Exceptional fine and old Tekke chuval fragment. 100 x 58 cm. Before 1850. Six turreted Salor gul design with each gul outlined in indigo blue or blue-green. "Sarach-Palak" secondary gul with each little star high-lighted in magenta silk. As this is an insect derived cochineal colour, it has almost entirely corroded away, but is still visible on the backside of the chuval. Extraordinary lively background colour, that is difficult to describe, but wavers between cherry red and mahogany. Probably it originated in the Merv oasis, but because of its unusual dark colour, it could be from a different Tekke settlement. Ref: Uwe Jourdan, Oriental Rugs volume 5, Turkomen, plate 63 &64. Mackie and Thompson, plate 31 &32. Hans Elmby, Antique Turkmen Carpets v, plate 3. No longer available