A SAUJ BULAG RUG
A SAUJ BULAG RUG
A SAUJ BULAG RUG
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A SAUJ BULAG RUG
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Specifed lots (sold and unsold) marked with a fill… Read more
A SAUJ BULAG RUG

EAST KURDISTAN, SECOND HALF 19TH CENTURY

Details
A SAUJ BULAG RUG
EAST KURDISTAN, SECOND HALF 19TH CENTURY
Light localised wear, naturally corroded dark brown, outer plain minor stripe at each end rewoven, overall good condition
7ft.4in. x 4ft.8in. (226cm. x 144cm.)
Special notice
Specifed lots (sold and unsold) marked with a filled square not collected from Christie’s, 8 King Street, London SW1Y 6QT by 5.00 pm on the day of the sale will, at our option, be removed to Crown Fine Art (details below). Christie’s will inform you if the lot has been sent ofsite. If the lot is transferred to Crown Fine Art, it will be available for collection from 12.00 pm on the second business day following the sale. Please call Christie’s Client Service 24 hours in advance to book a collection time at Crown Fine Art. All collections from Crown Fine Art will be by prebooked appointment only.

Brought to you by

Barney Bartlett
Barney Bartlett Junior Specialist

Lot Essay


The warm, earthy tones and soft-textured, fine wool are typical of the weavings from the mountainous region near to Lake Urmia in eastern Kurdistan. Most pieces from the region were traded in the town of Sauj Bulag which became synonymous with this type of weaving. The lightly corroded dark brown field is densely packed with a mosaic of polychrome serrated lozenges, known as ashlik, that appear frequently in rug designs from this region, (see Jim Burns, Antique Rugs of Kurdistan. A Historical Legacy of Woven Art, London 2002, no. 49, pp.160-1). The serrated lozenge border enclosed between narrow medachyl or 'running dog' guard stripes are often associated with the weaving of Sauj Bulag, as seen in an example in the collection of Jim Burns, (J Burns, op.cit, no.48). On both of those examples the rich brown field is heavily corroded, revealing the red wefted structure beneath. The autumnal colour palette on the present rug, including the abrashed ice-blue and apple-green lozenges, is of particular note and again typical of weavings of this group. Others of this group sold Sotheby's London, 7 November 2017, lot 44 and Rippon Boswell, 3 June 2015, lot 159.

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