Antique Tabriz | 168 x 140 cm | Nr. Z-2838

Floral antique Tabriz, rust red with border and medallion

Origin	Persia
Dimensions	168 cm x 140 cm (= 2.352 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: wool Weft & Warp: cotton
knots per m²2	250.000
Pile height	5mm
Year of manufacture	1910
Colour	Rust red
Edition	one-of-a-kind piece

Origin

Thanks to its position at the crossroads of countless caravan routes, the city of Tabriz (also written Tabris or Täbriz) on the northern border of Persia has always been a melting pot of different ethnic and religious groups. Although the city lies on the border with Azerbaijan, the dialect spoken in Tabriz is related to Turkish. The bazaars of Tabriz traded, and still trade, in craftwork and above all in rugs from the surrounding villages. This antique Tabriz is a collector's piece. It is around 110 years old, and that alone makes it a truly special piece. Antique rugs like this Tabriz 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 lavish floral motifs of this Tabriz are elegant and full of variety. The graceful plant symbols, depicting blossoms, leaves and branches, are artfully intertwined.

In the middle of the central field of this Tabriz lies the symmetrical centre, 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 surface of this Tabriz 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 when it comes to dirt. These colour shifts, known as abrash, make the rug look livelier. The mottling comes about because the wool of this Tabriz was hand-spun. During dyeing, the natural dyes are taken up to differing degrees.

The background of this Tabriz is rust red. The border is done in rust red, dusky pink and beige. In the dark blue centre, dusky pink and blue grey are combined.

Condition

You are not the first to take a liking to this Tabriz. It had owners before you who valued and used it. It was hand-knotted around 1910. It has been thoroughly cleaned and is in good but unrestored condition. The pile is worn in places. The fringes could do with a repair. The edges are damaged in places. We have not restored this Tabriz because we feel it has a special presence just as it is. If that is what you want, we will of course be happy to restore the rug for you. Either way, this Tabriz will give you pleasure for decades to come.

Material

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