702. a glowing old Ersari Afghan Carpet

702. Provenance: Ersari tribe, Turkoman group, northern Afghanistan

Age: Circa 1930

Size: 386 x 284 cm

Condition: Good. One patch from another old Afghan, otherwise great. Ends fully and professionally secured. Professionally cleaned and moth-proofed.

Notes: A classic filpai or 'elephant foot' Afghan, referring to the large, octagonal 'guls' in the field. As with most Afghans of this era it has been woven in a very limited palette (dyes were hard to come by), with madder, indigo details, and some undyed brown wool. The devil is in the details with these Ersaris - there are more recent ones that are as stiff as boards and are almost pillarbox red. This is an entirely different breed with lustrous, oily hand-spun wool, wonderful abrush, and a glowing, firey madder-rich ground. Beautiful.