Antique Memling Gul Moghan Rug

I spotted this Moghan Rug on eBay offered by my dear friend Serapi. Of course Serapi is Wade Shehady Jr. the great Pittsburgh carpet dealer Trusted Resource List - Rug & Carpet Dealers In The U.S. - Shehady's Oriental Rugs.

eBay Seller List: Serapi

"Size: 3'9" x 8'. Age: 1870-1880 circa. Condition: Very good. Thick lustrous wool throughout. Rich natural sheared browns. Complete with it's triple braided edges & selvege both sides. Three small fold wears. Three 1/2" sq. holes that have been repaired. One corner appr. 8" long, has two rows of weaving missing. All pure vegetable dyes. Wool warp & weft. K.P.S.I.: 6 x 7. Has been professionally washed. Needs nothing, but your favorite place to enjoy. Buyer must pay shipping & proper insurance. Please feel free to ask any questions that you may have. Thank you and Good Luck! "

View of the back:

The Moghan Controversy

If there is such a thing as a Moghan then this is a fine example. Moghan is a somewhat controversial label. The late Ulrich Schurmann deliniated the group in his classic Caucasian Rugs pages 42 - 43. The Moghan steppe is a place and these rugs are attributed to that area. Ian Bennett follows the same line in Oriental Rugs Volume 1 Caucasian. Compare this rug to plate 204 in that book. Wright and Wertime muddle the picture in Caucasian Carpets and Covers.page 89 where they say they know the Moghans to not come from one part of the Moghan Steppe but that they do not know if it comes from the other. Then Murray Eiland Jr. suggests that Moghan is just a new name for rugs that used to be called Shirvan or Karadagh. He suggests that Moghan takes in a number of structures and is not a cohesive attribution. Oriental Rugs A Complete Guide page 277.