A Chinese silk carpet, West China, 19th century

Whilst the structure of this piece suggests a Chinese workshop, the design is a meld of both Chinese and East Turkestan motifs. For a rug with similar field design and Khotan style floral infill in the medallion and spandrels, see exhibition catalogue, Imperial carpets from Peking, Pittsburg, 1973, pl. 13, that example in silk with soumak metal thread brocading, as opposed to the completely silk piled construction of the present lot. A version of the border can be seen for example in Larsson, Lennart, Carpets from China, Xinjiang & Tibet, London, 1988, fig. 27, p.32.