7-ATT 2-52

8-ATT 2,page 113

Thirteen pieces all told are known to have been published.Hopefully more will now surface.

A compilation can be seen HERE

Herr Herrmann`s illustrations segue nicely into the next post.