Mahal | 600 x 93 cm | Nr. 14690

Floral Mahal runner, light red with border

Origin	Pakistan
Dimensions	600 cm x 93 cm (= 5.58 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: wool (hand-spun, natural dyes) Weft & Warp: cotton
knots per m²2	160.000
Pile height	6mm
Condition	new
Colour	Light red, Beige
Edition	one-of-a-kind piece

 

Origin

The Mahal rug is a classic example of western Persian rug making, named after the town of Mahallat in the province of the same name. From the 1870s onwards, this region around the town of Sultanabad (formerly known as Arak) grew into an important centre for the production of Persian export rugs. The English importer Ziegler & Co. Ltd. in particular played a central role in this development and opened a branch in Mahallat in 1883.

The rugs from the Mahal region, often also called Ziegler-Mahal or Farahan, were made in the surrounding villages under Western influence. They combine European colour and pattern specifications with traditional Persian designs. The result was a calm, lighter palette that was greatly appreciated in Europe and won these rugs international fame.

Antique Ziegler rugs fetch top prices today, particularly in the USA. In recent years the historic Ziegler design has been re-knotted by hand to a high standard in Pakistan and India, driving the revival of this antique art form. These modern reproductions are made from hand-spun wool and coloured with natural dyes, which gives them their very own charm.

Pattern

The lush floral motifs of this Mahal runner stand out for their elegant and varied designs. Graceful flowers, leaves and branches are artfully interwoven, giving the rug an impressive depth of detail.

The rug is framed by a fine border that forms a harmonious contrast to the central pattern and underlines the rug's aesthetic. The background glows in a soft light red, while the border is kept in a neutral beige, giving the rug an air that is classic and contemporary at the same time.

Material

The Mahal rug is made with a technique that is more than 200 years old, in which the wool is dyed with natural colours and spun by hand. Dyeing with natural dyestuffs is an artful, labour-intensive method that takes considerably more time and resources than using chemical colours. For a strong red, for example, around one kilogram of madder root is needed per kilogram of wool. For an intense yellow it even takes two kilograms of the dyestuff dyer's weld.

The spinning process is just as labour-intensive, as fewer and fewer people are still able to spin wool by hand. Even so, the effort pays off: because the wool is dyed with natural colours, it keeps its natural lanolin content, which adds to the rug's durability and softness. The hand-spun wool creates fascinating, shifting patterns whose irregular texture and natural shades make a wonderful addition to both modern and traditionally furnished rooms.

The warp and weft threads of this Mahal rug are made of high-quality cotton. This gives the rug particular resilience and excellent elasticity, making it ideal for everyday use.