A magnificent antique Tabriz rug from the 1920s — hand-knotted in the great workshop tradition of Tabriz, northwestern Middle East, in the most prestigious format in the Tabriz repertoire: the allover Shah Abbasi floral scroll on a deep crimson/lacquer red field, covering every inch of the ground in a continuous interlocking vine system of extraordinary complexity and precision.
The deep crimson field — the precise lacquer red that has defined Tabriz workshop production for centuries, warm and saturated, shifting from scarlet to deep crimson as the light changes — is covered with large Shah Abbasi palmettes in ivory, pink, teal, and navy, rendered at multiple scales from dominant to accent. These alternate with open-faced lotus blossoms in ivory and pink, cloud bands in ivory and teal (the Chinese-influenced scroll that entered the Tabriz vocabulary via the Safavid court), deeply serrated sickle leaves in dark olive and navy, and delicate flowering branches bearing blue daisy flowers, pink rosebuds, and yellow accents. A pink vase or ewer motif with a dotted grid body anchors one section of the composition. The scroll fills the field from edge to edge with no empty ground visible — the hallmark of the finest allover Tabriz workshop production.
The border system is a masterpiece of the Tabriz workshop tradition: a wide ivory-ground main border carrying a continuous scroll of large red palmettes, pink and salmon acanthus leaf forms, blue lotus flowers, and olive leaves — framed above and below by teal/sky blue guard borders with a continuous small floral rosette and vine scroll in red, ivory, and navy. The ivory border is slightly toned with age — warm rather than bright white — a natural and beautiful patina of 100 years.
At 303 × 403 cm (9’11” × 13’2”), this is a full room-size antique rug — large enough to anchor a formal dining room, a grand living room, or a library — and at 100 years of age, it carries the color depth, the design authority, and the patina that no modern reproduction can replicate.
❖ Condition
Good antique condition (c. 1920s — approximately 100 years old). The crimson field remains vivid and saturated throughout — the red dye well-preserved with no significant fading. Colors are vivid across all areas — ivory border warm and bright, teal guard borders clean, navy elements deep and rich. Pile is uneven — full and lustrous in some areas, reduced in others, consistent with a century of use; the design remains fully legible and visually impactful throughout. Dark brown/black elements show some natural oxidation (iron-based dye chemical process — a normal characteristic of antique rugs, not a defect). Fringe present but short and worn at ends. Priced to reflect honest antique condition.
❖ Specifications
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Origin: Tabriz — northwestern Middle East
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Age: Circa 1920s (antique — approximately 100 years)
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Material: Hand-spun wool pile on cotton foundation
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Technique: Hand-knotted workshop — asymmetric (Persian) knot — medium-fine density
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Dimensions: 303 × 403 cm / 9'11" × 13'2" — full room size
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Design: Allover Shah Abbasi floral scroll — large palmettes, lotus blossoms, cloud bands, sickle leaves, flowering branches, vase motif; no central medallion
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Field color: Deep crimson/lacquer red
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Border: Wide ivory-ground main border; teal/sky blue guard borders
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Colors: Crimson red, ivory/cream, teal/sky blue, dark navy, olive green, pink/salmon, golden yellow, dark brown
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Fringe: Ivory wool — present, short and worn
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Condition: Good antique — pile uneven; colors vivid; dark element oxidation; fringe worn; signs of age consistent with antique status
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SKU: 1C1278
❖ Why It’s Special
Three things elevate this rug. The allover Shah Abbasi format — no central medallion, the entire field covered in a continuous interlocking floral scroll from edge to edge — is the most technically demanding and prestigious composition in the Tabriz workshop repertoire, requiring a master cartoonist and a highly skilled weaving team to execute at this scale without visual repetition or loss of rhythm. The format — 303 × 403 cm is a true room-size antique, large enough to anchor a formal interior; antique Tabriz rugs of this size in usable condition are increasingly rare as the supply of genuine 1920s pieces diminishes. And the color palette — the precise lacquer crimson of the field against the ivory border and teal guards — is the most classic and enduring Tabriz color relationship, one that works in traditional, transitional, and contemporary interiors with equal authority.
