Kuslu Basmakci | 4x5

This rug is an absolute classic.  It is made in or near the small town of Basmakci (Bas-mak-chi), Turkey and uses the very important Kuslu (Kush-lu) design which dates back many centuries.  Scholars that study and write about the oldest oriental rugs almost always include pieces with this design.  Kuslu means bird in Turkish and is an interpretive name given near the end of the nineteenth century by scholars because of the two opposing motifs.  This design is likely derivative of ancient eastern dragon and phoenix designs which can be seen slowly becoming more stylized over time.  Some rugs of the 12th and 13th centuries show this design quite clearly.

Very few of these rugs have been made in Turkey over the centuries and almost none were made in the last century.  Since the death of Arslan Kontente in 1988 and the subsequent ends of his families production Turkish weaving has dwindled to the point of near none existence.  This leads us to believe that pieces like this in our Turkish Revival Collection are the last best of their kind and worthy of any collectors portfolio.