Can you see it?

[Joe Lawrence Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Joe Lawrence]

While browsing the internet, I came across this picture. Looking over the piece, I noticed one very obvious detail that could possibly be overlooked by someone. Without disclosing it, here are some other observations.

The saddlebag had leather binding at some point. In the bridge, dead center you can see half of the binding in a purple color while the other half is not. It could be dirty from being exposed from the missing half of the leather binding. The purple was hidden for many years behind the leather, thus protecting the color.

The bottom bag clearly shows in the large motif a dirty gray color. This more than likely was synthetic purple when made and faded to grey.

There is another mystery and let’s see who can identify it.

I have no connection to the piece, just trying to stir up some discussion. The saddlebag/heybe is 100% Turkish and judging by the picture only, would guess it was made in the 2nd half of the 20th century.

[Guest Close Guest]

Assembled from disparate pieces, i.e., a composite.

[Steve Price Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Steve Price]

Assembled from disparate pieces, i.e., a composite.

What do you see that tells you that?

Steve Price

[Joe Lawrence Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Joe Lawrence]

The answers is, a section of the bottom saddlebag has replaced with a similar piece although not original.

[Steve Price Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Steve Price]

Hi Joe - If that replacement piece is as small as it looks, I'd just call it a repair. "Composite piece" implies to me something assembled from much larger fragments.

Steve

[Guest Close Guest]

Circa 1920–1940 Qashqai or Khamseh khorjin with replaced bridge (looks newer than the sides) and repaired edge of one bag faces

Around 1980, someone re-knotted a section of the border with lighter modern background wool and synthetic violet aniline dye

Hope you didn’t pay more than $150 for it

[Joe Lawrence Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Joe Lawrence]

Hello guest and thank you for your input. I did not buy the bag. I only posted it as an example of buyer beware and to look hard at potential purchases.

I can understand your theory on attribution due to the motif I circled, but this motif is also very common in central Anatolia. The saddlebag is 100% Turkish from everything I can see. Of course seeing the knots would help but all motifs, style, bridge construction and colors say it Turkish. You can also see where the leather binding has been removed at some point especially the purple areas that were not subjected to light. When the saddlebags were utilized in daily life, it was not uncommon to replace the leather binding. They would simply take it to the leather worker and he would sew in new leather.

Please sign up and log on to the site. Your input would be appreciated.

Here is an example of two similar saddlebags I bought in Ankara and Kaş Turkey a couple of years ago. I believe they both originated from the Savas region.

[Phil Smythe Member Find all posts View Profile Close Phil Smythe]

Circa 1920–1940 Qashqai or Khamseh khorjin with replaced bridge (looks newer than the sides) and repaired edge of one bag faces

Around 1980, someone re-knotted a section of the border with lighter modern background wool and synthetic violet aniline dye

Hope you didn’t pay more than $150 for it

So Guest, while I can 'accept' your 1920 - 1940 attribution, how do you know / can tell from a photo the reknotted section is "circa 1980...with lighter modern background wool and synthetic violet aniline dye".

Did you own it (or do the repair), or...........................?

TIA, Phil