CIRCA: 1900
This fantastic tiger carpet with a rich red background was made circa 1900 and comes from the Inner Mongolian region of China and is of a type not often seen on the market today. The tiger is very well rendered and is shown in the classic ‘paw on paw’ stance and a benign friendly face. The colouring throughout the tiger – which at first glance may appear to be red colour run (but is not, see * below) – is a subtle but masterful graduation of ever-so-slightly differently dyed shades of wool interwoven by a master weaver to achieve the desired effect for the tigers coat. The subtlety of these colour changes made by the weaver, while striking from the front, can really be fully appreciated when looking at close ups of the back (as seen in some of the above photos). A simple black strip near the outer edges frames the tiger portrait, with each corner anchored by an ‘untying knot’. An uncomplicated yet spectacular carpet, it has cotton warp and weft – as is to be expected of carpets from this region – and is in excellent condition.
*IMPORTANT NOTE; what may look like red colour run (into the tiger’s body) on the front side IS CERTAINLY NOT. A close look at the white weft anywhere on the tiger (as shown in some of the above photos) proves it is still white, a sure sign that the colour has not run. The various shades throughout the tiger is simply very subtle graduated changes in the colour of the wool used for the pile (see closest of the close-ups above). High resolution photos, available to the serious buyer, can verify this.