A fine antique Derbend prayer rug, early 19th century, 86 x 107 cm, 2'10" x 3'6"

This is an early, well-crafted Daghestan with wonderful drawing and a range of mellow colours. Rugs with palmettes such as these were woven in the Caucasus throughout the nineteenth century, but the older examples have an instantly recognizable look. This rug is distinguished by its small size and almost square proportions. The arch is quite large and wide in relation to the field, occupying almost all of the top half of the rug. The indigo-ground border has dragon 's' forms piled in three shades of red plus aubergine, yellow, blue-green, brown and ivory. The overall symmetry of the rug is remarkable and points to the work of a master weaver. While a number of analogous examples are known, this is one of the earliest and best of its type. A somewhat later rug of comparable quality, with a yellow field and multiple borders (from the Glencairn Museum collection in Bryn Athyn, PA) was published on the cover of Oriental Rug Review 9/5 (June. July 1989).

published Ralph Kaffel's Caucasian Prayer Rugs, plate 61
lit: published Ralph Kaffel's Caucasian Prayer Rugs, plate 61