Tibetan Tiger Design Area Rug, 02'11 X 04'11

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Description

A hand-knotted rug in the Tibetan tiger design, woven on a natural grey ground with the full pelt laid out … Read more A hand-knotted rug in the Tibetan tiger design, woven on a natural grey ground with the full pelt laid out across the field in black, gold, ivory and pale blue. Hand-spun wool, knotted by hand.

The tiger rugs of Tibet were woven as meditation mats for lamas, the pelt standing for fearlessness and the power to sit undisturbed. This one follows the old drawing closely: the head at the foot of the rug with bared fangs and a deep red mouth, the striped body running the length of the field, legs splayed to either side and the tail curling up over the shoulder. Every stripe is drawn by hand and no two match, and the blue-grey outlining that traces the whole pelt is what separates a good tiger from a flat one.

The ground is left plain and carries a strong horizontal abrash, the natural banding of hand-spun yarn, so the tiger sits on it like a skin on stone. Hand-knotted with a full even pile, no wear, no repairs, no odour. Selvedges are intact and both ends finish in the original fringe with coloured tassels. At 35 by 59 inches it suits an entry, a bedside, a study, or the foot of a bed — and it hangs exceptionally well, which is how a great many tiger rugs are actually used. See less