Category: Antique Rugs

SOLD — Large Grand Persian Medallion Heriz Rug — 11 ft. 5 in. by 8 ft. $969

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To view available rugs and art, please go to the SHOP section in the main menu.

Gorgeous old Persian Heriz carpet from NW Iran. This rug came out of a European estate.

Because it was dusty, I had it professionally washed soon after snapping the photos. Colors are perhaps a little brighter after the wash but no real changes –other than it is clean and dust free. The fringes are also a little whiter although they were not bleached. (Bleaching weakens the cotton and causes long term problems.)

Some scattered minor wear (penultimate photo) but overall condition is very good. Some minimal abrash (color variegation) in the reds and blues, which lends the carpet a painterly effect. (The faint line crossing the rug in the 3 wide shots is a shadow from an overhead cable.) These artistic and traditional Persian Heriz rugs are rugged and very resilient to wear.

Stunning art for your floor!

The Heriz or Serapi medallion design is one of the most popular in the world, and originated in the northwest of Iran. This motif favors a large central medallion and a wide border.  This one displays a rich mix of colors including reds, indigo blue, light blue, ivory, gold and olive. 1940s – 1950s. Exact size is 11 ft. 5 in. by 7 ft. 11 in., which is an ideal size for most large living and dining rooms.

These rugs are well known for their durability and have been popular with collectors for over a century. Natural wool woven onto natural cotton in the mountains of the Heriz Province.

This is an authentic Heriz rug from Iran — not a knockoff from India of dubious quality. (Very common now — especially with the embargo against Iran.)  These rugs are produced in the villages scattered across the slopes of Mount Sabalan, northeast of Tabriz.

One of the alleged reasons for the toughness of Heriz carpets is that Mount Sabalan is sitting on a major deposit of copper. Trace copper in the drinking water of the sheep supposedly produces high quality wool. The copper makes the wool stronger and far more resilient than wool from other areas (so the claim goes). Heriz rugs originate in towns such as Ahar, Heris, Mehraban, Sarab, Serapi, Bakhshaish, and Gorevan.

Please email me with questions or to arrange for a purchase.

The price is $969. Shipping is $69 within the U.S. — or free local pickup.

Thank you.

(HE0093     O283)

SOLD — Antique ‘Art Deco’ Chinese Nichols Rug with Butterflies — 11 ft. 5 in. by 9 ft. 5 in. $895

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C0015_11-5x9-5_O236_18w

 

To view available rugs and art, please go to the SHOP section in the main menu.

 

Elegant 1920s — 1930s antique ‘Art Deco’ Chinese Rug with some wear across the wool pile. Side cords have wear and a few small repairs, which is perfectly normal for an antique rug.  The fringes are short with minor end wear–especially at the corners.

The rug was professionally ‘end-stopped’ (a button stitch is sewn by hand along the ends) some time ago, and this has protected the weft threads from any kind of unraveling.

I was told the rug was washed and it seems clean with no odors or soiling. The primary colors are silver gray, a light taupe, and indigo blue in the border. There are highlights of violet and daubs of magenta in the foliage. A few butterflies wing their way across the open field (one shown in closeup).

Despite the age and scattered wear, this is a rugged, well-made rug that can handle high foot traffic. Nichols’ carpets and their kin are well known for their resilience.

This is a perfect rug for someone comfortable with an antique that shows use, but has aged gracefully.

Walter Nichols is the best known manufacturer of these Chinese rugs, but other companies were weaving very similar high quality rugs for the American home in the 1920s and 1930s. They are highly collectible today and noted for their ironclad durability. (One jaundiced rug ‘expert’ lamented that they are difficult to eradicate because they are virtually indestructible.)

“The Nichols name has come to be used almost synonymously with the ‘Chinese deco’ rugs manufactured in Tientsin in the 1920s and 1930s. Nichols did not originate the Chinese deco style, but he did a great deal to popularize it and to maintain its high standards of manufacture.”

Of course, after the expanded Japanese invasion of China in 1937, the enlargement of the Second World War, and then the Communist Revolution in mainland China in 1949, the era of the Nichol’s rugs ended. However, they continued to exert an influence on rug production in the People’s Republic of China.

Very dense, solid weave. Heavy. Wool on cotton. Superb dyes that do not ‘bleed’. Large room size at 11 ft. 5 in. by 9 ft. 5 in.

The price will be $895. Shipping is $70. Free pickup is an option, too.

Please email me with questions or to arrange a purchase.Thank you.

(C0015      O236)