Image Carpets

Oversized Antique Persian Sultanabad Carpet- 170101

This is an unusually large antique Persian Sultanabad carpet from the best period of Arak village workshop weaving, probably c. 1880. It is likely a product of the famous English carpet manufacturing and importing firm of Ziegler, active in Persia from c. 1884 until the late 1920’s. The unusually decorative and rare pale yellow field is decorated in an allover pattern of geometric palmettes, lancet leaves, schematic flowers and broken vinery. This is not a traditional Persian pattern, but one of Ziegler’s special in-house designs reserved for their discriminating, surely American, clientele. The ivory border continues the palmette theme with several varieties of detached motives and substantial open space to set them off in an uncrowded manner.Standard size Persian carpets of the modern era range up to 12′ by 18′, hence, anything larger is a special order. The exceptional size confirms this hypothesis. The exceptionally fine, essential mint, condition indicates that either it was only very sparingly used by the private owner or, for some reason, never reached the floor at all. Light colored Sultanabad carpets have been in strong decorator demand for various reasons: the light colours enlarge the carpet and thus the room itself; the patterns work extremely well with formal furniture; the design is exotic without being overtly “Persian”; and the carpet just reeks of opulence and elevated taste. Our example is among the most attractive of examples to have recently appeared on the market. Now all you need is the room to properly display it!