Qashqai bag (265)

Qashqai saddle bag from south west Persia (Iran)

Age: circa 1875

Size: 3′.3″x1′.8″ (99×51 cm)

This complete Qashqai saddle bag displays a pile front with a classic hooked red diamond medallion surrounded by blue and ivory hooks on a navy ground.At the center is an ivory rosette with barber pole extenders,hooked diamonds,squares,lazy S’s,octagons,boxes and tiny dots.Along the sides of the field are colorful hooked stylized triangles and there is an infill of additional hooked diamonds,rosettes and other elements.The ivory main border shows a faceted meander and is flanked by red and yellow minor borders.At the bottom end is a characteristic Qashqai bitonal checkerboard panel.At the top end is a barber pole line followed by a red cicim technique brocade and a yellow ground kilim back centered by a bold red,navy and ivory stepped diamond with vertical extenders and a light green medallion right in the center.There are four small stepped medallions around the central motif and the edges are all stepped in navy.All the colors are from natural sources.The wool is very soft and the piece has a pliable handle.The condition is good except for minor edge problems.