STARTS AT JUST $9.99 AND LISTED WITH NO RESERVE PRICE. RARE ANTIQUE TAIMANI (Baluch-in-name-only) PRAYER RUG, Afghanistan, last quarter of the 19th century up to 1900. The exact size is: 2'-4" x 2'-10" (71 x 86 cm). The Taimani are a sub-group of the Chahar Aimaq inhabiting the southern slopes of the Hindu Kush Mountains in Afghanistan. They are a very poor tribe and only produced significant numbers of commercial weavings after WWII. Prior to that time, the Taimani tribe only wove rugs for their own use and these items were confused by dealers and grouped with Baluch, Arab, and Afshar weavings from Khorasan province in Persia. A prayer rug from this small tribal entity to appear on the market is a rare occurrence. The present specimen shows evenly low worn pile with some foundation showing. It has an asymmetrical knot structure open to the left on natural ivory wool warps and natural dark brown wool wefts, two shoots between each row of knots. All the colors are derived from natural plant sources. It has four-cord side over-castings like their neighbor tribe, the Baluch, but wrapped with natural brown wool instead of goat or horse hair. Both the top and bottom ends show remnants of the original plain weave kilims. A rare weaving and an interesting addition for a "Baluch" or tribal/nomadic rug collector that will make a nice group study piece. In my research, I could not find a comparative example in the antique rug book literature. If you have any questions concerning this small antique Taimani tribal collector's prayer rug, only email Michael Phillips at: phillipsrugs@comcast.net or feel free to call my studio phone number at: (303) 885-7599. Please take some extra time to view all of the other fine antique weavings of merit I have posted exclusively with eBay auction this week and be sure to bookmark my eBay seller ID (imokub2) to your "favorite sellers" list if you would like to see all my future weekly eBay auction offerings having this age, beauty, quality, condition, rarity, and collectible investment quality nature. NOTICE: ALL of the weavings I list on eBay auction come with an unconditional 100% money back refund guarantee (including ALL s/h/ins.) if for ANY reason the winning bidder is thrilled to be the new owner. GOOD LUCK BIDDING! STARTS AT JUST $9.99 AND LISTED WITH NO RESERVE PRICE. Certainly a prize for some lucky collector.