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Imperial Qajar Dynasty Carpet 8'9" x 6'
Overview
Materials & Craftsmanship:
This diligently hand-knotted area rug is made of 100% pure lamb’s wool. Wool is a natural material, representing a healthy choice that is environmentally friendly with a long list of benefits. The pile of this wool rug is hygienic and non-allergenic, as the natural pile also deters the growth of bacteria and dust mites. It represents a great choice for asthma sufferers due to its natural filtering ability. The rug feels soft under the foot while remaining wear-resistant and long-lasting. With proper maintenance tailored to its needs, this rug can last over 75 years.
Finishing:
The finishing of this carpet was done using centuries old traditional techniques. Once its laborious hand-knotting was completed, it was rolled and entirely submerged in a sanitizing bath where its fibers fully absorbed all cleaning liquid. After which it was laid flat on the ground where a team of cleaners used wooden oar-like paddles to push the water through its fibers and draw out impurities. Oar strokes were done in sync to prevent the carpet from getting torn. Each stroke tightened the knots even further. No machines were involved in its washing or drying.
A Brief History of Qajar Dynasty Carpets
The Qajar dynasty (also anglicized as Ghajar or Kadjar) was an Iranian royal family of Turkmen origin who ruled Persia (Iran) from 1794 to 1925. The Qajar family took full control of Iran in 1794, deposing Lotf 'Ali Khan, the last of the Zand dynasty, and re-asserted Persian sovereignty over parts of the Caucasus. In 1796 Mohammad Khan Qajar was formally crowned as Shah. After Nader Khan became Shah of Iran in 1736, he destroyed Isfahan, and Persian rug-making entered a period of drought. The only people making rugs in Persia at this time were nomads and craftsmen in small villages. Rug-making didn't pick back up again until the beginning of the Qajar dynasty's period of power. The Qajars valued craftsmanship. Nasser e-Din Shah, who ruled from 1848 to 1896, forbade the use of aniline dyes in rug-making, because these dyes were not colorfast. At the tail end of the Qajar dynasty, in the late 19th century, export of Persian rugs began. Companies from the U.S., England and Germany built factories in Iranian cities and started producing their own Persian rugs. Merchants exported rugs from Tabriz to Istanbul, and from there into Europe.
Sources and inspiration: Bérinstain, Valérie, et al. L'art du tapis dans le monde (The art of carpets in the world). Paris: Mengès, 1996. Print.; Jerrehian Jr., Aram K.A. Oriental Rug Primer. Philadelphia: Running Press, 1980. Print.; Herbert, Janice Summers. Oriental Rugs, New York: Macmillan, 1982. Print.; Hackmack, Adolf. Chinese Carpets and Rugs, Rutland and Tokyo: Tuttle, 1980. Print. ; De Moubray, Amicia, and David Black. Carpets for the home, London: Laurence King Publishing, 1999. Print.; Jacobsen, Charles. Oriental Rugs A Complete Guide, Rutland and Tokyo: Tuttle, 1962. Print.; Bashir, S. (n.d.). Personal interview.; Web site sources and dates of consultation vary (to be confirmed). Without prejudice to official usage.
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