Hereke made of pure silk mit Goldfäden
110 cm x 74 cm
Nr. 18282

Hereke made of pure silk mit Goldfäden, golden beige with border and motiv

Place of origin

Very valuable silk rugs originate from the Turkish city of Hereke. The tradition was promoted by the art-loving Sultan Abd-ul-Medjid (reigned 1839 - 1861). In 1844, he had the court knotting workshops moved from Cairo back to Hereke. Hand-knotted Hereke silk rugs are among the finest rugs in the world and are knotted with a density of up to 6 million knots per square meter. Thanks to the knotting technique, the pattern is just as clearly visible on the back as on the front. Antique Turkish rugs fetch top prices in renowned art auction houses.

Typical motifs of the Hereke rugs include flowers, twigs and leaves, as well as birds, the tree of life and the so-called Mehrab or Mihrab pattern, a prayer niche depicted together with oil lamps. Besides traditional motifs and typical Ottoman or Turkish patterns, Hereke silk rugs are today knotted with more modern patterns to suit contemporary tastes. The characteristic colors of Hereke silk rugs are deep dark blue, bright red, vivid green, bright yellow and various natural tones in all nuances. The pattern of this noble Hereke is accentuated through the use of gold threads. The gold threads create a shimmering, glossy contrast and let the colors shine in warm nuances, depending on lighting. The fine gold threads are not only precious but also extremely difficult to work with and underline the craftsmanship of the knotters.

Patterns

This Hereke is decorated with the so-called Mehrab or Mihrab motif. Mehrab refers to the Islamic prayer niche in mosques, which shows the direction of prayer qibla, i.e. the direction of Mecca. Traditionally, rugs with the Mehrab motif are used by Muslims for prayer and are therefore particularly treasured.

The edge of the rug is decorated with an edging (border). The border forms a beautiful contrast to the center.

The background of this Hereke is golden beige. The border features golden beige, dark red and silver gray.

Material

The silk of the pile of this Hereke lets the colors of the pattern shine in different facets depending on lighting. It makes this Hereke a real highlight and creates a cozy, yet very elegant and high-quality atmosphere in the room. Silk is extracted from the cocoons of the silk moth by hand. Since individual silk threads are extremely long, they allow for the production of very thin yarns that are nevertheless tear-resistant at low tension. Smaller rug knots can be knotted with the thin yarn, which makes it possible to create finer patterns. Therefore, the finest rugs in the world are hand-knotted made of pure silk.

Furthermore, the pattern of this exquisite Hereke has been accented by the use of gold threads. The gold threads create a shimmering, shiny contrast. The fine gold threads are not only precious, but also extremely difficult to work with and demonstrate the skill of the weavers. In this Hereke even the background is made of pure silk. Due to the thin but durable material of the weft and warp threads, a particularly fine knotting and, therefore, a particularly fine pattern is feasible.