Antique Bakhtiari | 293 x 163 cm | Nr. Z-780

Geometric antique Bakhtiari, rust red with border and medallion

Origin	Persia
Dimensions	293 cm x 163 cm (= 4.78 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: wool Weft & Warp: wool
knots per m²2	200.000
Pile height	5mm
Year of manufacture	1910
Colour	Rust red, Dark blue
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 110 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 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 Bakhtiari its understated elegance. The pattern flatters the design of the room and never steals attention from the furniture, the decoration or the architectural elements. It creates a pleasant atmosphere without dominating the style of the room.

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 background of this Bakhtiari is rust red. The border is worked in dark blue and golden beige. In the black centre, dark blue and beige are combined.

Condition

This Bakhtiari has a story to tell. It was hand-knotted around 1910. It has been thoroughly cleaned and is in good but only partly restored condition. The pile is worn in places. The fringes could do with a repair. On one side, parts of the border are missing. We have not fully restored this Bakhtiari, because we feel it has a special presence exactly as it is. If that is what you would like, we are of course happy to take the restoration further for you. We can bring almost any rug back to near-perfect condition.

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