Kashmir rug in pure silk | 188 x 120 cm | Nr. Z-4496

Floral Kashmir rug in pure silk, rust red with border and medallion

Origin

The mountainous land of Kashmir in the Himalayas is divided: one third belongs to Pakistan as a province, while the other two thirds form the union state of "Jammu and Kashmir", which is part of India. The population of the larger union state is predominantly Muslim and seeks independence. The hand-knotted rugs come exclusively from the Indian part of Kashmir and are knotted mainly in the provincial capital Srinagar and the surrounding area. Kashmir's silk rugs are famous, and they are usually made on a cotton foundation.

The colours of Kashmir rugs are rather restrained, and the patterns are influenced by traditional Persian designs. This goes back a long way, as the Mughal emperors (1526-1857) once brought Persian rug knotters to their court in India. That is why people also speak of the Indo-Persian style. Another legend, however, has it that in 1398 the tribute-paying Sultan of Kashmir had to send his son as a hostage to Timur Lenk (Tamerlane) in Samarkand. There the young prince came to know the craft of knotting and, on his return, introduced it in Kashmir together with knotters from Samarkand.

Pattern

The edge of the rug is framed by a surround (border). The border forms a splendid contrast to the centre.

The lush floral motifs of this Kashmir rug are elegant and full of variety. The graceful plant symbols, depicting blossoms, leaves and branches, are artfully intertwined.

At the heart of the central field of this Kashmir rug lies the symmetrical centre, also known as the medallion. The design of the field is subordinate to the medallion, so that the medallion seems to float on the field.

The overall impression is dominated by rust red and cream white. The border is worked in rust red and cream white.

Condition

You are not the first to take a liking to this Kashmir rug. It has had owners before you who valued it and used it. It was hand-knotted around 1985. It has been cleaned thoroughly and is in good but unrestored condition. The fringes could do with a repair. The edges are damaged in places. The pile is worn in places. We have not restored this Kashmir rug, because we feel it has a special presence just as it is. If you would like us to, we will of course be happy to restore the rug for you. Either way, this Kashmir rug will give you pleasure for decades to come.

Material

The silk pile of this Kashmir rug makes the colours of the pattern glow in ever-changing facets, depending on how the light falls. It turns this Kashmir rug into a real jewel and creates an atmosphere that is cosy and at the same time very elegant and refined. Silk is obtained by hand from the cocoons of the silkworm. Because the individual silk filaments are extremely long, very fine yarns can be spun that are light yet still tear-resistant. The fine yarn allows smaller knots to be tied and therefore finer patterns to be created. That is why the finest rugs in the world are hand-knotted from pure silk. The weft and warp threads of this Kashmir rug are made of cotton. This versatile material is tear-resistant and elastic, which makes it particularly suitable for a hard-wearing foundation.