Large Antique Persian Ziegler Sultanabad Rug, Country Of Origin: Persia, Circa Date: Late 19th Century – This elegant antique Ziegler carpet showcases the versatile proportions, stunning Safavid-inspired designs, carefully selected colors and other beloved traits that made the firm’s legendary rugs prized throughout Europe and Great Britain. The posh ivory field features grand botanical ornaments surrounded by flourishing floral sprays that are defined by delicate hairline details. Oxidized terra-cotta reds and softly abrashed Persian blues have a marvelous, elegant effect when paired with the soft white ground. The beautifully aged colors and abrashed hues add to the nuanced, timeless beauty of this antique Ziegler rug. Bold, beautiful borders filled with reciprocating botanical motifs highlight the formal style of the elegant Safavid-influenced patterns that have made Persian Ziegler Sultanabad rugs perennial favorites.
The term “Ziegler” is, more often than not, misapplied. All Ziegler rugs are Sultanabad but not the other way around. This carpet is without a doubt, a true Ziegler (based on its weave, age, colors, design and texture)If you touch the wool, you will feel how soft it is. This is because they used the highest grade wool (most likely imported wool from England).
The use of very soft colors is yet another great attribute. Most area rugs from Persia were made with richer colors and there aren’t too many with such a luminous, soft yet happy coloration (for example – the light soft blues are phenomenal). This rug can work in pretty much any setting and enhance the look while not taking away from anything else.
The Pattern – All over, large scale and very much arts and crafts is put together in the most perfect way! Up until Ziegler came on the scene, the Persian rugs tended to be busier (and far more colorful). This rug is part of his early productions (from around the 1870’-80’s) which are now starting to be attributed (by people in the art history field) as the roots of the arts and crafts movement. You can see that someone with a western approach put all the different elements together. The aim was to create beautiful works of art that could also be used as decorative items and I, for one, think they achieved what they set out to accomplish.
Condition – There is one small area in the border that needs some work and it was sized in the most perfect way. In the field of antique rugs, one can’t expect a better starting off condition! Rugs like these were extremely expensive when they first made which is why it was such a limited production. This was by no means a mass production. Much time and planning went into producing each piece – making sure that the colors were just right, the weave was good and the pattern were perfectly executed. They were able to weave this rugs yet make them feel so effortless and beautiful.
The rugs that are truly the best of the best (such as this piece) have a timeless look and they are just as desirable today as they were during the late 19th century. Anyone who sees this rug will immediately feel how special it is – you don’t need to be a carpet maven to know that this piece is special.
No expense was spared to produce this piece… that is just one of the many features that make the Ziegler rugs so coveted by people from all over the world.