Lot Essay
Although well documented in Chinese and Tibetan rugs, the tiger pelt design is unusual for carpets from East Turkestan.
Details
A KHOTAN TIGER RUG
EAST TURKESTAN, CIRCA 1880
The mottled aubergine-grey field with a large simulated tiger pelt. the spandrels with key-pattern, in a stylised cloud and water border between plain stripes, areas of wear, small hole, slight insect damage, partially corroded dark brown, ends wrapped
Approximately 6ft.10in.x 4ft.8in. (208cm. x 142cm.)
Warp: white cotton Z8-9S, at edges slightly depressed and slightly undulating, generally strongly depressed and undulating
Weft: 3 shoots, the first usually wool, blackish brown with a few ivory threads, Z1, otherwise ivory cotton Z8, first and third shoot slightly undulating, second some more so
Pile: wool, Z2-3S, asymmetrical open to the left, H3.2 x V2.9/cm.
Sides: main warp sometimes flat woven around two additional warps, sometimes passing over the flatweave and going between the two and the outermost knotted warp, overbound with additional violet wool warp Z2
EAST TURKESTAN, CIRCA 1880
The mottled aubergine-grey field with a large simulated tiger pelt. the spandrels with key-pattern, in a stylised cloud and water border between plain stripes, areas of wear, small hole, slight insect damage, partially corroded dark brown, ends wrapped
Approximately 6ft.10in.x 4ft.8in. (208cm. x 142cm.)
Warp: white cotton Z8-9S, at edges slightly depressed and slightly undulating, generally strongly depressed and undulating
Weft: 3 shoots, the first usually wool, blackish brown with a few ivory threads, Z1, otherwise ivory cotton Z8, first and third shoot slightly undulating, second some more so
Pile: wool, Z2-3S, asymmetrical open to the left, H3.2 x V2.9/cm.
Sides: main warp sometimes flat woven around two additional warps, sometimes passing over the flatweave and going between the two and the outermost knotted warp, overbound with additional violet wool warp Z2
Provenance
Acquired 22 October 1938 as "Samarkand" for DM300
Literature
Bernheimer, Otto: Alte Teppiche des 16.-18. Jahrhunderts der Firma L. Bernheimer, Munich, 1959, pl.107