Horse Blanket from Central Asia

This is a very old horse carpet (possibly Afghan-Turkmen, or Afghan-Baluch).

When purchased it was described as Baluch.

The patterns used are so very typical of the Afghani carpets with the birds tail used in repeated patterns.

The central lozenge has a feel of Turkman about it, but there is yellow which is more likely to show an Afghani influence. It has birds and horses around the lozenge and that again is more likely to be an Afghani influence. Early 20th Century. It has been photographed in reverse as the pile side is so faded it has very little colour. This fading shows absence of chemical dyes which indicate age. Very fine.

36” (91 cm) x 43” (109 cm).

Provenance: purchased from Glastonbury Festival 2007 £120. For private collector.