Ca. 1900, 257 x 146 cm, South West Persia, Fars province

VOK Collection: Caucasus – Persia 85

The plain field in changing shades of orange and apricot is framed to great effect by blue trefoils with finely stepped outlines, creating a serrated outline. The striking double hooks protruding into the field from the tips of the triangular trefoils are a rare motif. The appearance of this simple composition is defined by the contrast of light and dark colours between the inner and outer sections and the sharply pointed shape of the trefoils. The border of two-tone zigzag bands and an inner row of stepped reciprocal trefoils in white (cotton) and blue-black belong to the standard repertoire of kilims from Fars. They are encountered in the same form in Luri weavings. – Sadighi attributes the kilim to the Kashkuli tribe and believes that this finely woven example was commissioned from particularly talented weavers by the wife of a khan as a gift to her husband. He writes that weavings of this kind were known as "bibi baf" in Iran. A kilim from the Kossow Collection, identical in composition but different in colour, was first published by Plötze. The author assumes that it served as an eating cloth (sofreh). – Good condition, with the original finishes all around and braided warps at both ends.

PLÖTZE, KARL-MICHAEL, Welt der Kelims. Barsinghausen 2001, Nr. 4

VOK, IGNAZIO, Vok Collection. Caucasus-Persia. Gilim und andere Flachgewebe. (Text: Hamid Sadighi) München 1996, Nr. 85