Dear all, thank you for taking the time to read this.
I recently came across 2 very interesting, and in my opinion, very beautiful Shirvan's at a local merchant. The dealer says his father bought them in Caucasus about 30 years ago, and is unsure about their age (possibly 80-100+ years).
Here are the pictures:
What strikes me is, very much unlike other Shirvans I have seen before, they have almost no color, as if they had been completely washed away. At the same time, the carpets are in quasi pristine condition, showing very little sign of age. As you will see, the second carpet (picture with me pointing) has a rectangular zone where seemingly, only the red color is visible. Also remarkable is the complexity of the design on the first carpet, in particular the various animals in the central emblema.
I would appreciate your thoughts on these carpets. Are they really Shirvan? Any clue about their age? What could have caused this washing of colors while leaving the carpet otherwise in great condition? (the dealer seems unsure about that, speculating this was done on purpose, to set them aside from other carpets of the region). Why would the second carpet be entirely washed out/in very faint colors with the exception of the red in a specific area of the carpet? Finally, I am interested in buying the first carpet. The asking price is very steep, even though I have already negotiated it down significantly. Any idea how much one would be expected to pay for such a piece?
Thanks much and I am looking forward to reading your thoughts and comments on these somewhat unique rugs.
