Antique Chinese Rug | 119 x 53 cm | Nr. Z-2920

Antique Chinese Rug

Delivery time	2 days
Origin	China
Dimensions	119 cm x 53 cm (= 0.63 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: wool (hand-spun, natural dyes)
knots	180.000
Condition	pre-owned, but in very good condition (cleaned & restored)
Edition	one-of-a-kind piece

 

Origin

Rugs were in all likelihood known in China from a very early date. The Mongol invasion around 1279 – the Mongols not only brought Central Asian rugs with them but also used rugs as tents and saddlery – gave fresh impetus to local production, which probably already existed at that time. An exhibition in Saint Louis (USA) in 1903 awakened interest in Chinese rugs in the Western world. Soon afterwards, rugs were being made in China solely for export to Europe and North America.

This beautiful piece is an antique saddle cover. A true witness to days long past. And of course, where you choose to put it to use is by no means limited to the back of a pack animal.

This antique Antique Saddle Cover is a collector's piece. It is around 106 years old and a truly special piece for that reason alone. Antique rugs such as this Antique Saddle Cover are as sought after as ever and fetch top prices at renowned auction houses.

 

Material

The technique used to make the materials for the pile of this Antique Saddle Cover is over 200 years old. The wool was dyed with natural dyes and spun by hand. Dyeing with natural or plant dyes is more complicated, more expensive and more time-consuming than dyeing with chemical colours. For a luminous red, for example, around one kilo of ground madder root is needed as dyestuff for every kilo of wool. For a strong yellow that is not too pale, as much as two kilograms of weld dye are needed per kilo of wool. Spinning the wool is also time-consuming and labour-intensive. What is more, fewer and fewer people still master the art of spinning wool by hand.

But the effort is worth it: dyeing with natural colours allows the high-quality wool to keep its natural oil content. Wool that has been 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 equally in rooms furnished in a more traditional or country style.

The weft and warp threads of this Antique Saddle Cover are made of cotton. This versatile material is tear-resistant and elastic, which makes it particularly well suited to a hard-wearing foundation.

 

 

Condition

You are not the first to take a liking to this antique Chinese rug. It had owners before you who valued and used it. It was knotted around 106. We have cleaned it thoroughly and restored it with great care. Despite its age, it is therefore in very good condition.