Description
In 1883, Ziegler and Co, of Manchester, England established a Persian carpet manufacture in Sultanabad Persia, which employed designers from major western department stores such as B. Altman & Co of New York and Liberty, to modify 16th- and 17th-century Eastern designs for the more restrained western taste. Using highly developed dying techniques, and the best artisans from the region, the Ziegler Co created rugs with beautiful, all-over patterns and with softer palettes than their vibrant Persian counterparts.
This is a rare small format carpet from the famed and world renown Ziegler & Co workshop in Sultanabad, Persia, dating from the late 19th century. The wool pile is in remarkable original condition retaining its beautiful natural dyes and colour, with the design consisting of abstract floral motifs and boteh designs in the main field. An soft border design which has been beautifully drawn and woven with exquisite soft terracotta dyes, we can see lots of “abrash” the term for dye change in the border. This is where the weavers have used varying colours of dyed wool and over the last 130 plus years it has faded to reveal this unique colour change which adds immense character and is copied today in contemporary weavings.
Condition is very good indeed, with the majority of the carpet retaining a medium wool pile, a few localised areas of lower pile, we can see the original end ties to when it was cut from the loom which is lovely to see. Rare to find these small format Ziegler’s, and even more so in this fantastic indigo blue. Although we take good images to really show the true colours, it really does look better in the flesh this piece, and we would love to show it to you at our showroom or at home.
Ziegler & co workshop carpets have always been revered and desired by collectors and designers alike. Ziegler rugs developed an almost immediate following in the late 19th Century, especially among early collectors which included the Guinness family, who laid them in Elveden Hall, their Suffolk estate. Ziegler carpets are one of the only types of Persian carpet which were influenced by western designs and have become one of the most sought after carpets in the world today.
Request a home visit to view this stunning antique Ziegler carpet in situ at a convenient time.
