Special Collection
Offering items from a small private collection of personally chosen rugs and carpets for sale.
The Collection can be viewed at the Gilles Botbyl Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa.
WHAT IS NOMADICKNOTS
NomadicKnots where passion meets craftsmanship
PICK OF THE WEEK
Khorjins
What better way to gain a glimpse of 'people of the horse' than by looking at their brilliantly coloured baggage - the khorjin that created beauty out of portability.
Dennis R Dodds, Hali Vol 5 No.4 p446
Transportation of goods and chattels was a key aspect of tribal life. Animal trappings such as saddle-bags, horse covers and horse braids reflect that importance.
The weavings of the different tribes can be separated by design, materials and woven structure, though certain techniques and functions are common to all groups.
Hali, Issue 194, Chinese Edition, 2017,p.87
In the Jozan Oriental Rug News of 27 January 2025, Ivan Soenderholm, reviewing Paul Ramsey's virtual lecture & presentation titled "Nomads of West Iran & Their Amazing Transport Bags," (25 Jan 2025) said the following
"Ramsey’s lecture was an engaging and visually rich
exploration of the nomadic groups of Iran’s Zagros region,
including the Shahsavan, Kurds, Luri, Bakhtiari, Qashga’i,
and Khamseh Federation. He discussed the seasonal
migrations of these groups, who moved with their flocks
between winter pastures and summer grasslands. Women in
these communities created handmade transport bags to carry
necessities like tents, bedding, food, and cookware during
these migrations. Ramsey highlighted the artistry of these
bags, including the double-sided khorjin and trunk-like
mafrash, which served as both practical tools and decorative
masterpieces.
The intricately designed fronts, or “faces,” of the bags
often outlasted their functional use and are now
celebrated as woven artworks in private collections."
Floral, All-over Design
This delightful little rug illustrates beautifully what Ford says about
some over-all floral designs, "... they have a classical simplicity and
restraint which to many people is preferable to the medallion style
but is yet combined with a fluidity and warmth that cannot be
matched by geometric pieces in all-over patterns." *
The piece is tightly woven on a wool warp and weft foundation.
The pile is thick. Despite this, the design is crisply drawn and knotted. The colours are harmonious and muted.
*Ford, p.324
Browse Our Collection
THE COLLECTION
- Knotted Pile rugs
- Kilims and Flatweaves
- Bags and Trappings
- Silks
