Old Malayer | 66 x 56 cm | Nr. Z-1545

Geometric old Malayer, dark red with border

Origin	Persia
Dimensions	66 cm x 56 cm (= 0.81 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: wool Weft & Warp: wool
knots per m²2	120.000
Pile height	6mm
Year of manufacture	1960
Colour	Dark red, Terracotta
Edition	one-of-a-kind piece

Origin

Malayer is the second-largest city in the province of Hamadan in western Iran and is known for its rug workshops. Malayer lies between Hamadan and Khorramabad, 380 km south-west of Tehran. Today's city of Malayer was founded in 1808 under the name Daulatabad, in order to bring the restless region around the Zagros Mountains under the control of the Persian state. This old Malayer is around 60 years old and a real collector's piece.

Pattern

The edge of the rug is framed by a surround (border). The border forms a splendid contrast to the centre.

The abstract, geometric composition is what gives this Malayer its understated elegance. The pattern flatters the design of the room and never draws attention away from the furniture, the décor and the architectural features. It creates a pleasant atmosphere without dominating the style of the room.

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

The overall impression is dominated by dark red and terracotta. The border is worked in dark red, terracotta and pink.

Condition

You are not the first to take a liking to this Malayer. It has had owners before you who valued and used it. It was hand-knotted around 1960. It has been thoroughly cleaned and is in good but unrestored condition. We have not restored this Malayer because we feel it has a special presence just as it is. If you would like us to, we will of course gladly restore the rug for you. Either way, this Malayer will give you pleasure for decades to come.

Material

The pile of this Malayer 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 properties: thanks to the natural lanolin in the wool, the surface repels droplets of water and is therefore naturally protected against dirt. Wool also offers excellent thermal insulation, helps regulate the indoor climate and dampens sound. The foundation (weft and warp threads) of this Malayer is made of new wool.