Authentic Persian Tabriz Handmade Wool Rug BB7311 10'8" × 18'6" $85,000

An early 20th century Persian Tabriz rug, the caramel field with an allover trellis of stylized palmettes, flowering vinery and blue split-leaf tendrils within a blue palmette and serrated leaf border.

The origin of antique rug weaving is often disputed. Experts have uncovered splendid carpets in the palace of Cyrus the Great, who ruled the ancient Persian Empire in the 6th Century B.C. People crafted these antique Persian carpets in very small villages and sold them for placement in residences. Many of the rugs featured designs and weavings unique to the particular community or tribe in which they were created.

The artistic high point for antique carpets occurred during the 15th to 18th centuries, under the reign of the Safavid Dynasty. During that period, the Shahs supported the weaving industry by ramping up commercial production and organizing weaving workshops that employed highly skilled artisans.