Antique Perepedil | 198 x 139 cm | Nr. Z-339

Antique Perepedil

Delivery time	2 days
Origin	Caucasus
Dimensions	198 cm x 139 cm (= 2.75 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: wool (hand-spun, natural dyes) Weft & Warp: wool
knots	350.000
Year of manufacture	1890
Condition	pre-owned, but in very good condition (cleaned & restored)
Edition	one-of-a-kind piece

Origin

Perepedil rugs belong to the family of Kuba rugs. Kuba rugs (also Kuba Schirwan or Kuba Shirvan) are knotted by hand in the town of Kuba and the surrounding area in the eastern Caucasus, in the Shirvan region. So the Kuba in the name has – contrary to what you might assume – nothing to do with the country of Cuba. Shirvan rugs are generally knotted from exceptionally fine wool and have a low pile. Old Shirvans are greatly appreciated and highly valued by collectors in Europe. They not infrequently have a knot count of up to 300,000 knots per m².

What is characteristic of Perepedil rugs is their imaginative geometric pattern. The field of Perepedil rugs is typically framed by a wide border. A broad main stripe is flanked by 2 – 6 secondary stripes. In terms of colour, these rugs are often marked by blue, though red and ivory knotting is also found.

This antique Perepedil is a collector's piece. It is around 136 years old, and that alone makes it something quite special. Antique rugs like this Perepedil 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 Perepedil 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 involved, more costly and more time-consuming than dyeing with chemical colours. For a luminous red, for example, you need roughly one kilo of ground madder root as dyestuff for every kilo of wool. For a strong yellow that is not too pale, it even takes two kilograms of weld per kilo of wool. Spinning the wool is just as time- and labour-intensive. And 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 Perepedil is made of new wool.

Condition

You are not the first to take a liking to this Antique Perepedil. It has had owners before you who valued and used it. The pile has become a little thinner in places over the years. It was knotted around 1890. We have cleaned it thoroughly and restored it with care. As a result it is – despite its age – in very good condition.