Antique Farahan | 195 x 123 cm | Nr. Z-2837

Floral antique Farahan, dusky pink with border and medallion

Origin	Persia
Dimensions	195 cm x 123 cm (= 2.3985 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: wool Weft & Warp: cotton
knots per m²2	250.000
Pile height	4mm
Year of manufacture	1890
Colour	Dusky pink, Beige
Edition	one-of-a-kind piece

Origin

Farahan is a district in the central Iranian province of Markazi. It gave its name to a classic floral pattern found on rugs from the Mahallat region around the town of Sultanabad.

From the 1870s onwards, the Mahallat region around the town of Sultanabad (formerly Arak) grew into an important centre for knotting Persian rugs for export. A key role in this was played by the English import house Messrs. Ziegler & Co. Ltd., run by a Swiss merchant, which opened a branch in Mahallat in 1883.

These rugs — also called Mahal, Ziegler-Mahal or simply Ziegler — were knotted in the surrounding villages to Western colour and pattern specifications. The blend of European design briefs in lighter, calmer colouring with classic patterns in the style of Farahan and Sultanabad rugs was very well received in Europe.

The success was enormous, and Ziegler rugs became an international mark of quality. The exquisite flow of the many-petalled flowers is particularly impressive in Ziegler rugs. Well-preserved antique Ziegler rugs fetch record prices today – above all in the USA. For some years now, these antique Ziegler designs have been re-knotted in high quality in Pakistan and India.

The newly issued Ziegler rugs, made from hand-spun wool dyed with natural colours, are part of a revival of hand-knotted rugs. This return to traditional techniques began in the early 1980s, driven among other things by the so-called DOBAG initiative. At first this reproduction focused on the Ziegler rugs described above. Before long, almost every traditional Persian pattern was being reproduced. The result was adaptations of antique rugs as well as contemporary designs with the charm of an antique piece. This antique Farahan is a collector's item. It is around 130 years old, and that alone makes it a truly special piece. Antique rugs like this Farahan 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 lush floral motifs of this Farahan are elegant and full of variety. The graceful plant forms, showing blossoms, leaves and branches, are artfully intertwined.

The surface of this Farahan has a mottled look. The shifts in tone and the light-and-dark shading of the pile yarn make the colours shimmer and keep the rug forgiving of dirt. These so-called colour shifts, known as abrash, give the rug a livelier feel. The mottling occurs because the wool of this Farahan was hand-spun. During dyeing, the natural pigments are absorbed to differing degrees.

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

The background of this Farahan is beige. Dusky pink and beige also dominate the overall impression. The border is done in dark blue and dusky pink. At the centre, dusky pink and blue grey are combined.

Condition

You are not the first to take a liking to this Farahan. It had owners before you who valued and used it. It was hand-knotted around 1890. It has been thoroughly cleaned and is in good but only partly restored condition. The pile is evenly worn. The edges are damaged in places. The fringes could do with a repair. We have not fully restored this Farahan because we feel it has a special charm just as it is. If that is what you want, we will of course be happy to carry on restoring the rug for you. We can bring almost any rug back to near-perfect condition.

Material

The pile of this Farahan 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 whole range of impressive qualities: thanks to the wool's natural oil content, the surface repels drops of water and is therefore naturally protected against dirt. Wool also provides excellent thermal insulation, has a regulating effect on the indoor climate and dampens sound. The weft and warp threads of this Farahan are made of cotton. This versatile material is tear-resistant and elastic, which makes it particularly well suited to a hard-wearing foundation.