Vintage Persian Tabriz Botanic Handmade Wool Carpet BB1665 11'9" × 13'10" $55,000

An early 20th century Northwest Persian Tabriz antique rug, the royal blue field with an allover trellis of enlarged palmettes and vinery in ivory, pale blue and brown within a dense sand palmette and vinery border.

Round Persian rugs have a long history, going back to the Golden Age of Persian carpet weaving. The concept of carpet production came about during the Safavid dynasty. Court-established factories, provisioned by Shah Tahmasp (1524-1587), were devoted to producing intricate antique carpets and rugs. Factory production replaced the village craft of rug-making that had been prevalent up until that time. These antique Persian beautiful rugs featured simple rectilinear patterns. After 1722, Persian carpet production declined significantly. The Afghan invasion took a toll on the region, but – fueled by European demand – production picked up again in the late nineteenth century. This art form was thus revived.