Antique Tribal Bags and Bag Faces - 1
     From the collection of MARLA MALLETT: TEXTILES
Some of the most engaging tribal textile art from the Middle Eastern Oriental rug world appears in the form of saddlebags, storage sacks and bedding bags. The small scale of these items encouraged experimentation, and traditional nomadic weavers used a wide variety of patterning techniques. Yörük and Turkmen nomads in Anatolia excelled with brocading, while Shahsevan groups in northwest Persia and the Caucasus used intricate soumak weaves. Go to Basic Weaves if you would like to read about the structures.  For a discussion of tribal bags, go to The Varieties of Tribal Bags and Panels

As nomads gradually settled into village life and turned to more standard Oriental pile rug production, the output of flatwoven ethnographic objects slowed dramatically. Recent fine examples are rare. When the backs of sacks and bags became badly worn, they commonly were removed and the lavishly ornamented faces kept as family heirlooms. Included in our gallery collection are unusual antique Anatolian bags and bag faces -- pieces that have not yet been well documented in rug literature. Click on the inventory numbers below to see full views of the pieces. Check out our Tribal Textiles and HOME pages for kilims and other gallery offerings.


Pair of Borchaliu Mafrash Panels
Georgia
Late 19th century
Wool and cotton
Soumak
W-6860
W-6861

Pair of Kuba Saddlebag Faces
Azerbaijan. Circa 1900
Wool and cotton.
Each: 15"x 14"
Soumak
W-7392
W-7393


Borchaliu Mafrash Panel
Late 19th century
Wool and cotton.  18"x 37"
Soumak
W-7390


Pair of Baluch Balisht
Late 19th or early 20th century
Wool and goat hair. Each: 35"x 18"
Weft-substitution weave and tapestry
W-5792
W-5793


Pair of Sham Shadin Mafrash Panels
Armenia. Early 19th century
Wool.  Each 21½"x 19½"
Brocading
W-6898
W-6899


Shahsevan Mafrash Panel
Moghan/Savalon area, NW Persia
Late 19th century
Wool. 20½"x 17"
Soumak
W-7483


Pair of Mafrash Panels
Azerbaijan. Circa 1900
Wool.  Each 40"x 20"
Soumak
W-3685
W-3686


Bergama Ala Cuval Face
Northwest Anatolia
Late 19th or early 20th century
Wool.  25"x 34½"
Reciprocal brocading
W-7475


Ghyzy Saddlebag Face
Azerbaijan.  19th century
Wool and cotton. 12½"x 14½"
Soumak
W-2381


Pair of Kazak Mafrash End Panels
Azerbaijan. Late 19th century
Wool.  Slit tapestry and soumak
Each: 20"x 20"
W-2397C
W-2397D


Malatya Ala Cuval
Eastern Anatolia. Late 19th century
Wool and cotton. 44½"x 45½"
Reciprocal brocading
W-7432


Malatya Ala Cuval
Eastern Anatolia.  Late 19th century
Wool and cotton. 44"x 48"
Soumak
W-7436


Borchaliu Mafrash
Georgia
Circa 1860
Wool and cotton
Soumak
W-7371


Yüncü Ala Cuval
Northwestern Anatolia
Circa 1880
Wool.  27½"x 49"
Reciprocal brocading and
  complementary weft weave
W-7373


Malatya Sinan Yastik
Eastern Anatolia. Late 19th century
Wool and cotton. 25"x 34"
Slit tapestry
W-2389


Yüncü Ala Cuval
Bergama area, Anatolia
Circa 1900
Wool. 27"x 39"
Reciprocal brocading, soumak and
complimentary weft weave
W-1809


Baktiari Saddlebag Pouch
West Persia
Circa 1900
Wool and cotton. 42"x 53"
Soumak, knotted pile
W-7462


Pair of Kazak Mafrash Panels
Azerbaijan. Late 19th century
Wool and cotton.  Each 21"x 15"
Soumak
W-2399A
W-2399B

Go to Bags & Bag Faces - Page 2,  Page 3 or Page 4

 Bags: Sale Page

The Varieties of Tribal Bags and Panels

Tribal Textiles Main Page
   

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Atlanta, GA  30306  USA

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E-mail:  marlam@mindspring.com