Antique Kurdish Runner

A stunning, vibrant antique Kurdish runner, woven around 1880 in and in overall good condition.  The striking stripe design in the centre is full of colour and varying natural dyes of this period of weaving. Combined with the soft yellow main border, featuring the S design, often used as a reference to the Sun in tribal weavings, coming from the Caucasus and the Kurdish weavers of the North-West of Persia.

Woven in a loom in the ground, these were often taken up when the Kurd weavers would move onto pastures new.  So they were rarely completely straight, this runner is close to it, with minimal twist to the weave.  Adds a great deal to these collectable and beautiful runners in our opinion, and when laid flat on the floor with our underlay it would look superb, bringing colour and charm to a space.

Visit our barn showroom in Crondall, Surrey, we are open Monday to Saturday by appointment.  Or allow us to visit you with this antique runner so you can trial it at home.

Kurdish rug weavers were mainly woman who adapted and experimented with neighbouring weaving designs and used them in their own carpets. Nomadic rugs of the Kurds of Azerbaijan and the Caucasus used often primitive designs, whereas the the Kurdish Northwest Persia weavers used Caucasian designs of Kazak and Karabagh such as the diagonally striped field or bold geometric motifs.

Kurdish carpets are on the whole are coarse in comparison to the sophisticated rugs of Senneh, the capital of Kurdistan. The designs can be similar to that of Senneh, more often open in pattern and will use the 'Boteh' motifs or stylised flowers, 'S' Sun motifs or striped patterns such as on this runner.

Farnham Antique Carpets are specialists in antique decorative carpets, rugs and runners. Varying from antique tribal rugs woven in the Caucasus to classical Persian carpets dating from the mid 19th century to the early 20th century.

As members of the BADA - The British Antique Dealers Association and LAPADA - The Association of Art & Antique Dealers we adhere to strict guide lines as affiliated members and pride ourselves on maintaining its high standards. We exhibit at the BADA fair in Chelsea, London every March and the LAPADA Fair in Mayfair, London every September.