CIRCA: 1900 / early 1900’s
A striking Tibetan khaden with a rare design ‘twist’, a lovely abrashed strawberry-red border and two shades of saturated abrashed green used in the center field. The not-so-common design in the center field has been referred to by various names; as ‘pema chakdro’ (lotus in iron lockets)* in Tibet, and in China as ‘Geese flying south’. Whatever the design name, in this instance the asymmetric nature of that design (i.e. the reversing / direction change of two of the ‘lockets’ at one end) is very rare and unusual, and the very first time we have seen this occurrence in this design, even in published examples. The main outer border has flower-heads inter-spaced with an abstract floral design in that lovely strawberry red field, while the inner secondary border is of pearls. It was made circa 1900, all the beautiful mellow colours are from natural dyes, the pile is thick and solid, the warp and weft are both hand spun wool and the size is 134cm 72cm. It has been in the one collectors hand since the early 1970’s and has not been previously offered for sale since collected. There are no repairs or reweaves and is in excellent condition.
* The name used by Trinley Chodrak and Kesang Tashi, for their illustrated example of the design, page 105, in the excellent book on Tibetan carpets Of Wool And Loom.