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Antique Anatolian Kilim, Central Turkey, nineteenth century
This exquisite fragment constitutes one half of a small antique Anatolian kilim, which was originally woven in two parts and sewn together. The red field was dominated by two zig-zag vines that once formed a diamond pattern, with smaller hooked forms in blue green and apricot serving as space fillers. The monumental ivory ground border of hooked elements and serrated leaves is separated from the field by an interlocking reciprocal trefoil pattern. Anatolian kilims of this age and quality are prized by collectors for their bold graphic design and saturated color. In both regards, this example is so outstanding that our appreciation of its quality is hardly affected by its fragmentary state. Consequently, it could well belong to the decades after 1800.
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