Number AH625
Material Wool
Style All Over
Origin Turkmen
Type Central Asian
Size 273 x 172
Age 1860
A great old Tekke from the vast, open steppes of Turkmenistan in the 19th century. This is a large size carpet for this tribe, and is called a tent or main carpet: ie it would be spread open on the floor of the tent when receiving distinguished guests. They would be honored by being invited to sit upon such a carpet.
It exists in superb condition and with full pile. Two very long end kilims stretch out at either end. They are sometimes called "skirts" for obvious reasons but to the Turkmen there were called "elem" which is an adaptation of the Arabic علم referring to flag/identifier/banner/proper noun. The manner of the stripes along the Elem would identify which tribe and clan wove it; hence this is the signature of the weaver and her identity.
To me personally there is no surprise, event or frankly anything that gets me more excited than the purchase of a treasured piece of understated artwork such as that of a proper vintage/antique carpet. The sourcing, grading and authentication of these pieces is no small task but is of the highest importance. Through the respected dealer Hadi Maktabi all that is guaranteed, and rest assured the one thing I can guarantee personally as a client is a first class service from the initial selection process till it gets delivered right to your door step. It was an undeniably special experience, with hundreds of carpets to choose from, will definitely be visiting again. Thank you dear Hadi. Habeeb Al Monawer, Kuwait 🇰🇼
Purchasing carpets from Hadi Maktabi was the epitome of professionalism and joy. Hadi is an expert curator, purveyor, historian and story teller. His passion, knowledge, professionalism and expertise are evident every step of the way. With a wide range of choices and prices, prompt service, and fast sipping, we had our carpets in Sydney in a matter of days. The ultimate flying carpet experience! Zeina Tebbutt, Sidney, Australia 🇦🇺
“You don’t just buy a rug from Dr Maktabi... It’s an experience, a rich one! You learn about history, culture & art. And more importantly you feel euphoric!” Dr Siamak Abolhassani, Expert Medical Care Clinics, Victoria, Australia 🇦🇺