Object History
We offer the service of viewing any of our carpets & rugs in-situ in London, Surrey, Hampshire & the UK by appointment. Request a home visit to arrange a convenient day and time to view this beautiful antique Baktiari carpet in your own home.
Bakhtiari carpets are based on a cotton foundation warp with a wool weft usually taken from the herds of the producing tribe. This leads to unique carpets that differ depending on the characteristics of each tribe’s wool. The wool can range from dull to extreme glossy and the resultant pile is clipped medium to high. The best carpets with the highest knot density are often known as Bibbibaff, this rug is a very fine example and could be considered to be close to the best type.
There are some 200 villages in the region of Baktiari, who all produced beautiful rugs around the late 19th century and in some quite striking designs. Baktiari, which is west of Isfahan, Persia is a region where rugs used a similar medallion format to those of Isfahan rugs. This is where the similarity ends, as village rugs from Baktiari are often coarsely woven on a wool foundation whereas Isfahan rugs are much finer and woven using a cotton foundation. This rug is an exception to the typical weave of tribal rugs from Baktiari as it is much finer than most we encounter, the weaver obviously had great skill and added a variety of complex designs from the intricate floral background design and the well drawn corner spandrels.
