Doris Leslie Blau Oversized 1820s Antique Chinese Rug with Auspicious Medallions

Early 20th century Chinese yellow handmade silk rug by Doris Leslie Blau Size: 6'2" × 9'0" (187 × 274 cm) Chinese Art Deco rugs are well known thanks to their dazzling designs, but a...

Authentic 19th century Chinese yellow, blue handmade wool rug Size: 13'4" × 14'9" (406 × 449 cm) A late 19th century antique Chinese rugs, the camel field with peonies, vinery and bl...

Antique Chinese rug (size adjusted) by Doris Leslie Blau. Size: 13'8" × 14'5" (416 × 439 cm). An early 20th century Chinese antique size adjusted rug. The main field features rows of...

19th century Chinese indigo blue, ivory handmade wool rug Size: 11'0" x 11'3" (335 x 342 cm) A mid-19th century Chinese antique rug, the oatmeal field with a spacious overall indigo ...

Beautiful 1920s antique Chinese Art Deco hand-knotted wool rug with goldenrod color field. This piece has a designed frame in multicolor hues adorned with a classic Chinese floral de...

Antique Chinese Peking rug, size: 13'4" x 14'0".

Distinguished by an unusual all-over grid pattern on a soft lemon yellow background, this carpet is an example of the eclecticism of Chinese weavings in ...

Ningxia North Central China 17'10" x 17'10" Circa 1850 Warp: cotton, off white, handspun, Z-4-S Weft: cotton, off white, handspun, 2 shoots alternating Pile: wool, 3 strand, handspun Knot: asymmetric, open left, 48 knots per square inch Sides: one cord, offwhite cotton wrapped End: no original finish This is a particularly large example of a Mandarin official’s carpet with a central medallion displaying nine lion dogs collectively symbolic of success on the national Chin Shih examination which provided guaranteed entry into the national administrative bureaucracy and the wealth devolving therefrom. The nine lion dogs are a rebus for success in the national bureaucracy. The apricot ground features 11 full or partial rows of tree paeonies, flower and stem. This carpet is particularly large and clearly was made for a highly placed official or the wealthy family of a recent graduate of whom great things were expected. The principal was probably Buddhist as indicated by the embroidered ball and precious objects in the medallion. The clouds surrounding the lion dogs form a broken, polychrome circle rather than the usual continuous cloud wreath. This is one of the several features indicating a bespoke order rather than a piece made for the market. Another indicator is the exceptional size, as the standard square Ningxia Mandarin carpet is about 12 to 14 feet square. The main border continues the colour combination, with a now apricot ground and paeonies among floral arabesques. The blue inner stripe is unusual with butterflies alternating with paired peaches...