Vintage Persian Qashqai Saddle Bag with Center Bridge Design

🌙 Nomadic Art of the Persian Heartland — Vintage 1970s Persian Qashqai Saddle Bag

The Qashqai are among the most celebrated tribal weavers in the history of Persian textile art. A confederation of tribal groups who have roamed the mountains and valleys of Fars province in south-central Persia for centuries, the Qashqai are renowned for the extraordinary quality of their wool, the vibrancy of their natural dye work, and the creative vitality of their geometric designs. Among all the objects the Qashqai weavers produced, the complete saddle bag — woven as a single continuous piece to be folded and used as paired saddlebags on horseback — is among the most technically fascinating and visually dramatic. This 1970s saddle bag, in perfect condition with jewel-toned natural dye colors that absolutely shine, is a superb example. 🌿

🧵 Hand-Knotted in Persia — 1970s — Natural Wool Pile and Foundation

Crafted entirely by hand from natural wool pile on a natural wool foundation using traditional Qashqai hand-knotting techniques, this saddle bag was made in the 1970s when tribal Qashqai production still maintained its authentic character. Unlike machine-made or commercially produced bags, each knot in this piece was tied from memory without a pattern — a true expression of the weaver's inherited design vocabulary. ✨

🎨 Center Bridge Design with Jewel-Tone Natural Dyes

The design features the characteristic Qashqai saddle bag construction — woven in a single continuous piece, with the face of the first pouch, the long center bridge section with its distinctive central slit, and the face of the second pouch forming a unified composition. The natural dyes produce a palette of dark reds, saffron golds, and rich blues that radiate with the depth and warmth only plant-based pigments achieve. 🌙

📐 Display Dimensions

Measuring 17 by 44 inches as displayed, this complete saddle bag is ideally sized for wall mounting as textile art, display in a case, or as a featured accent in a curated tribal rug collection. 🖼️

🌍 The Qashqai Tribal Heritage

The Qashqai confederation — encompassing the Kashkuli, Darreshuri, Shishboluki, Farsimadan, and other tribal groups — has maintained one of the most internationally celebrated weaving traditions in the Persian world since the 17th century. Their rugs, bags, and textile objects are held in major museum collections worldwide including the Museum of Arts and Crafts in Hamburg, the Carpet Museum of Iran in Tehran, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. A complete Qashqai saddle bag with original natural dyes and perfect condition is a serious collector's find. 🌐

✅ Condition

Perfect condition. Natural dyes vibrant and stable. Photos taken under natural light. Professionally washed and treated. Item ID: 1486.

🏡 Perfect For

Collectors of Persian tribal textile art ✦ Wall display and case display ✦ Anyone drawn to the jewel-toned natural dye tradition of Qashqai weaving ✦ Serious tribal rug collections 🌙