Antique Bakhtiari | 208 x 116 cm | Nr. Z-3818

Floral antique Bakhtiari, light red with border

Origin	Persia
Dimensions	208 cm x 116 cm (= 2.4128 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: wool Weft & Warp: cotton
knots per m²2	240.000
Pile height	6mm
Year of manufacture	1920
Colour	Light red, dark red
Edition	one-of-a-kind piece

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 above all with natural dyes, which for all their intensity feel pleasant to the eye and develop a beautiful patina over time. Frequently used colours are brown for the outlines, along with red, bottle green, yellow and white as a highlight that gives the rug its warm character. This antique Bakhtiari is a collector's piece. It is around 100 years old, and that alone makes it a truly special piece. Antique rugs like this Bakhtiari are as sought after as ever and fetch top prices at renowned auction houses.

Pattern

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

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 background of this Bakhtiari is light red. The border is worked in light red, dark red and cream white.

Condition

This Bakhtiari has a story to tell. It was hand-knotted around 1920. It has been cleaned thoroughly and is in good but unrestored condition. The fringes could do with a repair. The edges are damaged in places. The pile is slightly worn. The rug has a tear 5 cm in length. We haven't restored this Bakhtiari because we feel it has a special charm just as it is. If that's what you'd like, we'll happily 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.