Konagkend Rugs
Caucasian Kuba Konagkend Rugs & Carpets
Kongkend is about 20 miles south of Kuba, the rugs come in two primary styles. A cruciform medallion rug or a lattice repeat pattern.
Examples:
Oliveira mid 19th C. Kuba Konagkend Rug
The Oliveira Konagkend Kuba Rug
Size: 156 x 122 cm
Region: West Asia > Caucasus > Northeast Caucasus > Kuba > Konagkend
Type: Rugs and Carpets
Date/Period: 19th century : mid
Structure: Knots: 83 (v) x 55 (h) = 4,565 / dm2
Condition: Very good, with 2 small areas of professional reweave. The pile is very low, although the foundation is not seen anywhere. There is some visible abrash on the medallions green color.
Full Description
Extremely rare, if not unique, Caucasian rug. The central field is dominated by two large medallions, very similar to those found on traditional Caucasian Sumak rugs. In this rug, however, the medallions are elongated horizontally rather than vertically as in the traditional Kuba Konagkends. The traditional cruciform medallion design is, according to Ian Bennett, “reminiscent of Kurdish weavings and certain Turkish villages.” (on Oriental Rugs – Volume 1 Caucasian, Suffolk, UK, 1981, pp. 256). Murray Murray Eiland Jr. & Murray Eiland III refer that “red-field soumaks in a relatively narrow range of designs, with two, three, or four medallions, were woven in several towns of the Kuba district, from at least the late nineteenth century and into the Soviet era. The bulk of these were certainly workshop products, and a number have dates.” (on Oriental Rugs – A Complete Guide, London, 1998, pp. 288). It should not be excluded that a few rugs were also made in these workshops, with a pattern close to a traditional Sumak rug (see a photo of a Sumak rug with a somewhat similar pattern on Murray L. Eiland , Oriental Rugs A New Comprehensive, Little, Brown and Company, 1981, plate 39). Regarding dating, we believe this rug to be a bit older, from the middle of the 19th century. No artificial dyes were found on this rug and it is worth noticing the sophisticated rendition of several details and motifs in the rug as opposed to the more stiff, rigid representation of them on traditional Kuba Konagkend rugs with traditional ‘large cruciform medallions’. The main border displays a traditional Caucasian ‘crab’ motif. The very unusual high density of the weaving makes this piece an exceptionally collectable rug.
Konagkend Kuba Lattice Rug
Caucasian rug, 19th Century. 3 foot 2 inches by 5 foot 4 inch. (Not including fringe)
Structure: Symmetrical. 13 knots per horizontal inch and 13 knots per vertical inch. 143 per square inch (2216 per square decimeter). Depressed.
Yarn Spin: Z.
Warp: white cotton.
Weft: 2 shots white cotton.
Pile: 2 Wool singles.
Ends: 1/2-inch balanced plainweave skirt with warp fringe.
Selvages: 2 cord white cotton
Further Notes:This rug is in Mint Condition.
This rug has wonderful color! The appearance of this rug is more like that of a new rug than an old one, the colors vibrant and deep. The condition matches as well full pile no low spots and no repair.
Kuba Konagkend Rug Dated 1911
Condition: Evenly low overall, brown in borders slightly corroded.
Slight even wear overall, small areas of repair, missing outer guard at sides.