Antique c.1870s Kurdish Tribal rug, Natural Camel Field, Geometric Border, 2'7" x 6'3" (82cm x 192cm) - 1B999

An exceptional antique hand-knotted Kurdish tribal rug, woven circa 1870s in the northwestern weaving regions of the Middle East — a piece of remarkable age, authenticity, and tribal character that speaks directly to the golden age of nomadic and semi-nomadic Kurdish weaving.

The design is built on one of the most celebrated and sought-after formats in the Kurdish tribal repertoire: a completely open, undecorated field in warm, natural undyed camel wool — a color of extraordinary depth and warmth that only a century and a half of natural oxidation can produce. This bold compositional choice — to leave the field entirely bare, trusting the color of the wool itself to carry the visual weight of the piece — is the mark of a weaver of great confidence and sophistication.

The main border is a wide band of deep crimson red, populated with a continuous and endlessly varied procession of bold geometric medallions: hooked diamonds, eight-pointed star rosettes, reciprocal stepped forms, and angular floral motifs rendered in ivory, saffron gold, dark chocolate brown, and teal blue. Each medallion is subtly different from its neighbors — the natural variation of a weaver working from memory and tradition rather than a fixed cartoon — giving the border a living, breathing quality that no mechanically repeated pattern can replicate. The inner and outer guard borders carry a crisp ivory vine-and-leaf reciprocal scroll.

The wool is hand-spun and naturally dyed, the colors having mellowed over 150 years into a palette of extraordinary harmony: the crimson deepened to a rich burgundy in the shadows, the ivory warmed to cream, the gold softened to amber. The back of the rug reveals the tight, even hand-knotting and wool-on-wool foundation characteristic of authentic Kurdish tribal production.

Kurdish camel-ground rugs of this age and quality are increasingly rare on the market; this example, with its exceptional border system and authentic tribal character, represents a genuine collector’s opportunity.

Details

• Type: Antique handmade Kurdish tribal rug
• Style: Kurdish tribal — camel ground
• Origin: Middle East (northwestern Kurdish weaving region)
• Period: c. 1870s (approx. 150 years old)
• Material: Hand-spun wool pile on wool foundation
• Technique: Hand-knotted
• Design: Open plain camel/tobacco field; wide crimson border with geometric medallions — hooked diamonds, star rosettes, stepped forms; ivory vine-and-leaf guard borders
• Color palette: Natural undyed camel/tobacco, deep crimson/burgundy, ivory/cream, saffron gold, dark brown, teal blue
• Dimensions: 82 cm × 192 cm (2’7” × 6’3”)

Condition

Fair/Good for age — honest wear throughout; authentic and unrestored. Some low pile areas in the field. Fringe largely consumed — consistent with age. Light selvedge wear at edges. All disclosed and reflected in price.