CIRCA: 1800’s / 19th C. 2nd half
Oval shaped Tibetan makden, or under-saddle carpet, that uses a minimum amount of colours (primarily blue and white) – save for the lovely abrashed green center panel enclosed in two thin red / pink guard strips – to maximum effect, with a single elegantly drawn ‘mandala-like’ motif prominently displayed on either side of the main field. The main field is then enclosed in a narrow dark blue border inlayed with pearls while the outer main border is the interlocking or running T design. An interesting visual effect has also been created by the use of white and off-white wool in the pile construction, the abrashed off-white (natural wool colour) as the background for the center field, while the white (natural, or dyed?) wool is used in the designs, i.e. for the interior of the mandala-like motifs, the narrow guard strip around the center field, the pearls in the inner border and in the background of the outer running ‘T’ main border. The use of the whiter wool in the background of the mandala-like motifs is quite artistic and makes good use of the limited colour palette as it makes them ‘pop out’ as if floating on the slightly darker center field.
Made sometime in the later half of the 1800’s / 19th C., all the dyes are natural, the warp and weft are of hand-spun wool and the size is 117cm x 58cm. It is backed by blue cotton cloth and the two girth strap holes that have been used are edged with leather. There is wear commensurate with use, but it is in good overall condition with no repairs or reweaves.