Old Kordi | 197 x 119 cm | Nr. Z-4650

Geometric old Kordi, rust red with border

Origin	Kurdistan
Dimensions	197 cm x 119 cm (= 2.34 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: wool (hand-spun, natural dyes) Weft & Warp: goat wool
knots per m²2	60.000
Pile height	5mm
Year of manufacture	1940
Colour	Rust red, Dark blue
Edition	one-of-a-kind piece

Origin

Kordi (also Kord or Kurdi) is a collective term for rugs from Iran that are hand-knotted by Kurds. Koliai and Khorasan rugs are therefore, if you like, Kordi rugs too. As a rule, Kurdi rugs come from the Khorasan province. Less often they also come from the Turkmen-Afghan region.

In their rug knotting, the Kurds draw on all the classic provenances (source, origin). They do not, however, imitate the traditional patterns slavishly, but interpret them in their own way. The colouring in particular often differs considerably from the original patterns. Among Kordi rugs you will therefore find the most varied designs, though usually in a rather dark palette. This old Kordi is around 80 years old and a real collector's piece.

Pattern

The edge of the rug is framed by a surround (border). The border forms a splendid contrast to the centre.

The abstract, geometric composition gives this Kordi its understated elegance. The pattern flatters the design of the room and never draws attention away from the furniture, the décor and the architectural elements. It creates a pleasant atmosphere without dominating the style of the room.

The background of this Kordi is dark blue. The overall impression is also dominated by rust red and dark blue. The border is worked in rust red and dark blue.

Condition

You are not the first to take a liking to this Kordi. It had owners before you who valued and used it. The fringes could do with a repair. The edges are damaged in places. In parts the pile has become a little thinner over the years. It was hand-knotted around 1940. We have cleaned it thoroughly and restored it with care. Despite its age, it is therefore in very good condition.

Material

The technique used to make the materials for this Kordi's pile is over 200 years old. The wool was dyed with natural colours and spun by hand. Dyeing with natural or plant colours is more complicated, more expensive and more time-consuming than dyeing with chemical dyes. For a luminous red, for example, you need around one kilo of ground madder root as dyestuff per kilo of wool. For a strong yellow that isn't too pale, you even need two kilograms of weld per kilo of wool. Spinning the wool is labour-intensive and time-consuming too. On top of that, fewer and fewer people still know how to spin wool by hand.

But the effort is worth it: because it is dyed with natural colours, the high-quality wool keeps its natural oil content. Wool dyed with natural colours and spun by hand creates fascinating, shimmering patterns. The charm of hand-spun wool, with its slight irregularities and natural shades, comes into its own as a contrast in modern interiors, but just as well in rooms furnished in a more traditional or country style. The foundation (weft and warp threads) of this Kordi is made from goat wool.