Lot 256

RARE TEHRAN CARPET

A hand-knotted wool carpet on a cotton warp, created using the refined design of antique Persian Kashans, mysteriously nicknamed "Haji Khanum" by experts (an honorary Persian title for a woman who has made the pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca). The design spectacularly depicts a lush paradise garden for the faithful and is characterized primarily by the spacious shape of the mihrab (prayer niche) in the central field, dominated by the central tree of life. This is formed primarily by an eye-catching, colorful peacock's tail, composed like the richest bouquet of pear-shaped "drops of life" (as the "boteh" motif is also nicknamed, famous not only for carpets but also for ancient cashmere shawls). The almost fantastical floral style, with subtle hints of geometry, is supported by a pair of smaller vase trees of life surrounding a central sky-blue pedestal, which defines the lower part of this unique composition. A flood of tiny flowers, including daisies and roses, is also impressively used on the contours of the drops of life, which appear in unprecedented numbers in the carpet's borders. The wool is premium quality and the density of the weave places the carpet in the VERY FINE category - the density of the weave is approximately 500,000 knots per square meter, and the rich natural colors highlight all of the above. An attractive and rare carpet from the limited-time, exceptionally high-quality production of Tehran masters.