Mongolian Furniture

An antique Mongolian room size carpet handmade during the early 20th century with a contemporary Art Deco style geometric pattern in neutral colors. Measures: 9' 2" x 11' 1" The craft of the hand-knotted carpet in China, and the surrounding areas including Mongolia and Tibet, extends into the early centuries of the first millennium, C.E., but we really have a firm grasp only beginning in the later 16th century with large, very coarsely woven carpets, often depicting dragons, created for the Imperial Forbidden City palaces. Chinese carpets have always been commercial and there are no tribal groups responsible for any of the carpet weaving strains. When the Ming Dynasty fell in 1644, with no Imperial patrons, production moved to the city of Ningxia in north central China where several workshops turned out more finely woven pieces for the Mandarins of the administrative Ch’ing bureaucracy and well-to-do merchants. Ningxia was the major Chinese carpet center up through most of the 19th century, with first allover and then medallion designs on cotton foundations in medium weaves. Palettes were initially limited to yellows, dark blue and cream, but later widened to include reds, browns and even green. These antiques were the first Chinese carpets to be exported to the West and they fitted in well with the craze for Chinese blue-and-white porcelain in the second half of the 19th century. Ningxia also wove shaped and rectangular small rugs for saddle underlays, chair (“throne”) seats and shaped backs, pillar carpets with dragons or monks for Buddhist monasteries, and long divided runners for monastery meditation halls. These small rugs are among the most collectible of all Chinese weavings. Weavers from Ningxia set up workshops in the capital Peking (Beijing) in the 1860’s and began weaving Western room sizes for export, primarily to America. In blue – and – white and polychrome palettes, with round wreath medallions, precious objects, seasonal flowers, paeonies, lotuses, fretwork, clouds, butterflies and bats, all relatively spaciously drawn. The round “Shou” (Good Luck) character is also a prominent decorative motif. There are also a few Peking landscape pictorials with pagodas, houses, bridges, waterscapes and boats. Peking carpets were woven right up until WWII and production began again after the Cultural Revolution around 1970. They are moderately well-woven, on cotton foundations, exactingly executed and indisputably Chinese. Many are in the blue-and-white style. Nothing else looks like a Peking carpet and for a Chinese “look” in a room, they are absolutely indispensable. Sizes range from scatters and a few runners, through the popular 9’12’ size, to large carpets over 20’ which must have been special orders. The earliest Peking Revival carpets are pliable and fairly thin, but they became heavier and more compact in the 20th century, in competition with Art Deco carpets from Tientsin. The modern, post- 1970, pieces are in the traditional Peking style, but are a little too regular and neat. Exactitude has been favored over character, as hard to explain that as it is. There are a number of all-silk and silk-and –metal thread pieces, many with inscriptions purporting to link them with rooms in the Imperial palaces, bringing very substantial auction prices, but none are really antique. The genre emerged after WWI and the present demand comes from mainland Chinese. The silk piles often stand in pattern relief against flat woven gold metal thread grounds. The inscriptions are apocryphal, the rugs are flashily opulent, perfect for nouveaux riches. The Art Deco period between the two World Wars saw a distinctive carpet industry developing in Tientsin (Tianjin) in northeastern China. These are highly prized for their transitional design character, neither overtly Chinese, nor abstractly modern/contemporary. Woven exclusively for export, usually by and for American firms, such as Nichols and Elbrook, they are totally in the “Jazz Age Modern” style of the 1920’s, often without borders, with abstract or abstracted patterns, and only with, at best, a few Chinese-y pattern elements. Vases asymmetrically placed in the corners are features of some of the more Chinese-y carpets. Open fields with floral sprays and branches growing in from the edges are anther design innovation. Often, Chinese motives have been re-imagined in more sharp-edged, abstract manners. Some have no references whatsoever to natural elements. The patterns are sharp and the rugs are never subdued, soft or restrained. The rugs are heavily constructed, with crisp, unfading dyes and medium to medium coarse weaves on cotton foundations. All are extremely well-executed, with none of the vagaries, variations or twists found on even high-quality Persian rugs. The majority are in the 9’ by 12’ format and a surprising number can be found in top condition. There also was a substantial production in Peking from, especially from the Fette factory. Elliptical and round carpets, and lighter, often pastel colors, were a specialty. Nothing looks like an Art Deco Chinese and they work well with traditional Chinese furniture and the most modern decor as well. These is no substitute for a good Chinese Art Deco carpet. Chinese carpets also include small scatters from Tibet, with high quality wool, floating dragons and allover textile patterns. The colors of vintage and modern pieces are bright, but there are antique small rugs (sleeping rugs) with simple chessboard allovers. Only a few large antique Tibetan carpets...

Though very few antique examples have survived, the tradition of Mongolian carpet weaving goes back many centuries, inspired in part by the designs of Chinese textiles, borrowing cer...

A beautifully painted Mongolian wooden chest of the 19th century. This is a wonderful example exhibiting the art work in the region. Large hand made hand decorated Mongolian painted storage chest. A well preserved patina showcasing its history alive with warm soft rich colors of cinnabar, red, white, orange, gray, gold and black. Superbly decorated with birds, butterfly's, flowers and goldfish. Surrounded with the endless knot or eternal knot Srivatsa. Srivatsa is a symbolic knot one of the Eight Auspicious Symbols in Tibetan Buddhism. It is symbolized also as Samsara, the endless cycle of suffering of birth, death and rebirth and the inter-twining of wisdom and compassion. Also as a symbol representing the cycle of life. This highly decorated chest was worthy of such Auspicious regard making it extremely significant to those who used it. An important Asian Antique chest...

Fluorite on Hedenbergite Quartz Huanggang Mine, Keshiketeng Co., Inner Mongolia 17 cm tall x 17 cm wide The discovery of pink and red fluorite in Mongolia is now legendary. It...

Handmade vintage Mongolian collectible mat in brown shade. The rug is from the middle of 20th century in original good condition. -condition: original good, -circa: 1950s, -size: ...

Very interesting this vintage Mongolian kilim: It's made up of stripes in pastel colors joined togheter. The dense geometric pattern is arranged along...

Rare 4 panel hand painted screen on canvas featuring three Bactrian camels lead by a Mongolian Sherpa with dog. Good consistent condition with its age (100 years) no tears to canvas,...

Beautiful earthtone square size antique Mongolian rug, Country of Origin: Mongolia, Circa date: Late 19th century. Size: 10 ft 6 in x 11 ft 3 in ...

Used more for social interactions than everyday imbibing, this Mongolian libation cup accompanied a scholar to social gatherings held by literati known as...

Today Mongolian carpets are highly appreciated for the geometric character of their design and for their neutral palette, which is often centred on an ivory/dark colour combination. ...

Hand knotted in wool originating circa 1910-1920, this 10 x 11 antique rug connotes a rare Mongolian rug pattern among the select additions to our collection, enjoying a Classic pall...

Antique Mongolian Rug, Mongolia, Early 20th Century – Size: 3 ft 9 in x 5 ft 7 in (1.14 m x 1.7 m).

This antique transitional Mongolian wool rug has an all-over floral design with unique Chinese inspiration. From 1860-1870, the inner border features black right-angle characters-arc...

Ganesh deity figurine, Mongolia, 18th-19th century Ganesha is in Indian mythology the patron saint of scholars, science, schools and scribes. Leader of the ganas and of cunning an...

An ivory field Chinese Peking rug with a pictorial animal motif. 2 deers, birds, a goat, rabbit and swan. some nice pretty blues too, circa 1940 Measures: 2'6" x 4'10".

Beautiful Mongolian chest with two playful foo dogs. This is an all original, 19th century piece whose patina is well preserved. The crackled the finish is stable and enhances the ch...

This early 20th century coffer from Mongolia was painted by hand with auspicious fruits and blessings, likely as part of a bride's dowry. Wishes painted on the pomegranates, peaches ...

A beautiful, 19th century chest from Inner Mongolia. The top is of miter, tenon and mortise construction encasing a single board floating panel. Full apron depicts traditional Mongol...

Beautiful vintage Mongolian rug in original condition. The rug was made in beige shade with tribal design in the center and bright red border. Th...

19th Century Reproduction of a 16th Century Stone Artifact / Warrior on Horse Artifact appears to be cast

19th century Mongolian painted chest. Wonderful papered inside with old calligraphy paper. Nice as a hall chest, or as display table. Exceptional piece. Cab be used for storage, an...

Chocolate, cream, yellow and white surrounded by a blue stripe. Stylized motifs adorn the wide cream border surrounded by an edge of chocolate.

This beautiful grain container was made over a century ago in Mongolia. It was made to last: the sturdy pine wood slats tightly joined, with the forever knots helping to secure them ...

These beautifully-aged wooden containers date to the late 19th century and were originally used to transport and store a nutritious butter made from y...