Number 924
Material Wool
Style Pictorial
Origin Qashqai
Type Tribal
Size 120 x 95 when fully opened
Age 1870
How can you not fall in love with this? Even if you won't really need it for travel or migration, something about it tugs at you and makes you want it. It is one of a kind really, a carpet woven bag that goes lightyears beyond saddlebag ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ซ๐ช๐ฏ๐ด and ๐ฎ๐ข๐ง๐ณ๐ข๐ด๐ฉ bedding bags. It was published in an Italian collection back in the 1980s, when it was already over 100 years old, and hasn't aged a day since. A highly accomplished artist from the Kashkuli clan created it.
It is woven in one complete piece on a loom but consists of 5 sections. The central one is woven in rainbow stripe kilim and the 4 lateral ones are knotted in carpet pile. The two parts on the right and left are hexagonal while the upper and lower ones are rectangular. The 4 sections rise together to form a hexagonal-pyramidcal 3D structure. The bag has its original leather straps and iron buckles, in addition to leather going around the edges where woolen selvedges would normally be wound. Impeccable! All this and we haven't started to mention the ๐๐ฐ๐ญ ๐ฐ ๐๐ฐ๐ญ๐ฃ๐ฐ๐ญ design..
I first met Dr. Maktabi as a lecturer on carpet history and was captivated by his passion for the subject. Only later I knew him as a dealer, though even in our financial transactions, Hadi has been a gentle guide and friend. He has understood my taste and interests and made wonderful suggestions, but never in a pushy way. That is to say I have enjoyed working with him on several levels and wish to continue our excellent relations and dealings far into the future. A. Harvey Pincis, formerly Dar Al Athar Al Islamiyyah Museum (Kuwait), Latvia ๐ฑ๐ป
Hadi Maktabi and his staff provide comprehensive and thoughtful services to collectors and textile buyers worldwide. His knowledge of antique oriental rugs and textiles, including many fine offerings from the Levant, is unsurpassed. We have been loyal customers for over five years and have visited his Beirut premises. He has worked with us upon several occasions to select the exact Ottoman and Levantine pieces we wanted for our collection. You can be sure of quality and honesty when dealing with Hadi. Penelope and Timothy Hays, Just In From The East Collection, Florida ๐บ๐ธ
You can't only be a customer of Hadi Maktabi. While his main purpose is rug dealing, he starts with story telling and ends with history selling. That's what I call high-end art curating and closing it all with an entertaining friendship. George El Hani, CEO Levica, Lebanon ๐ฑ๐ง