Nepal/China rug | 240 x 170 cm | Nr. Z-2692

Floral Nepal rug, gold beige with border

Origin	Nepal
Dimensions	240 cm x 170 cm (= 4.08 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: wool Weft & Warp: cotton
knots per m²2	120.000
Pile height	6mm
Year of manufacture	2005
Colour	Gold beige, dark blue
Edition	one-of-a-kind piece

 

Origin

Rugs have only been knotted in Nepal since 1959, following the flight of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetans who accompanied him. From 1966 onwards, under the guidance of the committed Zurich importer Jo Iten-Maritz, these displaced people were taught to knot rugs in the Tibetan tradition using the customary patterns. Once the rug designs were adapted to contemporary Western taste, Nepal's knotting output rose considerably. The central trading hub is the capital, Kathmandu. Most of the production workshops are based here as well.

Nepal rugs are knotted using a special technique. During knotting, a kind of continuous knot is looped in a line around a rod, so that a horizontal row of loops is formed. Once the rod is completely covered with these loops, they are cut open from above in that section, so that the pile fans out and a velour surface is created. In the end, the knot takes on the form of a Persian knot. This rapid method is only possible, however, because Nepalese-Tibetan rugs are largely plain and barely patterned over wide areas.

 

Pattern

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

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

The background of this Nepal rug is gold beige. The border is kept in dark blue.

 

Condition

You are not the first to take a liking to this Nepal rug. It had owners before you who valued and used it. The rug has a few smaller stains. It was hand-knotted around 2005. We have cleaned it thoroughly and restored it with care. As a result it is – despite its age – 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 Nepal rug are made of cotton. This versatile material is tear-resistant and elastic, which makes it particularly well suited to a hard-wearing foundation.