Ningxia saddle rug

Atypically ornamented with medallions reminiscent of Chinese silk brocades with a multitude of secondary motifs in white – the Tibetan frog’s foot design – this saddle rug was probably made in Ningxia for the Tibetan market. Seldom, if ever, does one encounter a Chinese weaving with distinctively Tibetan motifs unless it was made for marketing or possibly commissioned by a Tibetan patron.Again, what appear to be two butterflies on either side adjacent to the yellow central panel are apparent, another hint of a Tibetan patronage. The flowers interspersed on top of the swastika primary border are a feature of the period in which it was woven – the late 19th century.