Ancient Persian, Caucasian, Anatolian carpets
Fruit of tribal, village and academic achievements, antique rugs are increasingly interesting for many amateurs. They are the expression of an ancestral art that still influences and inspires major or more modest works today. The folkloric, rustic and primitive side of the carpets of tribes and villagers shows a great humanity while the academic and workshop carpets impress with their finesse and complexity of realization. Increasingly rare, these 'works' reflect the end of an era.
Iran Ferahan : 1,84 x 1,36 m
Farahan or Ferahan or Feraghan.
Iranian Kurk* wool rug, cotton warp and weft, circa 1880. Normal condition of use
on the entire rug, given its age (140 years). Borders and stopping points restored in our workshop. Other restorations have been carried out over time. Rare.
Located north of Arak (former name: Sultanabad), western Iran, the Farahan district
included villages renowned for their quality of weaving. Very popular with the English from the 19th century onwards, Farahan rugs are resistant which in no way detracts from their elegant side.
They are renowned for their sobriety. These are rugs that have a short pile with excellent quality wool, dyed from vegetable colors. Many Farahans have a central medallion pattern that is always
well balanced, enhanced by a samovari** border. These rugs were often intended for the European market and more particularly for England. This elegant dozar format farahan is a perfect example of
ancient achievements. The orange color dominates the entire carpet. A superb black medallion, with orange and green floral patterns, contrasts with the ivory field of the carpet. The main border
features floral motifs and botehs*** and its abrached colors**** give a lot of charm to this splendid Farahan.
*Kurk wool: fine lamb wool collected by combing. Strong and durable
wool.
**Samovari: this pattern consists of small flowers represented on the borders
surrounding the rug. It is found on the majority of Iranian carpets. ***Boteh: Ancient pattern with different meanings. It can represent the transformation of Zoroaster into a cypress, symbol of
eternity, but also into a drop of water, into a palm, into a tree. The term boteh means "flowering bush" in Persian. There is a similarity with yin and yang.
****Abrache: term designating a variation of tones in the same color.
Iran Ispahan : 2,12 x 1,35 m
Iranian kurk wool rug (fine lamb's wool collected by combing), cotton warp and
weft, circa 1900. Rug restored in our workshop (stop stitches and borders). Very good condition considering its age. Rare. Strong and durable rug.
Isfahan rugs are among the most beautiful and finest rugs in Iran. The first
productions began during the Safavid dynasty (1501-1732) and more precisely under the reign of Shah Abbas the Great (1588-1629). Interrupted in the 18th century by an Afghan invasion, production
did not reappear until the end of the 19th century.
But it was especially at the beginning of the 20th century that the achievements
took off thanks to the initiative of traders from Kashan and Tabriz. By tradition, these achievements were family, at the inhabitant's homes.
Splendid Isfahan in dozar format, having required great mastery in its realization.
The Ustad (Master Weaver) designed a remarkable cartoon of this classic and timeless carpet. On a burgundy red background, a series of medallions and semi-medallions are aligned, surrounded by a
multitude of flowers, scrolls and botehs*. A beautiful main border on a navy blue background, rich in floral motifs, is framed by small aleh abassi** and samovari*** borders. The whole gives a
perfect balance. Beautiful polychromy.
*Boteh: Ancient motif with different meanings. It can represent the transformation
of Zoroaster into a cypress, symbol of eternity, but also into a drop of water, a palm, a tree. The term boteh means "flowering bush" in Persian. There is a similarity with yin and
yang.
**Aleh abassi: motif of stylized tulips referring to Shah Abbas.
***Samovari: this motif is composed of small flowers represented on the borders
that surround the carpet. It is found on the majority of Iranian rugs.
Iran Ghoum : 2,06 x 1,35 m
Iranian carpet in kurk wool (fine lamb's wool) and silk, cotton warp and weft,
circa 1950. Good condition. Some minor wool losses (see photos). Restoration of stopping points and borders in our workshop. Strong and durable mat.
The city of Ghoum or Qum is located about a hundred kilometers south of Tehran. The
first projects began in the 20s and 30s, inspired by the achievements of the Safavid dynasty of the cities of Kashan, Tabriz, Isfahan.
Beautiful academic rug with an elegant and refined pattern, in dozar format,
requiring great mastery in its creation. Beautiful balance of colors and patterns: flowers and foliage. In the center, a navy blue and beige medallion stands out from a red background which is
itself highlighted by an ivory background. A slate blue border is framed by two small 'herati' (flowers) borders.
Iran Kerman Laver : 1,10 x 0,70 m
Iranian kurk wool rug, cotton warp and weft, circa 1870. Zarsharak format. Very
fine work. State of use on the entire surface but the carpet remains nevertheless very solid. Restoration of borders and breakpoints in our workshop. Some previous restorations of about fifty
years.
Located in the south-east of Iran, at an altitude of 1,800 m, the city of Kerman
has the reputation of being one of the most prestigious centers in the production of carpets. The village of Ravar is credited with having the finest pieces in the Kerman region. The name 'ravar'
has been transformed over time into 'lavar' and 'laver'
Stunning kerman laver consisting of a central navy
blue medallion in the shape of an eight-pointed star on a carmen red field and four pastel blue spandrels. A multitude of flowers are represented on the entire surface as well as in the
borders.
A little history ...
Marco Polo (1254-1324) who spent time in Kerman, wrote about the city. Here are some passages:
"Creman is a kingdom in Persia". "In this kingdom there are many stones called Turquoise". The ladies and ladies embroider very finely and nobly, with a needle, on silk sheets of all colors representing animals, birds, trees, flowers".
It should be noted that at this time it was shawls and not carpets.
The Meched Carpet Museum (Khorassan, northeastern Iran) has a fragment of a Kerman rug dating back to 1476. The production of Kerman’s workshop carpets gained momentum during the Safavid dynasty (1501-1732) and more precisely under the reign of Shahs Abbas (1588-1529), which corresponds to the golden age of the academic carpet in Persia.
Wishing to develop art in Persia, Shah Abbas created schools to train Ustads (master weavers). The latter made 'boxes' of carpets. The drawings consisted of medallions, scenes of hunts, flower-picking, trees, gardens, mihrabs but also mosaics.
The major carpet creations were made in the cities of Kashan, Kerman, Tabriz, Meched and Isfahan. The carpet became academic.
A brutal halt to the achievements of Kerman carpets occurred at the fall of the Sefardita dynasty, mainly due to Afghan invasions. In 1794, under the Qadjar dynasty, the city of Kerman was destroyed. It was from the 19th century that workshops were recreated by local craftsmen but also by European companies for the European market and from 1920 for the American market.
Caucasus Kazak : 2,20 x 1,30 m
Caucasian wool carpet, wool warp and weft, dated 1320 or 1902 (Christian calendar).
Very good condition. Rare.
The name Kazak refers to carpets knotted in a mountainous area including Georgia
and Armenia. Kazaks include the small towns or villages of Bordjalou, Farchalo, Lambalo, Karachoph ...
Authentic Kazak consisting of three medallions inserting, for the middle one, an
hourglass motif symbolizing the passing of time, for the other two, zoomorphic spiders (tarantulas). A first border as well as two smaller ones take up the 'S' motif originally representing a
two-headed dragon that could also be observed on ancient Persian, Chinese and Celtic bronzes. A last border on a beige background is inspired by an old brickwork. Despite its age, the colors of
this Kazak have not faded. Some abraches (term designating a variation of tones in the same color) are characteristic of this origin.
Note: Recent 'Kazak' rugs, made by the Pashtuns since the 90s, most often in large
dimensions, take up the patterns of old Caucasian rugs but are in no case Caucasian rugs.
Caucasus kazak : 1,93 x 0,97 m
Caucasian wool rug, circa 1930. Used condition. Stop points restored in our
workshop.
The Kazak name refers to rugs knotted in a mountainous area including Georgia and
Armenia.
This rug is composed of a repetitive geometric pattern in the center, and is
delimited by borders that highlight the field of the rug. We find an ale abassi border (tulip border) and a 'running water' border that surround a beige herati border, composed of flowers and
swastikas. The quality of the colors that have not faded over time. Note a drop in the border pattern.
Caucasus Kazak : 2,40 x &,30 m
Caucasian wool rug, wool warp and weft, dated 1949. Very good condition. Rare.
The name Kazak designates carpets knotted in a mountainous area including Georgia
and Armenia.
This authentic Kazak, in 'kellé' format, is the perfect example of a traditional
village work specific to Caucasian rugs and of a bygone era. It is possible, given its graphics, that it is a kazak 'Lori Pambak', a term designating rugs made in the North of Armenia in small
villages attached to Lori whose capital is Pandak and located along the Georgian border.
On a very dark navy blue field (black), four very refined geometric patterns in
'crushed strawberry' color contrast with different worked borders. On the 'black' field, we notice patterns of hourglasses, göls (flowers), as well as the date 1949 reproduced four times. The
carpet has been signed, in a medallion, with the initials C and A. The octagons inside each medallion represent the Universe.
Borders:
- 'Aleh abassi' border (tulip border) orange yellow.
- 'S' pattern border. This motif originally represented a two-headed dragon that
could be seen on ancient Persian, Chinese and Celtic bronzes.
Note, a small restoration (2 cm²) on the back of the carpet, not visible on the
place.
Kirsehir Türkiye 2,02 x 1,30 m
Carpet from central Turkey, wool, circa 1920. Very good condition considering its
age. Some restorations have been carried out over time.
The ancient city of Kirsehir is located halfway between Ankara and Kayseri. The
pattern of this prayer rug (namazlik*) is characteristic of old 'cardboards' since the beginning of the 19th century.
The top of the mihrab is finished with a niche and a stepped arch topped with a
floral motif. The carnation, characteristic of Kirsehir carpets, is represented in panels at each end of the mihrab. Different borders frame the mihrab of this carpet in the bright and harmonious
colors typical of carpets from the beginning of the 20th century.
*The term namazlik designates, in Turkey, carpets reserved for prayer.
