AZERBAIJAN, MID 19TH CENTURY

The open deep inky-blue field of this long, narrow runner is framed by a red border filled with ascending polychrome flowering shrubs. This decorative motif is seen on a subgroup of 17th century carpets woven in the vase tech­nique, one of the main sources of inspiration for early Kurdish weavers, although their rugs were more often woven in the kelleh format (May H. Beattie: Carpets of Central Persia, Sheffield, 1976, nos.54-57, pp.79-81; The Bernheimer Collection, Christie's London, 14 February 1996, lot 72; HALI 1/2. 1978. p.120). The descendent carpets of those were arguablv the inspiration for the Caucasian 'tree' Kazaks (see Lefevre, April 1980, lot 47, for an early, naturalistic version) and the Moghan 'tree' carpets (Lefevre, 21 October 1983, lot 4), as well as the 18th and 19th century bid majnun and Garden carpets of Persian Kurdistan, (see Shrub lattice carpet, Sonqur area, Persian Kurdistan, 18th century, Burns Collection, Seattle, HALI, Issue 122, p.136, fig.1).