Lot 129, Yomud Multi-gul Main Carpet, Turkmenistan first half 19th century, 8 ft. 10in. x 5ft. 8in., 270 x 173 cm, Lit.: h. Sienknecht, a Turkic Heritage, The Development of Ornament on Yomut C-Gul Carpets, in hali 48, p. 30 footnotes no. 3-7. Condition: good, some areas low pile, very few small repairs. Wool pile, wool warp, wool weft. Although the rich colouration and the excellent drawing might be the most obvious ways in which to describe the merits of this rare multi-gul main carpet, there are a number of other qualities that deserve further discussion. When i first saw this carpet i was immediately struck by the scale of the minor border which is much larger than usual but helps to emphasise the proportions of the overall design. The main boat border has been drwan with a rhythm and scale that is unprecedented, and the way that the pattern has been adapted and improvised for use in the upper and lower borders is particularly noteworthy. Lastly it is interesting to read the repeats and variations in the layout of the guls as these can be read diagonally, vertically and horizontally. Auction November 28th, 4pm (cet), http://www.liveauctioneers.com/auctioneers/LOT42169925.html