Old Hereke in pure silk | 93 x 61 cm | Nr. 18837

Old Hereke in pure silk

Delivery time	2 days
Origin	Turkey
Dimensions	93 cm x 61 cm (= 0.57 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: pure silk Weft & Warp: pure silk
knots	1.000.000
Year of manufacture	1960
Condition	pre-owned, but in very good condition (cleaned & restored)
Edition	one-of-a-kind piece

Origin

Very valuable silk rugs come from the Turkish town of Hereke. The tradition was fostered by the art-loving Sultan Abd-ul-Medjid (reigned 1839 - 1861). In 1844 he had the court workshops moved back from Cairo to Hereke. Hand-knotted Hereke silk rugs are among the finest rugs in the world and are knotted at densities of up to 6 million knots per m². Thanks to the knotting technique, incidentally, the pattern is just as clearly visible on the back as it is on the front. At renowned art auction houses, antique Turkish rugs fetch top prices.

Typical motifs on Hereke rugs are flowers, branches and leaves, as well as birds, the tree of life and the so-called Mehrab or Mihrab pattern, a prayer niche shown together with oil lamps. Alongside traditional motifs and typically Ottoman or Turkish patterns, Hereke silk rugs are today also knotted with more modern designs suited to contemporary taste. Typical colours for Hereke silk rugs are a deep dark blue, a radiant red, a lively green, a luminous yellow and a range of natural tones in every shade.

This Old Hereke in pure silk is around 66 years old and a true piece for connoisseurs.

Material

The silk pile of this Old Hereke in pure silk makes the colours of the pattern glow in different shades, depending on how the light falls. It makes this Old Hereke in pure silk a real highlight and creates an atmosphere in the room that is cosy and at the same time very elegant and refined. Silk is obtained by hand from the cocoons of the silkworm. Because the individual silk filaments are extremely long, very fine yarns can be spun that are light in weight yet still tear-resistant. Fine yarn allows smaller rug knots to be tied, and with them finer patterns. This is why the world's finest rugs are hand-knotted from pure silk.

On this Old Hereke in pure silk, even the foundation was made from pure silk. Because the weft and warp threads are of this fine yet hard-wearing material, an exceptionally fine knotting – and therefore an exceptionally fine pattern – becomes possible.

Condition

This Old Hereke in pure silk has a history. It was knotted around 1960. We have cleaned it thoroughly and restored it with care. Despite its age, it is therefore in very good condition.