An Afshar 'Boteh' Single Bag, South Persia, Late 19th Century “The main ornament is a single large ivory boteh on an indigo ground

AN AFSHAR 'BOTEH' SINGLE BAG, SOUTH PERSIA, LATE 19TH CENTURY “The main ornament is a single large ivory boteh on an indigo ground. Left and right tree-like forms frame the boteh . The border consists of a repeating pattern of paired triangles, with curved appendages, that may be modified boteh . Guards are formed of reciprocal triangles except at the bottom where there are small diamond shapes. As with other examples of this type of Afshar bag, there is no closure region, instead there is a decorative band of weft-float brocading. On either side of the band are guards, in extra-weft wrapping (soumak). The top end is in plain weave folded over and hemmed. The sides and bottom are finished in weft twining with a single green stripe at the top. Knotting is symmetrical, with warps in ivory wool, and wefts in red, with two shoots.” (Benjamin, op.cit., LITERATURE: 3rd ed., 2004, p. 67 “Other similar examples of this bag type are known with either single (image 45 in Woven Gardens ed. by Black, D. and Loveless, C., David Black Oriental Rugs, London, 1979) or double boteh formats ( Hali issue 86, image 9, page 97, Orgel Collection, 1996). This boteh and border design probably originate from a single Afshar group.” (Benjamin, op.cit., p. 67)