Early 19th century Kuba Karagashli rug, Lowland Kuba Region, possibly Chay Karagashli village,  Devechi (Divichi) District, North East Azerbaijan

Karagashli rug, Kuba area, Northeast Caucasus, circa 1830, cm 94 x 147 (3'1" x 4'10"), symmetrical knot on a wool foundation

Among the rarest types of east Caucasian rugs are certainly the Karagashlis, which are characterised by a particularly fine weave, silky wool, luminous colours and by an ever-present border system. The directional pattern is composed of an infinite repeat of small shield palmettes on a rare golden-yellow ground. The zoomorphic origin of this motif is fairly understood. It can be connected to that on eighteenth century Caucasian shield carpets, which in turn refer to the pre-islamic motif of the tree flanked by a pair of birds. The outstanding palette and the strong archaic feeling of the design allows us to date it to the first half of the nineteenth century, that is to a period anteceding the marketing of Caucasian rugs in the West.

Provenance: Lefevre & Partners, London; M.L. Waroujian, London; Private Collection, California.