18th Century Chinese Imperial Ningxia Rug Eight Dragons Lotus Flower Pink Yellow

A rare Chinese carpet from the end of the 19th century, with a refined tone-on-tone geometric decoration that occupies the central field without interruption. At the corners are styl...

This very elegant specimen of rare square proportion, testifies to the high level of refinement achieved by the manufactories of Beijing at the beginning of '900, when most of the pr...

Rare Chinese carpet for the color of lemon yellow background. The subject of the decoration is that of the dance of the dragons, enriched by an important border where the Buddhist symbols of the good wishes are represented. The infinite knot...

Peking cream-colored carpet. Borders in more shades of blue decorated with a row of lotus flowers underlined by a Greek. A typical product of Chinese craftsmanship inspired by the wh...

Near the Great Wall there is the important city of Ningxia, the capital of the homonymous region which extended into Inner Mongolia and which was later included in the province of Ga...

These rugs were made exclusively for the residences of the court dignitaries: the use of the carpet in China started relatively late and imported from the Middle East, it was not par...

A rare and beautiful early Chinese carpet characterized by an infinite repeat of parallel and offset rows of blue and ivory lotus blossoms, symbols of purity, on a two-tone yellow ba...

A very rare Imperial Ningxia throne cover from the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, distinguished by an exquisitely drawn lion dog, which is an auspic...

Late 18th Century Chinese Ningxia Dragon Pillar Carpet (2' 9'' x 9'-85 x 275 cm)

A magnificent rare and collectible antique 18th century Chinese Ningxia rug, country of origin / rug type: antique Chinese rugs, date: circa late 18th century. Size: 6 ft x 9 ft 9 in (1.83 m x 2.97 m) Antique Chinese Ningxia carpets have a transcendent quality that has made them highly sought-after since the 17th century. If one were to judge from this excellent 18th-century Ningxia rug, it is easy to see how this came to be so. The level of detail in this antique Chinese carpet is found in very few places around the world. The colors blend harmoniously to show off the fine craftsmanship of this carpet from China. Ningxia is located in a harsh mountainous region are Northwestern China. It borders Mongolia and sits on the plain of the Yellow River, bounded by the Great Wall of China on its Northeastern border. The climate of this region made it perfect for growing strong, yet soft wool. Little is known about antique rugs from this region before the 17th century because of its remote location. A visit from the Kangxi Emperor in 1696 and 1697 brought these carpets to the world. He was struck by the beauty and quality of the carpets he found and decided to establish a royal carpet weaving center in the area. After the establishment of the rug weaving centers of the Royal Court, designs in Ningxia became more formal and reflected the tastes of the Chinese Courts and noblemen. Carpets from the area became a symbol of wealth and power. At the time when this carpet was created, the royal weaving centers had been operating for about 100 years. By this time, Ningxia had become a name that was associated with high-quality antique rugs. This early carpet uses a complex range of blues, rose, pinks, light browns, dark browns and ivory. The design uses subtle shading to give it depth and create areas of shadow and light within the individual motifs. It based on a medallion design with four rondels in the field. It is executed with precision and demonstrates focused attention to symmetry. The center border of the carpet is surrounded by what is known to the Chinese as a cloud and thunder pattern, also known as a meander or Greek key pattern. To the Chinese, this pattern represents the cloud and thunder that brings the life-giving rain and the promise of good crops. It has been found in Chinese art as far back as 1050 BC. The pile of the rug is soft and supple, and it has a fine weave, more like a heavy textile than a carpet. This is one of the qualities for which Ningxia carpets were known. The level of detail and intricacy of the design is one of the fascinating aspects of the rug. For instance, if you look between the regularly spaced motifs in the field of the carpet, you will see that they are not solid, but contain a delicate pattern of precisely executed dots. This carpet has a high knot count, which is what makes the intricacy of this design possible. Another remarkable quality of this antique Oriental rug is its excellent shape that it is in for its age. This suggests that this carpet was well cared for over the past several centuries. This antique 18th Century Chinese Ningxia rug is an example of fine quality craftsmanship and work that was produced by the Ningxia Court rug weavers. The design and colors come together beautifully to create a piece of classic Chinese artwork. It is a special piece that would be a beautiful addition to any Oriental collection...

An exquisitely elegant early Temple runner from the Ningxia region in northwest China, commissioned in the early 18th century for a Buddhist monastery in Tibet. The pattern is compos...

This is an 18th-century imperial silk Chinese textile that measures 79 x 47CM in size. This rare example has been preserved in excellent condition and has retained its dramatic satur...