BAKSHAISH CAMELHAIR
Northwest Persian Antique Rug

(High-Collectible) ("One of “60 Best-of-Their-Type Rugs Sold in 2023") Top-level 19th-century Bakshaish camelhair carpets are awe-inspiring and incredibly inventive, and just like their all-wool counterparts, are quite hard to find and widely sought after. The oldest ones offer the most spontaneous and elemental rug designs and the softest color palettes. This outstanding weaving brings together many important features such as the glowing undyed camelhair field, the aesthetic “rug within a rug” concept, skillful use of intentional color striation or abrash, and enigmatic design elements. The allover ascending pattern consists of three axes spanning the length of the field and formed from distinctive serrated diamonds and vine-formed rustic medallions. The serrated diamonds in particular use deep tones of walnut and sapphire juxtaposed against their counterparts in softer tones of maize and chestnut. Flanking the central axis are three pairs of what appear to be over-scale flowerheads, but also strongly resemble the legendary “Phoenix”, an ancient symbol of rebirth. Smaller geometricized floral forms are spontaneously scattered amid the primary motifs, all resting upon an undyed camelhair ground.

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