Mid 19th Century W. Chinese Ningxia Kang Carpet

Mid 19th Century W. Chinese Ningxia Kang Carpet ( 7’2″ x 13’2″ – 218 x 402 cm)
The western Chinese province of Ningshia has a mostly Muslim population and is the source of many of the oldest Chinese carpets of the modern (Ming Dynasty and later) era. The designs are typically Chinese: fretwork or Greek key boarders, pacony palmettes, bats, butterflies, Fu dogs, clouds, dragons, shou symbols, etc. Pollar carpets designed to wrap around monastery columns and displaying a dragon above waves are a specialty. The weave is coarse and soft, with several wefts between knot rows and a longish pile. Yellow golds, dark and light blues are common colors. The outer most plain border on pre 1800 examples is a corrosive brown. Formats include: large square “throne” carpets, paralleled meditation runners, chair seats and scalloped backs.