Antique Chinese Rug | 153 x 85 cm | Nr. Z-3724

Antique Chinese rug, dark blue with border

Origin	China
Dimensions	153 cm x 85 cm (= 1.30 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: wool (hand-spun, natural dyes) Weft & Warp: cotton
knots per m²2	120.000
Pile height	7mm
Year of manufacture	1910
Colour	Dark blue
Edition	one-of-a-kind piece

Origin

Rugs were in all likelihood known in China at a very early date. The Mongol invasion around 1279 — the invaders carried Central Asian rugs with them and used them as tents and saddlery — gave a boost to the local production that probably already existed in China. An exhibition in Saint Louis in the USA in 1903 awakened the Western world's interest in Chinese rugs. Soon afterwards, rugs were being made in China purely for export to Europe and North America. This antique China rug is a collector's piece. It is around 110 years old, and that alone makes it a truly special piece. Antique rugs like this China rug are as sought after as ever and fetch top prices at renowned auction houses. A lovely velvet fabric forms a border around this wonderful antique rug from China.

Pattern

The decorated surround (border) forms a beautiful contrast to the centre and shapes the transition at the edge of the rug.

The background of this Chinese rug is dark blue. The border is worked in dark blue and beige.

Condition

This China rug has a story to tell. It is framed with velvet fabric. On the fringe side the velvet measures 10 mm in width, and on the selvedge side 9 mm. It was hand-knotted around 1910. We have cleaned it thoroughly and restored it with care. Despite its age, it is therefore in very good condition.

Material

China rugs are hand-knotted from silky, lustrous wool. For our high-quality China rugs, the wool is obtained by gently shearing live sheep. New wool is a renewable, natural raw material with a number of impressive properties: thanks to the natural lanolin in the wool, the surface repels droplets of water and is naturally proofed against dirt. Wool also offers excellent thermal insulation, helps regulate the indoor climate and dampens sound. The knot density is relatively low – as is typical of Chinese rugs – and the pile is left long.

The weft and warp threads of this China rug are made of cotton. This versatile material is tear-resistant and stretchy, which makes it ideal for a hard-wearing foundation weave.