Antique Persian Tabriz Animal Design Carpet BB3248 11'3" × 15'2" $48,000

An early 20th century antique Persian Tabriz carpet, the caramel field with a lush allover design of naturalistic animals and trees with a unusual hill-shaped cartouches at the lower end within a celadon tree and animal border.

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 carpets and rugs. Factory production replaced the village craft of rug-making that had been prevalent up until that time. These antique Persian rugs featured simple rectilinear patterns. After 1722, Persian antique 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.