Tabriz (?) wagireh, large Tabriz (?) wagireh, largeClick on image to view in larger size.
See image in extra large size (opens jpg in same window) (2.3 MB).
I have put this wagireh up on Ebay...
A North Persian wagireh, probably from the Tabriz area due to the floral but somewhat stiff design and the symmetrical knots (difficult to see though due to the depressed weave). Designwise it could also be Meshed / Khorassan? I'm not too familiar with the town weaves - correct my attribution if you know better and I'll update this text. Made probably around 1920-1930.
Quite a large wagireh this is, it's a proper small rug in its own right. It represents all elements for a floral medallion design (except main border, it seems), but I am not quite sure what goes where, and whether the medallion pendants show variants to be used either/or.
I have scanned Ford and Edwards but so far cannot find a similar specimen. The round palmette sitting on the corners seems distinct enough. I venture the guess that this is not a traditional design but instead a Western-market-influenced design from the twenties or thirties. The curvy blue ground space at the left side (I hesitate to call it border) seems unsusual. Maybe a main border was not specified at all in this wagireh - a typical Herati border would be common enough to be drawn from other sources.
The wagireh measures 108 x 150 cm (3ft.6in. x 4ft.11in.) Depressed, ridged construction (maybe 80 degrees), light cotton warps and double wefts, thin pile yarn (symmetric knots). Medium density with a knot count of h.38/10cm x v.32/10cm, which equals 1216 knots/dm2 (translated to knots per square inch, this is roughly h.10 x v.8, ie., a knot count of ca. 80 kpsi. No selvedges (not sure if there ever were any). Leathery handle.
The palette dominated by the cold pale pink-red. Next, there is a dark indigo and a light-to-mediun indigo, a grey-green off-white, and a purplish dark red. Could this be cochineal (reportedly used quite often on Meshed rugs before the palette changed to use a more saturated red)?
The pile has probably never been thick, now the ivory ground shines through in parts of the rug (see images). Apart from that, the condition is decent, no tears, cuts etc. Sides and ends seem resonably secure.
All photos have been taken indoors, the rug lit with fluorescent daylight lamps.
