Antique Bordjalou namazlyg/prayer rug, mid 19th century, Borchaly / Bordjalou Uyezd. 119x130cm. published Ralph Kaffel's Caucasian prayer rugs. formerly Dominguez Collection, California

The price for this rug at Rippon Boswell in 1992 ($49 015) is one of the highest auction prices on record for a 19th century Caucasian prayer rg, exlipsing the $33 492 paid at Philips, London for a Fachralo prayer rug (Hali 50 p 166)

This is an extraordinary rug. Its stark, 'minimalist' look is extremely unusual and is one reason why the rug has fetched such a high price at auction. Described by Detlef Maltzahn in the auction catalogue notes as 'one of the rarest remaining prayer carpets', the rug's tremendous impact comes from its perfectly balanced design and pure, saturated colours. The green praying area, which stands on a bare red background, is strongly delineated and extremely simple in conception; Maltzahn likens it to a window which opens onto another world. The pronounced abrash of this 'window' helps create an illusion of three-dimensional depth. Anatolian inspiration is evident in the rug's design, as is its architectural relationship to a small group of prayer rugs (featuring 'bug' medallions within the mihrab) attributed to Lori-Pambak. Maltzahn has attributed the rug to the Fachralo area.

Variations in color tonality generally in the ground colour of the field, which result from the weaver's use of wool dyed in small batches with minor differences in color depth.