Carpet, Caucasian, Kuba

Date18th c.

MediumWool pile, wool warps and wefts.

Dimensions12'2" X 7'8"

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1954-60

DescriptionCarpet: Ghiordes knot; about 60 knots per sq. inch; two shots wool weft after each row of knots. Eight colors: ground; field-greenish-blue; main border- pale yellow; guard borders-light blue and med. blue: pattern: light red, dark red, yellow, black, green, green-blue and buff. The ground color fluctuating from blue to green (which is quite characteristic) carries three longitudinal polar systems of highly stylized heraldic palmettes between which will be found one pair of leafy serrated palmettes laterally opposing one another and another diamond-shaped pair. There are also palmettes of medium and small scale than those previously described, and three rows of exceptionally long serrated leaves. The main border shows geometric meander bearing indented ros ettes, floral buds and leaves. Progressive stems from which all field ornamentation has been eliminated, forms the inner border. The outer border has simple rosettes in red and white connected by voluted stems outlined in black.
Descriptive information furnished by Joseph V. McMullan, 1954

Construction History:
18th C. - Initial Construction
1959 - cleaned, lined with linen, and renovated by Karekin Beshir (New York, NY)
1963 - cleaned and repaired by Karekin Beshir (New York, NY)
July/Aug. 1970 - areas with broken warps reinforced & reweaved, handcleaned by Karekin Beshir (New York, NY)Inscription(s)NoneMark(s)NoneProvenancePrior to 1954, Beshir Galleries (New York, NY); 1954-present, purchased by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation" (Williamsburg, VA)