Fine Persian Isfahan Rug – Silk and Wool – Signed

Signed Persian Isfahan rug handwoven in Iran from silk and wool. Central medallion design.

Esfahan is one of the great historic weaving centres of Iran which sits in the centre of the great fertile western belt that stretches from Tehran in the north through Kashan, Esfahan and down to Shiraz, the capital of Fars in the South. The safavid Shah, Shah Abbas, moved his capital from the city of Qazvin in the North West of Isfahan in the late 16th century and there it remained except for brief intervals in the 18th century, when Mashad and Shiraz were briefly appointed until the Qajars  moved the capital once again, and finally, to Tehran in the early 19th-century. Historically, Esfahan occupies in Persian political and cultural history a place similar to that of Saint Petersburg in Russia. Esfahan is undoubtedly the Cultural capital of Persia (Iran), and arguably it’s most beautiful city. Indeed it’s great central-square with the Sheikh Luftullah and Shah mosques, the two great multi arched bridges and other wonderful buildings such as the historic Friday mosque and the Chihil Situne Palace make this one of the greatest cities of the Islamic world.

Carpets have been woven in Esfahan at least since the establishment of royal workshops under Shah Abass in the 1590s. Two groups associated with the golden age of Safavid art include the silk ‘Polonaise’ carpets and the great predominantly red ground floral carpets; the latter often called ‘Indo-Persian’ or ‘Indo Esfahan’ in the early to mid-part of the 20th century, despite the fact that 19th century collectors had no doubts as to their Esfahan origin. As with many of the leading Persian weaving cities things become a bit hazy from the end of the 17th century to the end of the 19th century and within the context of the revival of Persian weaving at the time, there are few rugs that can be attributed to Esfahan before the 1920s. The great period of Esfahan weaving began in the early in the 1930s and continued after the Second World War with the establishment of some of the greatest carpet designers of the 20th century including Seirafian, Mamoury and Hekmatnejad names synonymous with the finest of Esfahan carpet weaving. Their carpets are all distinguished by their technical weave quality and elegance of their designs.

For further information please contact us and our team will be pleased to assist you. All pieces in the collection are under the auspices of Essie Sakhai, one of the world’s foremost experts and collectors of fine handmade Persian rugs and carpets.