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441 A number
of rugs with Lesghi stars woven in the soumak technique are known. There are
also many of the small, jewel-like, soumak bag-faces so prized by today's
collectors. Perhaps one of the most beautiful examples of the latter is
illustrated in Joseph V. McMullan's Islamic Rugs (pl. 57), and is now in the
Metropolitan Museum; another example, a complete pair of bags (khordjin), is
illustrated in this book (no. 490). The McMullan collection also contained a
full-size Lesghi star soumak rug (ibid, pl. 56) which is, again, in the
Metropolitan Museum. A particularly beautiful example, with four large stars
on a pale red field, is illustrated as plate 47 in the catalogue of The
George Walter Vincent and Belle Townsley Smith Collection of Islamic Rugs
(this has an interesting stencilled double S main border composition). Our
example, although approximately half the size, is fairly close to the
McMullan rug in style. The border on both contains continuous series of
octagons, although on the McMullan rug these have more interesting central
ornaments. Probably late 19th century. 151x89cm |
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