KARABAGH
Synonym.—Carabagh.
Why So Named.—After Karabagh, the name of a province in Transcaucasia just across the Persian border north of Tabriz, where they are made.
Knot.—Ghiordes. Number vertically six to twelve; number horizontally five to ten; number to square inch thirty to one hundred twenty.
Warp.—Coarse white or brown wool.
Woof.—Coarse wool, sometimes dyed. Generally several strands between each row of knots.
Nap.—Long, heavy wool or camels' hair.
Weave.—Coarsely woven and carelessly knotted.
Sides.—Antiques usually selvaged. Moderns nearly always overcast with colored wool.
Ends.—Short webs, one of which is generally turned back and hemmed. The other end has a fringe of loose or twisted warp threads.
Border.—From two to fourteen border stripes with a large range of geometrical designs. The reciprocal trefoil is especially common. Frequently a border of camels' hair.
Prevailing Colors.—More subdued in antiques than in the moderns. Magenta is used lavishly. Strong reds, yellows, and blues, with considerable white.
Dyes.—Nearly all of the modern pieces are chemically dyed.
KARABAGH RUG
Size 5' × 3'3"
PROPERTY OF DR. E. B. GUILE, UTICA, N. Y.
Designs.—Similar to the Kazaks, only a trifle more Persian in character, that is, more Persian floral forms are introduced. Sometimes the field is plain, sometimes it is filled with some tree patterns or with numerous floral and geometrical figures. In some of the antiques the field is covered with black and tan spots, giving it the appearance of a leopard's skin, which no doubt it was intended to represent.
Sizes.—Two to six by four to eight feet. Usually small. Never in carpet sizes.
Prices.—Antiques rare and rather costly. Moderns among the cheapest of the Oriental weave. From $0.50 to $1.50 per square foot.
Remarks.—One of the most inferior products of the Eastern loom, but artistic. Have deteriorated considerably of late years.
THE EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATED
Owner's Description.—An exceptional Karabagh. The design shows evident attempt at Persian elaboration, this weave being about the only Caucasian that shows such tendency. The floral display in the centre; the beautiful old ivory of the corner pieces, and the exquisite canary, coral and blue of the three borders, evidence that the artisan that wrought this fabric had thoroughly mastered the harmony of color. The blacks in this piece have gone fully down to the knot. Such Karabaghs have not been made for a hundred years.