Kuba Rugs
In this section:
Kuba was a Khanate of Persia (a Khanate is equivalent to a state or region in the old Persian system. Kaffel dates the transfer of Kuba to the Czarist Russians to 1806. Kaffel, Caucasian Prayer Rugs page 30.
Kuba is the language of a subgroup of the Lezgians and Kuba (Quba) is a dialect that is rather distinct from Lezgi. Ethnologue: Azerbaijan.
Kuba is both a city and an area and in previous times it was a Khanate. It is south of Derbend and the area takes in the lowland Azeri speakers.
Kuba also refers to those people who speak Kuba as their milk language.
“While a 16th-century fortress dominates this town, most people go to Quba to see the hundreds of apple orchards. In the spring, the area is fragrant with the scent of apple blossoms. The town is also a center of carpet making — tour a plant or do some shopping (Azerbaijanis will tell you that Cuba rugs are the best in the region). Along with Sumgait, Quba is generally seen as part of a long day trip from Baku. 100 mi./165 km northwest of Baku. ”
Also spelled: Kuba also Quebah, Cuba, Guba etc….
Examples:
A Kuba Gallery Carpet, Northeast Caucasus
Circa 1890. Oxidized browns, reselvaged, reweaves. Approximately 12 ft. 6 in. by 5 ft. 1 in. (3.81 by 1.55 m.)
Caucasian Medallion Carpet 18th/19th C.
With influences of early Indopersian Carpet Design. An early Caucasian carpet with an unusual medallion. This could be part of a long tradition of Tabris/Azerbaijan workshop carpets. The design entered the Indo-Persian repetoire from the pre-Safavid Northwest Persian Turkmen art.
Reweaves and restorations particularly along the edges.
A rare Kuba rug with floral outline borders
Northeast Caucasus. Third quarter 19th century. 6ft. x 3ft.4in. 1.83m. x 1.02m.
Slight even wear overall. This represents a very rare type with a particularly beautiful and unusual border.
Kuba Long Rug
Northeast Caucasus, last quarter 19th Century, repiled areas. Approximately 12 ft. 8 in. by 5 ft. 3 in. (3.86 m. by 1.60 m.)
Warp: Wool, Z4S, ash / light brown mix
Weft: Cotton (white) Z3S or sometimes cotton Z3S alternating with cotton Z3S and wool (dark brown) 2Z; 2 shoots
Pile: Wool, symmetrical knot
Density: 6-7 horizontal, 7-9 vertical
Sides: Cotton, 1 cord of 4 warps, overcast blue
Ends: Upper – knotted warp fringe, the 1 1/4 in. blue kilim
Lower – 1/4 in. blue kilim, then 1 white warp float cable, then warp loops
Colors: Midnight blue, deep cornflower blue, peacock blue, butterscotch, ecru, chamois, chestnut, seal brown
A Kuba Long Rug, Northeast Caucasus, circa 1900
Approximately 13 ft. 10 in. by 6 ft. 7 in. (4.21 m. by 2.01 m.)
Warp: Wool, Z3S, ivory, ivory / medium-dark brown mix
Weft: Wool, 2Z and cotton, 2Z (2Z2S) loosely plied, 2 shoots, natural white
Pile: Wool, symmetrical knot
Density: 7-8 horizontal, 8-9 vertical
Sides: Cotton, 1 cord of 2 warps overcast white
Ends: Warp fringe
Colors: Madder red, Venetian red, raspberry, china blue, cordovan, ginger, azure, mushroom, camel, sage, light teal green, putty, chestnut, auburn, khaki, black
Hort Oriental Rugs
Woven about 1860 in the Caucasus and is in very good condition. The border is very rare and the wool and colors are wonderful.
Shusha Garga or Kuba Bird Rug
Second half 19th century
Dimension: 167 X 76 ; 5,5 ft. x 2,5 ft.
Knots: symmetric, pulled slightly to the right
Density: tightly woven, H 36/10cm V36/10cm. 1296/dm²; H 9/pi V 9/pi 81/psi.
Warps: tightly spun tan wool Z2S, warp depression around 45° and ribbed back
Wefts: two shoots tan – beige wool
Selvages: not original
Colors: natural, different shade of blue from light to dark blue, pink, white, medium brown, gold, madder red, olive, dark green
Very nice rug reminiscent of a Caucasian long rug with the same type of birds surrounding diamond-like medallions and the same rendering in the four spandrels. The outer minor border is very common in Kuba rugs. Also note the very well drawn tendril inner border and barber pole main border.
The inner guard border is one most commonly seen on Taimani rugs from Afghanistan, but it is seen in Chajli rugs from the Moghan area from the Caucasus The main border is also extremely unusual, and the only thing comparable to it is the Lesghi bar border seen in some Oriental Caucasian Rugs. The outer guard border is a carnation border that is common among Azeri weavers.
Kuba Blossom Carpet, Northeast Caucasus, 18th Century
Rewoven areas in outer borders and a 2 ft. by 3 in. rewoven area in one end of the field, losses to pile. Approximately 17 ft. 9 in. by 7 ft. 9 in. (5.41 m. by 2.36 m.)
Warp: Wool, Z2S, alternate warp strongly, depressed, ivory, ash, ivory, light to dark brown twist
Weft: Wool, Z2S, sometimes Z3S, 2 shoots, terra-cotta
Pile: Wool, symmetrical knot
Density: 9-10 horizontal, 7-10 vertical
Sides: Not original
Ends: Not original
Colors: Saffron, acorn, Venetian red, garnet, cranberry, terra-cotta, denim blue, sage, teal blue, pale azure, caramel, lapis, ivory, forest green, seafoam green, mint, citron green, aqua, seal brown, black
Kuba Blossom Carpet, Northeast Caucasus, 18th Century
Rewoven areas, areas of repair, reselvaged. Approximately 14fi. 11 in. by 6fi. 8 in. (4.55 m. by 2.03 m.)
Warp: Wool, Z2S, alternate warp strongly depressed, ivory
Weft: Wool, Z2, 2 shoots, ivory, salmon, medium to dark brown
Pile: Wool, symmetrical knot
Density: 8-9 horizontal, 7-10 vertical
Sides: Overcast not original
Ends: Incomplete
Colors: Medium to deep cinnabar, goldenrod, medium to deep lapis, azure, black walnut, oat, teal blue, aubergine, chamois, fern
Kuba Blossom Carpet, Northeast Caucasus, 18th Century
Partial end borders, cut and reduced in length, oxidized browns, other minor repairs throughout, rewoven area upper end, overcast sides. Approximately 9ft. 4 in. by 4fl. 11 in. (2.85 m. by 1.50 m.)
Warp: Wool, Z2S, alternate warp strongly depressed, ivory, ivory/medium to dark brown twist
Weft: Wool, Z2-3, 2 shoots, light salmon, ivory/dark brown mix
Pile: Wool, symmetrical knot
Density: I 0- I I horizontal, 7- 1 0 vertical
Sides: Not original
Ends: Incomplete
Colors: Cadmium red, medium to deep cornflower blue, mushroom, slate black, pale to deep blueberry, pink coral, maize, aqua, teal blue, birch, cashew
Small Blossom Kuba Rug
Caucasus, 19th ct., losses to pile.
Size: 120 x 100 cm
Kuba Dragon Sumac Rug
Dimension : 217 X 175 cm
Bold design of eagle medallions between interlocking leaves, very well drawn, well known, and frequently published in many books, with nice compositional details and a well drawn outer white ground “running dog” border. The position of the highly stylized dragons is uncharacteristic. More normally they are found between each leaf system.
Technique: weft float brocading with very fine Z2S wool
Warp: Wool, white, Z3S
The colors are vivid and natural. Madder red and perhaps some aniline, brownish red, pink, light yellow, blue-ish green, light and dark blue, light and dark brown, white
Age: probably last quarter of the nineteenth century. Very good condition.
Kuba Floral & Heraldic Palmette Pattern
Dimension: 155cm X 110cm , 5ft X 3,6ft
Knot: symmetric slightly open to the right soft wool short clipped
Density: H38/10cm V42/10cm 1596/dm² ; H 9-10/pi V 10-11/pi 98/psi
Warps: fine white wool, finely twisted, Z2S, slightly depressed
Wefts: medium brown wool, 2 shoots
Selvage: flat selvage, 3 cords of 2 warps with interwoven brown ground wefts and overcast with medium blue wool
Colors: natural, white, different shade of light to dark blue, olive, madder red, pink, oxidized black and dark brown, light yellow, medium brown
Ends: warp fringes
This kind of palmette are also found in Sumacs from this area. Notice in this rug the high Persian influence and the use of very unusual main borders. Here a “bird and rosette Chila main border,” an arabesque main border, and a vase design main border.
A Kuba Rug, dated 1857 AD
Origin: East Caucasus. Dated 1273 AH = 1857 AD.
Size: approx. 162 x 118 cm
Notes on Condition: Literature References. Upper end re-woven, re-selvaged; some small restored places, overall in good condition.
Floral Lattice Design Kuba Runner
Age: circa 1945
Dimensions: 313cm x 120cm torn and cut in the middle
Knots: symmetric open to the right, 3-4mm
Density: H 30/10cm V34/10cm 1020/dm²
Warps: tightly spun tan wool Z2S Warp depression 60° ribbed back
Weft: white cotton 2 shoots
Selvedges: flat, two cords of two warps wrapped in figure eight with light blue wool
Ends: missing
Colors: mixture of natural and chemical dyes; oxidized black, blue marine with abrash, light blue, aniline red, crude chemical orange and pink, aubergine, white, camel (perhaps natural camel hair), medium brown, saffron, chemical light green
This rug is most likely from Kuba, based on the design, the flat blue selvedges, the structure, and especially the warp depression around 60°. A Daghestan origin can’t be ruled out, but usually these rugs have a warp depression over 70° and are more tightly woven.
Kuba Rug with Shield-Like Palmettes
Age: dated 1321 = 1899 A.D
Dimension: 395cm x 190; 13ft by 6ft
Knots: symmetric, slightly open to the right, shortly clipped
Density: H 36/10cm X V 32/10cm 1152/dm²; H9/V8 pi 72/psi
Warps: thin tan and light brown wool, Z2S, slightly depressed
Wefts: tan wool, 2 and 3 shoots
Selvedges: flat selvage of two cords of two warps wrapped with interwoven ground wefts and overcast with white cotton
Ends: 1 cm plain weave ends and knotted fringes
Colors: dark blue, azure, very light blue, gold, olive, medium green, madder red, aniline red in two rows of palmettes in the middle part of the rug and in the top outer minor border, black, beige, medium and deep brown, natural orange, and chemical orange in the lower half part
It seems this rug was woven by two different weavers, as the palette of colors differ in the upper and lower half part of the rug. This very nice rug has an all over design of shield-like lotus palmettes reminiscent of 18th century rugs and Karabagh rugs. Each palmette contains a very nice and well-drawn peacock with two eyes and three fingers or a totemic motif and a stylized quadruped. At the bottom of each shield-like palmette (at the right side) there is a small octagonal medallion of the same type as the outer minor border or with a dotted rendering. To obtain this dotted rendering the weaver used twisted wool of two different colors.
Notice four human figures with nice dressings along the right side. The main border is reminiscent of 18th century floral borders of rugs in dragon rug technique and also of the “narcissus” Border from Baluch rugs.
The very nice and exceptionally well drawn “bar and stars” inner minor border (reminiscent of more floral types) and the octagonal motifs of the outer minor border are widely used through the Caucasus and North Persia. The overall polychrome and the use of natural orange are strongly reminiscent of Kurdish weaving from North West Persia.
The Cocoon Bijov Shirvan Rug
Long Rug, Talish/Kuba Area, third quarter 19th ct.
Small repairs.
Size 320 x 115 cm
Description: A tree-like rod motif with birds runs through the slender interior. Among the filling motifs, the small equestrian figures are remarkable.
A Cuba Rug dated 1871
Caucasus, dated 1871. Minor repairs.
Size: 258 x 118 cm
Description: magnificently in the preservation of the fleshy thick pile and the color composition. The beautiful pattern colors of the barrails in the inner panel are particularly prominent on the deep blue background. An unusual variant of the crabs pattern is shown on the ivory of the main border.
Condition: brown age corroded, small rep. Spots.
Kufic Border Kuba Rug c. 1880
Slight losses to pile.
Size: 151 x 119 cm
Description: Kufi main border in an unusual color. Uniformly thin, small pile defects. Narrow-side outer border incomplete.
A Kufic Border Kuba Rug dated 1872
Caucasus, dated 1872. Corroded browns.
Size: 163 x 111 cm
Description: a rug with colors arranged diagonally. Kufic’ border. North-Eastern Transcaucasia, mid 19th century.
Zeijwa-Kuba Rug, Caucasus, late 19th ct.
Losses to pile, thin, repiled areas.
Size: 140 x 110 cm
Description: a large, bright white Zeijwa Medallion in brown-ground infield, flanked by green-ground polygons.
Kuba Shaher (Town) Rug, Northeast Caucasus, early 20th century
4 ft. 11 in. x 3 ft. 10 in. (1.50m. x 1.14m)
Condition: Evenly low overall, slight damage both ends. Rugs of this type were woven in Kuba town itself.
Kuba Sphinx Rug
Caucasian Rug, Caucasus. 19th century.
Size: 2 foot 4 inch by 3 foot 1 inch.
This is a wonderful old Caucasian with an Egyptian theme. With the find of the Rosetta Stone in 1799, fascination with Egypt raged all through the 19th and into the 20th century.
Structure: Symmetrical knot. 10 knots per horizontal inch and 12 knots per vertical inch. 120 per square inch (1860 per square decimeter)
Yarn Spin: Z
Warp: 2 ply wool
Weft: 2 shots brown wool
Pile: 2 wool singles
Ends: 1/4 inch obliquely wrapped fringe on plain weave
Selvages: 3 cord interlaced blue wool
Handle: Light, soft, pliable
Further Notes: Even low pile, rebuilt on both ends, some repairs in the field.
Karabakh Pattern Kuba Rug
Northeast Caucasus early 20th century.
6ft.7in. x 4ft. 5in. 2.01m. x 1.35m.
Overall even wear.
Although the design is one associated with Karabakh, the structure of this rug indicates a Kuba origin.
Kuba Long Rug mid-19th century
MEASUREMENTS
Approximately 7ft. 7in. by 4ft. 6in. (2.31 by 1.37m.)
DESCRIPTION
DATE OF OBJECT
Mid-19th century
PUBLISHED CONDITION NOTE
Oxidized charcoals, partial end guard borders, selvages missing, foldwear, holes.
Lesghi Kuba Sumac
East Caucasus. End of 19th c. 290 x 244cm. Lozenge design. Condition C/D. (moth damage).
Caucasion Rug, Kuba Region
302 by 208cm., 9ft. 11in. by 6ft. 10in.
Circa 1900