Ganja Rugs: The James C. Allen Gendge Long Rug

Provenance - Formerly of James C. Allen.

Here we can see places where they used two shots and others where they used 3. Most Caucasian rugs have two shots of tan white or brown wefts. This has variation in the tension of the wefts with most senuous and ocasionally a rigid weft.The vaiation in weft tension cause the somewhat uneven look to the back.

Gendge rugs are noted for the frequent use of stripes. Note the striped leaves on the flowers on the blue stripe. This is part of a small strpped leaf group that includes Ulrich Schurmann, Caucasian Rugs plates 49.

James C. Allen's Auction description.

Antique Genji Kazak small runner ART @ a-bey
Item # 924283168

Description
Here is an exceptional Museum quality Genje weaving that will make a spectacular addition when presented in your home. I have seen only a handful of rugs this nice on all of ebay in the last couple of years. In any New York shop a Genji rug like this one, around 120 years old and in pristine condition with original length pile would start somewhere over 10,000 dollars. This rug is the epitome of the true collector's rug. All vegetable dyes, very individualized design, excellent condition are all hallmarks of the collectable piece.

The town of Gendje was called Elizabethpol under the Russian Tsars and is now known a Kirovabad, the principal town in Russian Azerbaijan. It is centrally located between the weaving sites of Kazak, Shirvan and Karabagh resulting in a weaving style which shows considerable influence from these surrounding regions. This rug is conservatively dated to circa 1880. There is no one particular style that typifies the Gendje production. Perhaps the single most evident characteristic from a design standpoint is the absence of the large medallion format which typifies the Kazak aesthetic.

Gendge rugs can be as good as the best Caucasian rugs or as bad as the worst. This rug has meticulous detail and magnificent color. One of the best I have seen.

Here we see scattered multi-colored “flowers” scattered diagonally throughout the field, presenting a lovely visual image. Gendje rugs tend to be rather bold from a color perspective, employing mainly primary colors, as evident here in this rug.

The deep blue and brown ground is exceptionally saturated with lovely yellow, blue, eggplant, green, and red “snow-flakes” floating on the darkness of the field. The dark brown color is natural wool and is not dyed. It is worn down a tiny bit more than the surrounding colored ornaments but isn't low anywhere.

The dyes seen here are of exceptional quality and all derived from natural dyestuffs and painstakingly prepared in time honored fashion with professional skill. This polychromatic appearance is absolutely breathtaking to behold, lovely shades of beautiful primary colors in addition to a wonderful forest green.

Structurally Genje rugs differ very little from Kazak rugs. They are made with wool wefts (as this piece is) and are knotted in a similar fashion as Kazaks, not very fine for the most part but quite fine in this exceptional example. The condition of this rug is excellent, with original ends and selvedges. It measures 39 X 84 inches (3"3" X 7'). There are no repairs. The rug was kept as a heirloom for most of its life in old Soviet Georgia, where it was acquired. There is nothing in the rug world more exquisite to the feet than walking on a mint condition Caucasian rug. The wool is so soft and springy the effect is therapeutic. Bid with confidence, this is a great rug of considerable merit for collectors and inestimable value to the decorator crowd. A lovely and perfect example of Caucasian weaving at its finest,

For Further Reading:

Thanks and best wishes,

J. Barry O'Connell Jr.

SpongoBongo and Persian Carpet Guide Site Search