Sunday, January 1, 2012

Chanteh with stepped diamond motif
































Half of a double chanteh (it was once common for dealers to cut them in two, as the value of separate bags was often higher than that of a double), this little bag was attributed to the Qashqa'i when I purchased it from a dealer in Scotland. This may be correct, but I've always had my doubts. I really like the striations in the field, the odd cross motifs in the corners, and the curious mark on the back. One of the more mysterious bags in my collection, it measures 8" by 8.5". There are a couple of synthetic dyes in the mix - for example, the bright orange dots in the white squares in the field.