3.11 x 5.9 Antique Chi Chi Rug, Northeast Caucasus, Circa 1890
A world class antique Chi Chi rug from the northeast Caucasus. Technically, Chi Chi rugs belong to the Kuba group, a region just to the north of the Shirvan district. However, the two regions shared designs. The ivory selvedge and end finish suggest this piece might have been woven in the Shirvan area, as Kuba rugs typically have blue cotton selvedges and blue end finish.
The sky blue field color is quite uncommon and beautiful and the varied decoration throughout the field makes it highly distinctive. The border system is both complex and charming, with the classic brown Chi Chi major border flanked by both yellow-green and ivory guard borders and a red and blue Reciprocal Trefoil outer border.
We had acquired this rug directly from an exceptional New York family collection and it is now in a superb coastal New England family collection.
