R. Tschebull on Bakhshaish Carpets

Tschebull Antique Carpets-Publications by R. Tschebull: "Another high quality old type from the Heriz area is the 'Bakhshaish'. This medium-sized village may deserve its reputation, if only because it has been acknowledged as a center of excellence for so long. But the range of weavings described as Bakhshaish is too broad to have come from one village. Many so-called Bakhshaish carpets are predominantly camel-colored, and I believe that a large proportion of these weavings also come from Sarab, which is larger, has more weavers, and has about the same access to herds of camel-colored sheep. Other carpets ascribed to Bakhshaish are so flashy and sophisticated that it is hard to imagine that they were woven in such an isolated village. I suspect that much early Bakhshaish export weaving is camel colored, almost always on a cotton foundation, with shorter pile than Sarabs, and knots not packed so tightly. Since there are more Bakhshaish-style export carpets with woolen warps - an indication of earlier production - it is possible that large-format weaving was started there before elsewhere in rural East Azarbayjan (See images 3 and 4)."