Provenance and Design Heritage

The Turkmen are a Turkic people whose ancestral lands span present-day Turkmenistan, northern Iran and northern Afghanistan. Their rug-knotting tradition is one of the oldest and most distinctive in Central Asia, defined by an unmistakable design vocabulary: the gul — a small octagonal or diamond medallion repeated in disciplined rows across the field. Different Turkmen tribes use different gul forms, and a knowledgeable eye can identify a piece's tribal lineage from the gul shape alone. Bokhara (Bukhara) is historically the great market city through which Turkmen rugs reached the wider world; the name has come to denote the broader Turkmen design family in the international rug trade.

This piece was hand-knotted in the Bokhara tradition from 100% wool on a cotton foundation, in the 1970s–80s. The composition follows the classical Bokhara vocabulary: disciplined rows of stepped guls down the field, framed by symmetrical multi-band borders. It is in good vintage condition, professionally inspected and washed.

Colour and Composition

The composition is built on a clear ivory ground carrying a column of stepped diamond guls drawn in red, navy-black and bright sky-blue with orange and ivory detail. A soft old-rose main border carries floral rosette guls in orange, ivory and black, flanked by several narrow guard borders of orange, black and ivory zigzag vine. The colours are clear and confident rather than faded — the bright sky-blue highlights in particular give the disciplined Turkmen drawing real liveliness. Beige wool fringes finish the ends.

Presence in the Room

At 156 × 95 cm (1.5 m²) this is a focused small format. Three contexts in which the vintage Bokhara reaches its full effect:

• Bedside or beneath an armchair: The small format and the rhythmic gul pattern make this a natural companion in a personal space.
• Hallway or entrance: The disciplined repeating pattern reads beautifully in a corridor or small entry, welcoming visitors with quiet craft.
• Office or study: Beneath a single chair or desk, the structural pattern reads as a measured, calm anchor.

Specifications

Responsible Sourcing · Label STEP

Djoharian is a Label STEP certified dealer for fair-trade knotted rugs — a commitment to dignified working conditions and against child labour in rug production. Visit the Label STEP entry for Djoharian Teppiche →

Djoharian — Since 1967

With roots in the Grand Carpet Bazaar of Tehran and more than five decades of experience in the international rug trade, Djoharian has specialised in antique, designer and collector rugs since 1967.

Service and Delivery

Every piece in the Djoharian Collection is expertly inspected in our atelier in Lohr am Main, professionally washed and shipped with a certificate of authenticity. We offer secure and fast worldwide shipping, fully insured, and personal consultation in our showroom or by video call.