Filpa Ersari Kargai

This finely knotted and beautifully mellow item is identified on the grounds of design, colour and structure as the work of a migratory weaver of the ancient Ersari Turkoman tribe, who have traditionally pastured their herds of goats and sheep in the Central Asian region flanking the banks of the River Oxus, on the remote frontier between northern Afghanistan and the far eastern part of Russian Turkestan. With its well-drawn scheme of gulli-gul ‘Elephant’s Foot’ medallion lozenges and soft, warm palette of muted reds and browns, the work possesses a strong decorative appeal for the sophisticated taste of today. Examples of this sought-after Turkoman tribal group in the exemplary Filpa quality are seldom encountered, and this is a particularly impressive specimen in terms of both craftsmanship and visual expression.