Old Bakhtiari | 200 x 130 cm | Nr. 20544

Floral old Bakhtiari, dark blue with border and medallion

Origin

The Bakhtiari (also Bachtiari) are an ancient, widely branching people living in south-western Iran. The collective name for their rugs is Bakhtiar or Bakhtiari, where the ‘i’ corresponds to our preposition ‘of’. Bakhtiari rugs – the rugs of the Bakhtiari – take in numerous sub-provenances with a range of pattern types. For all this breadth, Bakhtiar rugs resemble one another in their colour compositions, in their various handcrafted techniques and in their line, which is always floral.

Bakhtiari rugs are made preferably with natural dyes, which feel pleasant despite their intensity and develop a beautiful patina over time. Common colours are brown for the outlines, plus red, bottle green, yellow and white as a highlight that gives the rug its likeable character. This old Bakhtiari is around 90 years old and a true collector's piece.

Pattern

The lavish floral motifs of this Bakhtiari are elegant and full of variety. The graceful plant symbols, depicting blossoms, leaves and branches, are artfully intertwined.

The ornate border forms a wonderful contrast with the centre and shapes the transition at the edge of the rug.

At the heart of this Bakhtiari's central field lies the symmetrical centrepiece, also known as the medallion. The design of the field is subordinate to the medallion, so that the medallion appears to float on the field.

The surface of this Bakhtiari has a mottled look. The shifts in hue and the light-and-dark shading of the pile yarn make the colours shimmer and help the rug hide everyday dirt. These so-called colour shifts, known as abrash, make the rug look livelier. The mottling occurs because the wool of this Bakhtiari was hand-spun. During dyeing, the natural dyes are absorbed to differing degrees.

The background of this Bakhtiari is dark blue. The border is worked in dark red, blue-grey and dark blue. In the dark red centre, olive green and beige are combined.

Condition

This Bakhtiari has a story to tell. It was hand-knotted around 1930. It has been thoroughly cleaned and is in good but unrestored condition. The pile has grown a little thinner over the years. On one side, a small piece of the border is missing. The edges and fringes of the rug are damaged and could do with a repair. We have not restored this Bakhtiari, because we feel it has a special presence just as it is. If you would like us to, we will of course be happy to restore the rug for you. Either way, this Bakhtiari will give you pleasure for decades to come.

Material

The pile of this Bakhtiari was hand-knotted from high-quality new wool. New wool is obtained by gently shearing sheep. New wool is a renewable, natural raw material with a number of impressive qualities: thanks to the natural grease in the wool, the surface repels droplets of water and is therefore naturally protected against dirt. Wool also provides excellent thermal insulation, helps to regulate the indoor climate and dampens sound. The weft and warp threads of this Bakhtiari are made of cotton. This versatile material is both tear-resistant and elastic, which makes it particularly well suited to a hard-wearing foundation.