Here's another prayer rug example.  This Turkish Taspinar is interesting to me partly because of the wide range of age estimates I have been given for it.   A couple of on-line estimates have placed it as around 40 years old but one dealer, inspecting it in person started by asking me what I wanted for it.  When I asked his opinion (again) on it's age he made me an offer that was almost twice what I paid for it. 

Well, he finally told me he believes it to be 90 years or more old and "in remarkable condition for its age".   Looks like I have an "almost antique".

This is called a Sofra.  As with many rug names, that may be spelled several ways, such as Soofra or Sofre.  In simple terms, this was a dining table or eating mat.  It is a kilim (flat weave).  An interesting feature of this little piece is the two  "signatures".    One has been translated to a woman's name (Ziana or Zana).  The other line is the year  1321 (Islamic calendar)  which converts to 1903 in the Gregorian calendar.

This Turkish prayer rug is probably 50 to 60 years old and shows signs of having actually been used as a prayer rug. (One dealer told me he thought it 70 or more years old.) For example, there is more wear in the area where one might expect to kneel and that general part of the rug is slightly wider.   Anadol may also be called Anadolu but may also very generically refer to Anatolia.

This small piece is an excellent example of how colors can fade and/or change over time.   Age estimates have varied from 50 to 90 years.

I purchased this small Heriz mostly because of a weaver's mistake that just gives this little rug Great personality.       (This is a new rug.) To see pictures ...

This Balouch Prayer rug appears to have actually been used as it is wider near the bottom than at the top.  It is about 1 1/2 inches wider at the bottom and just over 2 inches wider a little higher than that.   Several age estimates have ranged from 40 to 60 years old.