A Connoisseurs take on 6 gull Torbas

Sotheby's Fine Oriental Rugs and Carpets
New York Saturday 12/16/93 Lot 31

Image courtesy of Sotheby's

The six gull Tekke Torba is the highpoint of many collections. It was the Tekke brides most pleasing dowry weaving in the eyes of most western connoisseurs. The genre seems to appear in the late 18th century where the size of the gulls and their relationship to the border isn't well worked out. See the piece to the left formerly Tent Band ~ Tent Bag plate # 8, the edges of the outside gulls are cut off in a very rarely seen rendition.These bags are the earliest ones and then there are the large trappings with Yomud borders often not well done or reversed. This was still the time of Yomud strength and homage was paid by the border design chosen. The border surrounds the tribal specific central elements,gulls, and is often a matter of political importance.

The same can be said for Tekke work of a certain color range associated with the Akal oasis and earlier that has Salor borders. These rather enigmatic Tekke weavings often with Salor iconography are for the most part early 18th century. Tekke work has been identified by Peter Hoffmeister and myself that dates pre 18th century. This throws the accepted curves way off. The known lexicon of Tekke work is now absolutely at least 350 years deep. The Tekke by the early 19th century had completely worked the aesthetic out for the six gull torba.

Figure 1. Tekke Juval from the Allen collection

Detail Figure 1.

Figure #1 is an example of the best strata of these beautiful weavings. The reason for my judgement is the clarity of tribally important information. Look at detail (lower left)of the tribal bird, see its two little feet, the heart box, its fancy tail. Rather like a roadrunner, something swift and deadly on the ground like them,which is easy to make out. These white or spirit images are opposed by red or living images of the birds as if the bird itself was sacred and not just its ideal.

The flower is the soul and its window the eye. The chemche is a dimensionally compressed image of an archer aiming his arrow at you. Look at the center eye, flower, the string is seen above and below terminating in the bows extremes. the side view is presented as well and now the string is seen drawn back and the motion of the arrow is indicated by the bicolored chevrons, laterally terminating in a complete image of the bow and arrow.

These arrows are pointed at a spot in space opposed by the antennae of the chuval gulls. These 'T" shaped extensions are derivative of the ornaments used to decorate the birds hoods.In other words this arrangement of elements says literally our arrows are brought to the target by our hunting birds.

(N.B. Compare this to Thompson Mackie plates 35 and 36. I note that Pl. 35 has the "T" brackets but lacks the arrows and Pl. 36 has the arrows but lacks the "T" brackets. JBOC)

The last point and it is important is that reading diagonally across from the tribal bird one is confronted by the profile of a great raptor facing east or west.The more it looks like a raptor with nostrils and hooked beak the better the piece.

Hope you have enjoyed this.

James C. Allen

Editor's Note: RugNotes is pleased to present this article by James C. Allen. Jim is an internationally known collector of Turkoman weaving from Chattanooga Tennessee. Jim: authored "Design and Illusion", Hali #55 February 1991, page 98. participated in the Turkoman Roundtable", Chicago: ACOR II, 1992, delivered the paper "Perspective in Ancient Turkoman weavings". Philadelphia: ICOC 1996. His paper will be published in the next OCTs. He can be reached at abey2@comcast.net

For Further Reading:

Guide to Rugs & Books

La Miniature En Orient

Southwest Asia Time Line

Thanks and best wishes,

J. Barry O'Connell Jr.

Persian Rugs the O'Connell Guides