Antique Kordi | 500 x 107 cm | Nr. Z-342

Geometric antique Kordi runner, gold-beige with border

Origin	Kurdistan
Dimensions	500 cm x 107 cm (= 5.35 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: wool (hand-spun, natural dyes) Weft & Warp: wool
knots per m²2	120.000
Pile height	5mm
Year of manufacture	1910
Colour	Golden beige, black
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.

When they knot rugs, the Kurds draw on all the classic provenances (source, origin). They do not copy the traditional patterns slavishly, though, but interpret them in their own way. The colouring in particular often differs greatly from the original patterns. Among Kordi rugs you will therefore find the most varied designs, but usually in rather dark colours. This antique Kordi is a collector's piece. It is around 110 years old, and that alone makes it a truly special piece. Antique rugs like this Kordi are as sought after as ever and fetch top prices at renowned auction houses.

 

Pattern

The ornate border forms a wonderful contrast with the centre and shapes the transition at the edge of the rug.

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 overall impression is dominated by gold-beige and black. The border is kept in colourful tones.

 

Condition

You are not the first to take a liking to this Kordi. It has had owners before you who treasured and used it. In places the pile has grown a little thinner over the years. 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

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 dyes is more complicated, more expensive and more time-consuming than dyeing with chemical colours. 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 is not too pale, it even takes two kilos of weld per kilo of wool. Spinning the wool is labour-intensive and time-consuming as well. On top of that, fewer and fewer people still master spinning wool by hand.

But the effort is worth it: dyeing with natural colours lets the high-quality wool keep its natural lanolin. 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 just as much in rooms furnished in a more traditional or country style. The foundation (weft and warp threads) of this Kordi is made of new wool.