Search 0
6,831  PAGES BROWSED TODAY PAGES TODAY • 0 ANTIQUES UPLOADED TODAYNEW ARRIVALS
Sorted by
Per page
JOIN AS A SELLER DEALER LOGIN
Selling Antiques Logo
0
Saved
GIFTS
LATEST STOCK
Home
Return
Dealer Login
500+ Shops
Dealers
Newly Added
0
Saved
Antiques dealer?
Join as a Seller
Sort Order
Items Per Page
sellingantiques.co.uk
Browse Categories
Sort order
Relevant Links
Items per page
ID #SA1243576
FOR SALE
£3,500
Email Phone
Save
Antique Turkmen Torba, Teke Tribes, Merv Oasis, Turkmenistan, Central Asia.
For sale by Brian MacDonald Antique Rugs & Carpets
for sale €4,095     $4,445
£3,500
Brian MacDonald Antique Rugs & Carpets

Brian MacDonald Antique Rugs & Carpets

Sellingantiques Verified Since Oct 2011
Browse dealers 116 items
  • About Us
    Dealing in antique and old tribal rugs, dowry weavings and decorative carpets from the near east and central asia since 1979.
↓ Relevant Links
Id #SA1243576
PDF SHARE
SAVE

Antique Turkmen Torba, Teke Tribes, Merv Oasis, Turkmenistan, Central Asia.

19th century
Description

This fabulous Torba (personal belongings bag) was made by Teke Turkmen tribes in the Akhal Oasis, Turkmenistan, during the first half to middle 19th century.

It is in amazing, complete condition with its original ivory wool, plain-weave back. The face of the torba in glowing madder-red contains four vertical rows of three Teke 'guls' (tribal crests) and quite unusually retains its original tassels at the base of the bag.

This torba is amongst the very best of early Teke work with highlights of magenta silk within the guls and in the border.

Size: 1.17m x 0.41m (3' 10" x 1' 4").

Date of Manufacture

Brian MacDonald Antique Rugs & Carpets has dated this Antique Turkmen Teke Torba to the 1850s.

Independent Date Check ID 09705032
Dealer's Item Date1850s
Sellingantiques Date1850s
Sellingantiques agingItem 145-190 years old
Test ResultsPassed dating check
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to THE 1850s:
Madder red ground and indigo fringe: traditional plant dyes from before synthetic aniline colours.
Fine knotting with silk highlights in the guls: classic mid-19th-century Teke tribal craftsmanship.
Complete plain-weave back and hanging tassels: remarkable survival of the original nomadic bag construction.

This is an independent date report produced by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. The process uses the photographs shown on this page. The system is never told the date the dealer has declared. This report shows that the two dates corroborate.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1243576
Dealers Notes

Viewing by appointment only.

Description
This fabulous Torba (personal belongings bag) was made by Teke Turkmen tribes in the Akhal Oasis, Turkmenistan, during the first half to middle 19th century.

It is in amazing, complete condition with its original ivory wool, plain-weave back.

“
The face of the torba in glowing madder-red contains four vertical rows of three Teke 'guls' (tribal crests) and quite unusually retains its original tassels at the base of the bag.
Brian MacDonald Antique Rugs & Carpets

This torba is amongst the very best of early Teke work with highlights of magenta silk within the guls and in the border.

Size: 1.17m x 0.41m (3' 10" x 1' 4").

Date of Manufacture

Brian MacDonald Antique Rugs & Carpets has dated this Antique Turkmen Teke Torba to the 1850s.

Independent Date Report ID 09705032
Dealer's Item Date1850s
Sellingantiques dating1850s
Sellingantiques agingItem 145-190 years old
Test ResultsPassed dating check
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to the 1850s:
Madder red ground and indigo fringe: traditional plant dyes from before synthetic aniline colours.
Fine knotting with silk highlights in the guls: classic mid-19th-century Teke tribal craftsmanship.
Complete plain-weave back and hanging tassels: remarkable survival of the original nomadic bag construction.

This is an independent date report produced by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. The process uses the photographs shown on this page. The system is never told the date the dealer has declared. This report shows that the two dates corroborate.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1243576
Brian MacDonald Antique Rugs & Carpets
Brian MacDonald Antique Rugs & Carpets
Sellingantiques verified Since Oct 2011

Dealing in antique and old tribal rugs, dowry weavings and decorative carpets from the near east and central asia since 1979.

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Brian MacDonald Antique Rugs & Carpets Profile Page

PDF SHARE
SAVE
An antique rectangular hand-woven Turkmen Teke torba with deep red wool pile, repeating geometric gul patterns, and blue and pink fringe along the bottom border.
1 / 9
Archive I An antique rectangular hand-woven Turkmen Teke torba with deep red wool pile, repeating geometric gul patterns, and blue and pink fringe along the bottom border.

Antique Turkmen Torba, Teke Tribes, Merv Oasis, Turkmenistan, Central Asia.

Archive II An antique rectangular hand-woven Turkmen Teke torba with deep red wool pile, repeating geometric gul patterns, and blue and pink fringe along the bottom border. View II
Archive III An antique rectangular hand-woven Turkmen Teke torba with deep red wool pile, repeating geometric gul patterns, and blue and pink fringe along the bottom border. View III
Archive IV An antique rectangular hand-woven Turkmen Teke torba with deep red wool pile, repeating geometric gul patterns, and blue and pink fringe along the bottom border. View IV
Archive V An antique rectangular hand-woven Turkmen Teke torba with deep red wool pile, repeating geometric gul patterns, and blue and pink fringe along the bottom border. View V
Archive VI An antique rectangular hand-woven Turkmen Teke torba with deep red wool pile, repeating geometric gul patterns, and blue and pink fringe along the bottom border. View VI
Archive VII An antique rectangular hand-woven Turkmen Teke torba with deep red wool pile, repeating geometric gul patterns, and blue and pink fringe along the bottom border. View VII
Archive VIII An antique rectangular hand-woven Turkmen Teke torba with deep red wool pile, repeating geometric gul patterns, and blue and pink fringe along the bottom border. View VIII
Archive IX An antique rectangular hand-woven Turkmen Teke torba with deep red wool pile, repeating geometric gul patterns, and blue and pink fringe along the bottom border. View IX
Enlarged Archival View
Brian MacDonald Antique Rugs & Carpets

Brian MacDonald Antique Rugs & Carpets
Telephone 01451 824 447 or 07980 999 114
Location
North Cotswolds
Gloucestershire
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/rugmac
Verified Since Oct 2011
Items For Sale 116
Items Sold 1,075
Brian MacDonald Antique Rugs & Carpets
Brian MacDonald Antique Rugs & Carpets
Verified Since Oct 2011
View Dealer Info
Location: North Cotswolds , Gloucestershire, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/rugmac
Verified
Oct 2011
For Sale
116
Sold
1,075
An antique rectangular hand-woven Turkmen Teke torba with deep red wool pile, repeating geometric gul patterns, and blue and pink fringe along the bottom border.
Antique Turkmen Torba, Teke Tribes, Merv Oasis, Turkmenistan, Central Asia.
Ref: SA1243576
An antique rectangular hand-woven Turkmen Teke torba with deep red wool pile, repeating geometric gul patterns, and blue and pink fringe along the bottom border.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Detail View 4
Detail View 5
Detail View 6
Detail View 7
Detail View 8
Archival Detail

Strictly Vetted Dealers

Every single antique dealer on our platform is individually approved by our internal team. We verify their professional trade history, ethical standards, and photographic quality to ensure a secure, high-standard buying environment. Upon joining, every dealer agrees to a strict 9-point code of conduct. While issues can occasionally arise, our dealers typically resolve them swiftly and directly with the buyer. In fact, since our founding in 2002, Sellingantiques has only had to step in to help resolve an issue on roughly five occasions—a true testament to the quality of our dealers and their dedication to your happiness.

Secure Transit

Our dealers are highly experienced in packing and shipping fragile, high-value antiques. Because you are in direct contact with the dealer, you will be able to easily go through all available shipping and insurance options together to ensure your item arrives safely.

The Sustainable Choice

Antiques are the ultimate green purchase. By choosing historical pieces over newly manufactured goods, you completely eliminate the carbon footprint of modern mass production while preserving exceptional, timeless craftsmanship.

Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectWall Hanging
  • Period19th century
  • StyleNomadic / Tribal
  • MaterialWool
  • ColourDeep Red
  • MotifsTeke gol, Geometric repeat, Polychrome fringe, Latticed border

This antique Turkmen torba is a hand-woven wool wall hanging made by the Teke tribes in Central Asia during the mid-nineteenth century. The piece exhibits a nomadic tribal style with a deep red wool pile, repeating geometric gul patterns, and a polychrome fringe in shades of blue and pink along the bottom border. Additional visible details include ivory wool elements, a latticed border, and varying lengths of vertical hanging threads showing natural fraying at the tips. The textile measures 117 cm by 41 cm. It makes a distinctive decorative wall hanging for display within a study, library, or hallway in a contemporary home.

FAQs

A torba is a small, rectangular storage bag woven by nomadic Turkmen tribes, such as the Teke, across Central Asia. Traditionally hung inside a yurt, these textiles featured finely knotted wool pile decorated with distinct tribal emblems known as gols.

Turkmen trappings were woven using hand-spun sheep wool for both the foundation and the pile. Dyes were derived from natural plant and insect sources, creating deep madder reds, dark indigo blues, and natural un-dyed ivory highlights.

Authentic Teke pieces are identified by their characteristic Teke gola flattened octagonal geometric motif containing secondary quartered patternsalong with extremely fine knotting density, soft lustrous wool, dark red grounds, and hand-fringed lower borders.

Small tribal textiles like torbas are commonly displayed as mounted wall art, framed textile installations, or laid across sideboards and accent tables to add historic pattern, color depth, and tactile richness to modern spaces.

Maintain wool textiles by gently vacuuming without a rotating beater bar to prevent fiber damage. Keep the piece out of direct sunlight to protect natural vegetable dyes, ensure low humidity, and consult a professional rug restorer for specialised cleaning.
items
Add keywords to the filter
Price
£100
£250000
Era
Period
Style
Material
Origin
Stock Location
Recently Added
Online Payments
Categories