Antique Kuba Schirwan | 274 x 129 cm | Nr. 12179

Antique Kuba Schirwan

Delivery time	2 days
Origin	Caucasus
Dimensions	274 cm x 129 cm (= 3.53 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: wool (hand-spun, natural dyes)
knots	490.000
Condition	pre-owned, but in very good condition (cleaned & restored)
Edition	one-of-a-kind piece

Origin

Kuba Schirwan rugs (also Kuba Shirvan) are hand-knotted in and around the Azerbaijani town of Kuba (also Quba) in the eastern Caucasus, in the Schirwan region. So the name Kuba has nothing to do with the country Cuba, as one might assume. Schirwan rugs are knotted from exceptionally fine wool and have a low pile. Old Schirwans are greatly prized and highly valued among collectors in Europe. Not infrequently they reach a knot count of up to 300,000 knots per m².

Characteristic of the Kuba Shirvan is its imaginative geometric pattern with star, cross or almond motifs. The field of Kuba Shirvan rugs is typically framed by a wide border. A broad main stripe is flanked by 2 – 6 guard stripes. The Kuba Shirvan also features the typical Shirvan border. Because of its resemblance to Kufic script, the Shirvan border is also known as the Kufic border and consists of squares that are themselves formed from double hooks. In terms of colour, these rugs are typically knotted in blue, but also in red and ivory.

This Antique Kuba Shirvan is a collector's piece. It is around 146 years old, and that alone makes it a truly special find. Antique rugs like this Kuba Shirvan are as sought after as ever and fetch top prices at renowned auction houses.

Material

The technique used to prepare the materials for the pile of this Antique Kuba Shirvan is more than 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, you need around one kilo of ground madder root as dye per kilo of wool. For a strong yellow that isn't too pale, you even need two kilograms of weld dye per kilo of wool. Spinning the wool is just as time- and labour-intensive. On top of that, fewer and fewer people still master 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 foundation (weft and warp threads) of this Antique Kuba Shirvan is made of new wool.

Condition

You are not the first to take a liking to this Antique Kuba Shirvan. It has had owners before you who valued it and used it. All in all, this antique rug is beautifully preserved. Its venerable age has left the pile thin, and in a few spots the white knot heads of the weft and warp threads show through. It was knotted around 146. We have cleaned it thoroughly and restored it with care. Despite its age, it is therefore in very good condition.