Silk carpet

Silk carpet in the tebris type, rectangular, with medallion and bevelled corners, surrounded by a wide borderline. The central, red area of the carpet is filled with an oval medallion in ivory white and lemon. The inside of the oval is decorated with a small plant ornament in pastel colours. The four corners, bordered by a richly profiled line, are filled with black branches and pink flowers on an ivory-coloured background. The central field is enclosed by a wide seven-stripe borderline. The widest ivory-coloured stripe is filled with flowers and palmettes in the shade of pink brown. The shorter sides of the carpet are finished with long silk fringes. Tebrises are one of the more popular types of carpets. Their knots are thin, the fleece is low sheared, well compressed, very resistant. The colours of tebrises are brilliant, never too bright. The fine and lustrous wool does not break or wear out even after prolonged use. When it is low sheared it retains its fleece for decades. It adheres firmly to the floor and does not need an underlay. Northern Persia, first half of the 19th century.