Tekke Torbas Rugs & Carpets

Examples of Tekke Torbas

6 Gul Tekke Torba


Designation: TEKKE TORBA
Country of origin: Central Asia, West Turkestan,
Early 19th Century
Dimensions: 40 x 113 cm
Early Tekke-Torba, “Smith”-type with the distinctive, narrow box-border. Excellent quality, very fine. — Right side with a new cord, the left side minimally damaged, small moth.


6 Gul with Arrow Chemche

6 Gul with Arrow Chemche secondary Gul Tekke Juval


Tekke 6 Gull Torba circa 1800



A Tekke Turkmen Shallow Tent-Bag (Torba).
A Tekke Turkmen Shallow Tent-Bag (Torba). Turkmenistan 19th century, Missing on the sides, repaired slit, small puncture in the field.


Early 18th century Tekke 6 Gull Torba

Early 18th century Tekke 6 Gull Torba
Here is one of the finest, 325 KPI, and oldest, early 18th century, Tekke torbas in the world. Its beauty is simply Breath taking. The pile is full and the dyes are those only found on weavings from Khiva in the first half of the 18th century.


Tekke Turkmen torba

Tekke Turkmen torba,
Turkmenistan about 1900-20,
10in. x 3ft. 0.26m. x 0.91m.
Small amount of colour run. Very finely woven.


Tekke Turkmen torba

Tekke Turkmen torba,
Turkmenistan about 1900-20,
1ft.2in. x 3ft.2in. 0.36m. x 0.97m.
Color run in places.


Tekke Turkmen torba

Tekke Turkmen torba,
Turkmenistan or Afghanistan about 1900-20,
1ft.6in. x 3ft.10in. 0.46m. x 1.17m.
Very slight even wear overall; remains of original added blue fringe.


A Tekke Turkmen Shallow Tent Bag (Torba).

A Tekke Turkmen Shallow Tent Bag (Torba).
Turkmenistan 19th century, complete flatwoven back, small reweave in one outer border, reweave in opposing corner. Approximately 1 ft. 7 in. by 4 ft. (048 by 122 cm)


6 Gull Torbas
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.

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.

Notes: 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.

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.


The Allen 6 Gul Tekke Torba

The Allen 6 Gul Tekke Torba

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The James C. Allen 1800 Tekke 6 Gull Torba
The James C. Allen 1800 Tekke 6 Gull Torba
Unique circa 1800 Tekke 6 Gull Torba
Here is a Tekke Turkoman masterpiece. The border looks medieval with its’ large scale “S” motif’s. The knotting is extremely fine at 253 KSI. The colors are deeply saturated. The blue around the gull centers is uniformly dark blue, no variation. The chemche gulls are archaic. The border is rare in my experience and perhaps the most beautiful and archaic, excluding Hoffmeister’s earliest known example, in the world. This torba was first published in Vanishing Jewels. It was purchased in 1903 from Liberty department stores, in London, according to tag sewn onto the back. It was sold in 1903 as an antique and as far as I can tell this torba dates to circa 1800. It is in beautiful condition, full pile, no repairs, a few very small moth spots, and it is ready to grace the very best collection. This is a world class Turkoman artifact.


The James Blackmon 6 Gul Tekke Torba
 The James Blackmon 6 Gul Tekke Torba
Tekke Six Gul Torba
Size: 30.5cm(H) x 91.4cm(W) / 1’0(H) x 3’0(W)
Region: Central Asia, Turkmen, Tekke
Item Type: Rugs and Carpets, Bags and Trappings, Torba
Period / Date: 19th century (1800 – 1899)

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6 Gul Tekke Torba 
6 Gul Tekke Torba Lot 13 ex Dr. Jon Thompson
A 6 Gul Tekke Turkmen Shallow Tent-Bag (Torba).

A Tekke Turkmen Shallow Tent-Bag (Torba). Turkmenistan 19th century, Minor moth damage, missing on the sides, partial top and bottom ends, minor repileing to some moth damage. Approximately 1 ft. 8 in. by 3 ft. by 5 in. (059 by 104 cm)
close up
close up from top border


6 Gul Tekke Torba w/back, Early 19th C.
Woolley & Wallis, Salisbury Salerooms Ltd. Carpets & Rugs Sale Tuesday 16th April 2002
Tekke Turkmen torba,
Turkmenistan early to mid 19th century, 1ft. 4.5in. x 3ft.9in. 0.42m. x 1.14m.
Very slight even wear, slight fading. A rare 6 gul torba complete with back and original added fringe.
Picture and Information from Woolley & Wallis, Salisbury Salerooms Ltd.


6 Gul Tekke Torba 18th C. 
6 Gul Tekke Torba 18th C. from Gallery-Arabesque
Region: Central Asia  Turkmen  Tekke
Item Type: Rugs and Carpets Bags and Trappings  Torba
Period / Date: 18th century (1700 – 1799)
Materials: wool with camel wefts
Structure / Technique: pile, asymmetric knot open left
Condition: Poor
Comments On Condition: missing half of each side border
Full Description: Very light palette, unusual secondary gul, nice weave, and great execution. No silk. Early.
6 Gul Tekke Torba 18th C. from Gallery-Arabesque
6 Gul Tekke Torba 18th C. from Gallery-Arabesque
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Last quarter 19th Tekke 6 Gul Torba
Last quarter 19th Tekke 6 Gul Torba

West Turkmenistan. Last quarter 19th century.

The madder red field with six guls interspersed by Tshemtshe secondary guls in indigo, sky blue, ivory and salmon within a gotshak border

Approximately 1ft. 4in. x 3ft. 8in. (40cm. x 112cm.)
Last quarter 19th Tekke 6 Gul Torba