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rug in my possession Sarouk poshti with arabesque pattern

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Sarouk poshti with arabesque pattern

Design

A beautiful and bold, swinging and interlocking arabesque pattern graces this poshti (a Persian term for a small and fine decorative rug often placed atop a larger rug), somewhat more vertically compressed in the top half (adds to its charm in my opinion). White dots take out the weight from the stronger parts of the red tendrils, as if in light-weight engineering.

Attribution

Probably from the Sarouk area (but I am not sure), first quarter of 20th c.

Structure

The poshti measures 3ft.4in. x 2ft.4-7in. (103 x 72-78 cm). Fully depressed weave, off-white cotton warps and wefts. Short-clipped dense and shiny pile, asymmetrical knots open to the right. The knot density is h.39/dm, v.42/dm or, expressed in inches, ca. h.10, v.10 = 100 kpsi.

Colour

A limited, but very effective palette. On a dark blue backround, the red abrashed arabesque pattern has off-white outlining and dots. Palmettes and other flowers in brownish gold, off-white, a light pistaccio green, and mid and light blue, with brown stems. Colours seem natural and are unfaded, but the gold brown could be synthetic. Not sure about the light green either.

Condition

Good condition, silky pile. Try to spot the repair when viewing the large image - not easy. A hole (an area of rot) in the lower right quarter has been repaired by Walter Brew, hardly noticeably from the front, obvious on the back side (see image). Pile a bit lower in the bottom half. Some corner rounding and slight loss to lower right end, secured. Blue thin single-cord selvedges somewhat ragged. Leathery handle.

More images

sarouk-poshti - folds

sarouk-poshti - pile detail 1

saouk-poshti - pile detail 2

sarouk-poshti - pile detail 3

saouk-poshti - corner

Sarouk Poshti - Repair area

Last update: 24 May 2010 | Impressum—Imprint