Antique Silk Persian Bakshaish Floral Pattern Rug, Country of Origin: Persia, Circa Date: 1880
The contrast between a luminous ivory field and a deep navy border gives this antique Persian Bakshaish rug an unusually crisp visual structure. Across the center, large red, blue and pale gold botanical forms interlock through a repeating network of curving and angular stems. No single motif dominates; instead, the eye moves continuously from one large blossom to the next, making the composition a strong example of an allover rug design.
Within that repeating framework, the scale of the ornament changes constantly. Broad blue-and-red blossoms alternate with smaller rosettes, compact leaves and secondary floral devices, while dark outlines give many of the larger forms a distinctly graphic edge against the light ground. The generous spacing between these elements keeps the extensive floral pattern legible rather than crowded, even where several motifs overlap or connect.
The broad navy border provides a dramatic counterweight to the pale interior. Larger upright floral forms appear at intervals along the upper and lower sections, surrounded by smaller blossoms and a loose lattice of stems in red, ivory, blue and muted gold. Narrow rust-red and patterned guard borders add further definition, creating a layered transition between the dark perimeter and the central field.
Because silk is part of the rug’s supplied material identity, it also belongs naturally within Nazmiyal’s collection of silk rugs. Visually, however, the defining relationship remains the one between the expansive ivory ground, strongly outlined botanical forms and dark enclosing border—a combination that gives the rug both decorative richness and unusually clear organization.
If you need a different size or color, explore our custom rug service.
