Antique and Vintage Persian Rugs

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The land known as Persia is associated with popular tales from the book “1,001 Arabian Nights,” like "Aladdin's Wonderful Lamp," "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves," and "The Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor.” In particular, "Prince Housain's...
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The land known as Persia is associated with popular tales from the book “1,001 Arabian Nights,” like "Aladdin's Wonderful Lamp," "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves," and "The Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor.” In particular, "Prince Housain's Carpet” captured the imagination of the West. In the story, this seemingly worthless carpet from Tangu could fly, a truly magical feat in the times before airplanes. This “magic carpet” or “flying carpet” was, naturally, a Persian rug. Today, we know Persia better as Iran, and it’s still home to highly artistic master craftsmen in urban centers as well as nomadic camps across the wilderness who make beautiful and intricate rugs and carpets, although not one of them is known to actually fly. (Iran is considered part of the historic Rug Belt, a region extending from Northern Africa to Central Asia where so-called Oriental rugs were made.) Nonetheless, a Persian rug has a distinct look to it, a sort of ancient magic seems to infuse the designs. That’s because techniques have been passed down through generations of rug-weaving families, each of which has its own original patterns, unique qualities, and style. In the past, all large homes had rug-weaving sheds in the back, where rugs would be made for the house and also to use for bartering and paying taxes. Even in small homes in Iran, the whole floor will be covered with rugs, although the wealth of the family can be measured by the quality rather than the quantity of the rugs. It’s not uncommon for Iranians to invest heavily in rug purchases, because they can always be sold on the Western market. Historically, there was a standard rug arrangement in the traditional Iranian home. In the middle would be the central rug or “mian farsh,” which is about five-to-six yards long and roughly six-to-eight feet wide. At one end would be the “kellegi” or principal rug, about 10-to-12 feet long and six feet wide. Then, along the sides of the mian farsh would be two “kenarehs,”...
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