The collection is a study collection and was assembled by a Swedish collector active internationally. This part of his collection focuses on utilitarian objects—items used primarily by nomadic herders in northern Persia. These are objects they used in their daily lives: bags, blankets, sacks, salt containers, pack straps, and more. It also includes some samples of textiles they produced, known as wagireh. The objects are mainly knotted and woven.
The collector first had a career at SIDA (the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency), followed by a long career at the UN, where he worked in countries including Iran, India, Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia, and later in New York—altogether for nearly 30 years.