Old Kilim | 325cm x 256cm | No. 6951

Floral Old Kilim, rusty red with border and Medaillon

Place of origin

Bright colors and simple patterns: that's why kilims are loved all over the world. Kilims (also Kelim, Qilim) have traditionally been produced for personal use only. Nomads and farmers not only used and still use their kilims as rugs on the floor, but also as tent or wall hangings, blankets, pillows or bags. Because kilims were constant companions in everyday life, the patterns, however naive they may seem, always carried a personal message and had meaning for the weavers and their families.

In Europe, kilims from Turkey, the Caucasus region, Iran, Afghanistan and the Turkmen cultural area are particularly well-known and popular. In fact, in all countries, in which rugs are knotted, also they are also hand-woven. This old Kilim is more than 40 years old and a true collector's item.

Patterns

The luxuriant flower motifs of this Kilim are elegant and varied. The graceful vegetative symbols representing flowers, leaves and branches are artfully intertwined.

The edge of the rug is decorated with an edging (border). The border forms a glorious contrast to the center.

In the middle of the central field of this Kilim is the symmetrical center, also called medallion. The design of the field is arranged in such a way that it gives the impression that the medallion is floating on the field.

The background of this Kilim is rusty red. The border features dark brown and dark red. The wine red center combines the colors gray beige and terracotta.

Condition

You are not the first to appreciate this Kilim. It has had owners before you who have cherished and used it. It was hand woven about 1940. We have cleaned it thoroughly and restored it lovingly. Therefore it is in very good condition despite its age.

Material

Kilims are hand-woven and are made of warp and weft threads only, i.e. they do not have a thick, upward pointing pile. Kilims have the same pattern on both sides and can, therefore, be used on both sides. The pattern is created by weaving colored weft threads into warp threads. For each new color a new thread must be used in each row. The thread ends are worked in as well.

The weft threads of this kilim rug are made of hand-spun sheep's wool dyed with vegetable dyes. To produce the yarn for the weaving of the rug, sheep are shorn and their wool cleaned, combed and finally spun. After spinning, the wool of the Kelim rugs is dyed with natural dyes through a complex process. Because of this traditional process, the pile of kilim rugs appears dry and slightly fuzzy. The warp threads of this kilim are made of wool.