Carpet
1900-1970 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Silk carpet with tree and birds flanked by vases of large flowers on a cream ground. Above is another tree and flowering stems. At the top are corner pieces forming and arch in blue with mauve decoration and an inscription in Hebrew with the name 'Abraham.'
Warp: white silk; Z3S; 32 threads per inch (126 per dm); depressed.
Weft: blue cotton; Z8S; 2 shoots after each row of knots; 19 knots per inch (80 per dm). Some areas, especially in the upper border, the weft goes over two warp threads. These are Jufti knots and are worked in vertical lines (not in areas or patches).
Pile: silk; at least 8 colours but very faded and very indistinct: orange, yellow, dark green, green, light green, dark blue, light blue, purple; asymmetrical knot, open to the left and tied around 2 warp threads; 304 knots per sq. inch (5040 per sq. dm).
Side finish: one cord oversewn with purple silk.
End finish: cut with an applied silk fringe.
Design: Field: pale ground niche with a scalloped upper end outlined with purple leaves. The spandrels are light blue and each contains three purple ground ogees with an arabesque design. In the centre where the spandrels meet there is a Hebrew inscription (Abraham). There are two trees, one above the other, in the niche. The upper one has flowers at its base, both have flowering branches in which 2 birds are perched. On either side of the lower tree are 2 elaborate vases decorated with a floral sprig; each has a blue base and 2 handles. Blue stems with flowers come from these vases.
Main border: pale ground with a small vase-like motif in each corner. From its base comes a fine purple line which curves to frame it. The border is decorated with one motif which is repeated: an inward-facing tulip-like flower in greens and purple. A fine purple line comes from its base and curves up either side, ending in a purple and light blue flower.
Inner and outer borders: purple ground with a repeating pattern: a pair of branched trees, each on an opposing diagonal and springing from the same base. Between these motifs is a geometric arrangement in green: there is a cross above a rectangle which has a triangle on either side. Below these are 2 round motifs, similar round motifs are to either side of the base for the branched trees.
Warp: white silk; Z3S; 32 threads per inch (126 per dm); depressed.
Weft: blue cotton; Z8S; 2 shoots after each row of knots; 19 knots per inch (80 per dm). Some areas, especially in the upper border, the weft goes over two warp threads. These are Jufti knots and are worked in vertical lines (not in areas or patches).
Pile: silk; at least 8 colours but very faded and very indistinct: orange, yellow, dark green, green, light green, dark blue, light blue, purple; asymmetrical knot, open to the left and tied around 2 warp threads; 304 knots per sq. inch (5040 per sq. dm).
Side finish: one cord oversewn with purple silk.
End finish: cut with an applied silk fringe.
Design: Field: pale ground niche with a scalloped upper end outlined with purple leaves. The spandrels are light blue and each contains three purple ground ogees with an arabesque design. In the centre where the spandrels meet there is a Hebrew inscription (Abraham). There are two trees, one above the other, in the niche. The upper one has flowers at its base, both have flowering branches in which 2 birds are perched. On either side of the lower tree are 2 elaborate vases decorated with a floral sprig; each has a blue base and 2 handles. Blue stems with flowers come from these vases.
Main border: pale ground with a small vase-like motif in each corner. From its base comes a fine purple line which curves to frame it. The border is decorated with one motif which is repeated: an inward-facing tulip-like flower in greens and purple. A fine purple line comes from its base and curves up either side, ending in a purple and light blue flower.
Inner and outer borders: purple ground with a repeating pattern: a pair of branched trees, each on an opposing diagonal and springing from the same base. Between these motifs is a geometric arrangement in green: there is a cross above a rectangle which has a triangle on either side. Below these are 2 round motifs, similar round motifs are to either side of the base for the branched trees.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Silk knotted pile with cotton |
| Brief description | Middle East, Carpet; Carpet, silk knotted pile on silk warp and blue cotton weft, tree design with Hebrew inscription, possibly Kashan, Iran, 20th century |
| Physical description | Silk carpet with tree and birds flanked by vases of large flowers on a cream ground. Above is another tree and flowering stems. At the top are corner pieces forming and arch in blue with mauve decoration and an inscription in Hebrew with the name 'Abraham.' Warp: white silk; Z3S; 32 threads per inch (126 per dm); depressed. Weft: blue cotton; Z8S; 2 shoots after each row of knots; 19 knots per inch (80 per dm). Some areas, especially in the upper border, the weft goes over two warp threads. These are Jufti knots and are worked in vertical lines (not in areas or patches). Pile: silk; at least 8 colours but very faded and very indistinct: orange, yellow, dark green, green, light green, dark blue, light blue, purple; asymmetrical knot, open to the left and tied around 2 warp threads; 304 knots per sq. inch (5040 per sq. dm). Side finish: one cord oversewn with purple silk. End finish: cut with an applied silk fringe. Design: Field: pale ground niche with a scalloped upper end outlined with purple leaves. The spandrels are light blue and each contains three purple ground ogees with an arabesque design. In the centre where the spandrels meet there is a Hebrew inscription (Abraham). There are two trees, one above the other, in the niche. The upper one has flowers at its base, both have flowering branches in which 2 birds are perched. On either side of the lower tree are 2 elaborate vases decorated with a floral sprig; each has a blue base and 2 handles. Blue stems with flowers come from these vases. Main border: pale ground with a small vase-like motif in each corner. From its base comes a fine purple line which curves to frame it. The border is decorated with one motif which is repeated: an inward-facing tulip-like flower in greens and purple. A fine purple line comes from its base and curves up either side, ending in a purple and light blue flower. Inner and outer borders: purple ground with a repeating pattern: a pair of branched trees, each on an opposing diagonal and springing from the same base. Between these motifs is a geometric arrangement in green: there is a cross above a rectangle which has a triangle on either side. Below these are 2 round motifs, similar round motifs are to either side of the base for the branched trees. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 'Abraham' in Hebrew, with other Hebrew letters. (Inscription on corner pieces.) |
| Credit line | Bequeathed by Dame Ada MacNaghten |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.26-1970 |
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| Record created | September 29, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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