Antique Persian Kirman Animal, Botanic Handmade Wool Rug BB7733 10'10" × 15'10" $70,000

A late 19th century Persian Kirman rug, the caramel field with an allover trellis of whimsical enlarged leaves and leafy vines within a cypress and flowering shrub border with enlarged black cusped medallions at the corners.

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 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 Persian rug 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.