Milas rug (81)

Milas prayer rug from southwest Anatolia (Turkey)

Age: circa 1860

Size: 5′.10″x4′.2″ (178×127 cm)

The nested soft madder pinched mihrab employs three full and one half attractive multicolor diamonds surrounded by small yellow candles.The ivory ground hosts bird like polychrome motifs around the spandrels.The top part of the ivory ground is also surrounded by small candles.The old gold yellow main border has a meander and carnations design and reminds us of Kula rug borders from the same region.The piece has eight minor borders:an outer ivory ground strip with colorful rosettes;three ribbon motif inner bands with red and aubergine background colors;an innermost red border with plantal forms and three narrow borders with triangle reciprocals.There are several two tone barber pole lines in the border system.All the colors are from natural sources.The handle is extremely soft and pliable.The rug is in fair condition with the ends and sides needing attention and the field having some wear.