CIRCA: 1900-1920
An subtle but striking under-saddle carpet (makden) attained by the use of only a few colours, with mandala like roundels on either side. Primarily varying shades of blue and un-dyed wool, save for the flowers at the cardinal points in the main border that anchors the overall design. The main border, along with the orange, green and brown flowers, has floral trellis’s and at each end the Chinese ‘shou’ or longevity symbol. It encases an inner border with the ‘rice grain’ pattern, which in turn encases a pearl inner border. All natural dyes, fine silky wool. Only two of the four saddle girth strap holes have been incised and bound with leather, the other two remain ‘un-cut’. [A similar carpet example can be found on page 139, plate 12.38, Dragon and Horse by Koos de Jong.]