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Provenance - Formerly of James
C. Allen.
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Gendge
rugs and Kazak rugs are
closely related. One important attribution is the wefts.First
of all Gendge and Kazak rugs commonly have red
wefts. They also have variation in the number of shots of wefts. Here
we can see places where they used two shots and others where theyused
4. Most Caucasian
rugs have two shots of tan white or brown wefts. When you see red, more
than two or variation in the number thing Gendge
and Kazak rugs.Also this
has the classical flat back we expect in Gendge
rugs. |
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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. |
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.
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.
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