Exceptional Tekke Main Carpet with Yomut-Motifs and Caravan

Exceptional Tekke Main Carpet with Yomut-Motifs and Caravan
261 x 186 cm (8' 7" x 6' 1")
Turkmenistan, first half 19th century
Condition: according to age, mostly good pile, both ends and sides incomplete, scattered small repairs
Warp: wool, weft: wool, pile: wool

To call this carpet unusual would be a considerable understatement and would exemplify the dangers of judging Turkmen weavings purely by design. While appearances would suggest that the depiction of a wedding caravan in the border is the most unusual feature, a quick look at the back and a study of the knotting shows that this carpet uses asymmetric knots open to the right. It is therefore in fact a Tekke carpet, not Yomut or Eagle gül group, as suggested by the dyrnak güls and the classic boat border.
Armed with this information, the interpretation of the borders, the dense composition of dyrnak güls in the field, the colouration and the ashik and lattice elems make more sense. It is interesting to note that the two wedding litters on camels depicted, as well as a single figure and the working on a vertical border, suggest both a visual and technical relationship to the rare depiction of such scenes on tent bands.
Although the overall composition does not follow that seen in carpets of similar design and age made by Yomut Turkmen tribes, the detail of the dyrnak and of the major and minor and borders is remarkably accurate.

Estimate: € 16000 - 22000