508. a primeval old Qashqa'i 'lion' gabbeh rug

508. Provenance: 'Gabbeh', Qashqa'i Confederacy of Tribes, Fars Province, Southern Persia

Age: Circa 1950

Size: 213 x 217 cm

Condition: Very good. Very minor colour run on some of the white border.

Notes: Ten glorious lions facing eachother, and breaking the symmetry, the top two facing lions are of different colours. Lustrous, oily wool and rich colours make this primitive tribal piece charming. Lions which once roamed the mountains of southwestern Iran are now extinct, but the lion remains king of the south Persian rug bestiary. Lion figures appear in several formats, including large, whimsical ones featured in Luri and Qashqa'i gabbeh rugs such as this one.