A rare silk and metallic thread 'nine phoenix' hall carpet, Late Qing dynasty | 清末 金屬絲絨五龍紋地毯 《太和殿備用》款

The five character inscription at the top of this carpet indicates that it was made for Imperial use at the Taihe dian beiyong (Great Hall of Supreme Harmony) in the Forbidden City, the large main hall situated at the heart of the Forbidden City where all important official receptions were conducted, including an emperor's coronation, weddings, birthdays, and for the receiving of foreign dignitaries. A carpet of the same design and colour scheme from the Nils Nessim Collection, is illustrated in Jan Wirgin, Kinesiska Mattor och Skulpturer. Ur Nils Nessim Samling, Malmo, April 1960, pl. 2. A slightly smaller carpet bearing the name of Taihe dian and similarly decorated with dragons chasing flaming pearls and central medallion motif was sold at Christie's New York, 22nd March 2018, lot 961.