Lot: 46
Unusual Igdir Ensi Fragment
150 x 126 cm (4' 11" x 4' 2")
Turkmenistan, first half 19th century
Condition: fragment, reduced in length, upper end completed with a piece of another rug, low pile, several old repairs, signs of use
Warp: wool, weft: wool, pile: wool
An extremely rare and beautiful ensi fragment. It is highly unusual to find this pattern, which seems nearly exclusively be reserved for asmalyk, on an ensi. The lattice design formed by serrated leaves is drawn in lively colours and the erre gül is placed on top of the 'barber poles'.
On the right-hand side is a somewhat smaller pole that dissects the gül. A previous owner added a strip from a different weaving on the top to lessen the otherwise clearly incomplete look, which matches well, colourwise.
The striking elem finds its counterpart in an ensi from the Textile Museum in Washington, published in Mackie/Thompson No. 78. There, the connection to the large flower tradition, which can be found in the elem of very early Turkmen main carpets, becomes clear.
An almost identical door rug is published in "Wie Blumen in der Wüste", the catalogue for the Turkmen exhibition during ICOC 7 in Hamburg 1993. This again demonstrates that there are no unique weavings, as all are based on old, if not ancient, traditions. However, sometimes only a handful of surviving rugs will form a very small distinctive group.
Estimate: € 4000 - 6000
2 000 €