KUBA, Northeast Caucasian
3' 9" x 4' 10" Late 19th Century Price: $9,800
(Connoisseur-Caliber)
The town of Kuba was a collection point for rugs woven by nearby tribespeople due to its location on the Baku-Daghestan road. As a result, many neighboring designs found their way into the Kuba canon over the centuries. This vibrant Caucasian Kuba rug charms with visual echoes of nearby Shirvan's Gubpa subgroup. A trio of serrated shield forms aligns the center, with diamond insignias emblazoned by eight-point “Stars of Wisdom” sprinkled with a plethora of multi-colored boteh or "Seeds of Life.” Adorning the indigo field are inventive ornaments such as latch hook lanterns, triangular amulets, cubist flowering sprigs, and dazzling polychrome diamonds. Near the center medallion, an ewer jug can also be found, adding to the sense of delightful whimsy. The enchanting color palette glows in jewel hues, while flashes of dexterous abrash enliven this rug's dynamically expressive juxtaposition of color. The field is framed by a series of cheerful graphic borders, including almost figural “Trees of Life” that alternate with spiky flowerheads in its ivory border. Lustrous, slow-wearing high-mountain wool has been retained in medium pile condition.