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Rifle Cover

19th century (made)
Place of origin

2 bands of pile carpet, knotted in dyed and undyed wools on woollen warps. The bands are joined together at the top.

WARP: white wool; Z2S; 13 threads per inch (54 per dm).

WEFT: brown wool; Z spun, unplied; 2 parallel threads per shoot; 2 shoots after each row of knots; 10 knots per inch (33 per dm).

PILE: wool; 7 colours: dark red, red, orange, blue, dark brown, black, white; asymmetrical knot open to the left and tied around 2 threads; 65 knots per sq. inch (891 per sq. dm).

SIDE FINISH: 2 cords overcast with red and brown wool.

END FINISH: There are 4 ends. As woven, from the lower end:
1) 18 cms. plain weave in black and dark red bands with two of the black bands decorated with white, geometric pattern. Maximum 7 cms. of twisted warp loops.
2) 10 cms. plain weave in black, dark red, blue and light red bands with two of the black bands decorated in white, and the middle one in red.
3) 9.5 cms. plain weave in black, dark red and blue bands with white decoration on the outer and inner black bands and dark red on the middle one.
Ends (2) and (3) have warp threads twisted together and bound in all colours except black. There are 14 and each ends in a single colour tassel. Maximum length 17 cms. It is this fringe which is joining the two faces together.
4) 9.5 cms. of plain weave in black and dark red bands. The innter black band has white decoration. Maximum 28 cms. of warp threads plaited together to form one plait.

DESIGN: field: linked diamonds and hexagons. The latter contain an S-motif and the diamonds a flowerhead. Both rows and forms are outlined in blue.

Border: small diagonal blocks of red and blue.

Catalogue date: 3.8.94.


Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
Physical description
2 bands of pile carpet, knotted in dyed and undyed wools on woollen warps. The bands are joined together at the top.

WARP: white wool; Z2S; 13 threads per inch (54 per dm).

WEFT: brown wool; Z spun, unplied; 2 parallel threads per shoot; 2 shoots after each row of knots; 10 knots per inch (33 per dm).

PILE: wool; 7 colours: dark red, red, orange, blue, dark brown, black, white; asymmetrical knot open to the left and tied around 2 threads; 65 knots per sq. inch (891 per sq. dm).

SIDE FINISH: 2 cords overcast with red and brown wool.

END FINISH: There are 4 ends. As woven, from the lower end:
1) 18 cms. plain weave in black and dark red bands with two of the black bands decorated with white, geometric pattern. Maximum 7 cms. of twisted warp loops.
2) 10 cms. plain weave in black, dark red, blue and light red bands with two of the black bands decorated in white, and the middle one in red.
3) 9.5 cms. plain weave in black, dark red and blue bands with white decoration on the outer and inner black bands and dark red on the middle one.
Ends (2) and (3) have warp threads twisted together and bound in all colours except black. There are 14 and each ends in a single colour tassel. Maximum length 17 cms. It is this fringe which is joining the two faces together.
4) 9.5 cms. of plain weave in black and dark red bands. The innter black band has white decoration. Maximum 28 cms. of warp threads plaited together to form one plait.

DESIGN: field: linked diamonds and hexagons. The latter contain an S-motif and the diamonds a flowerhead. Both rows and forms are outlined in blue.

Border: small diagonal blocks of red and blue.

Catalogue date: 3.8.94.
Dimensions
  • Maximum length: 96cm
  • Minimum length: 90cm
  • Both sides width: 12cm
Production
T.99-1909 No rifle cover for comparison, but NB: T.336-1982

cf: RD Parsons (1983), ill. 34 "Beluch camel neckband.... each arm measures 108 x 150 (15?)"


Col. W. I. Bax, Basingstoke. Gift: (one of) "4 specimens of Turkoman carpet weaving"
"I picked them up when on the Afghan Boundary Commission in 1883-87. Donor to the Curator, Indian Section.
Collection
Accession number
T.99-1909

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Record createdAugust 14, 2008
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