subject: Sultanabad Rugs To Give Your Home The Makeover It Needs [print this page] Sultanabad, in Iran may be a war stricken area now, but, up until recently they were best known for the exquisite rugs produced by the weavers of the area. In 1883, Ziegler and Co., of England, established a carpet weaving workshop in this region in a place called Arak. In fact, in order to give these carpets a more westernized look and feel, employees from B. Altmann and Co. in New York were sought out to adapt and re colorize traditional 16th and 17th century designs Safavid designs.
And Then There Was Sultanabad
Westerners prefer a more minimalistic approach. They prefer the restrained use of colour, as opposed to people of the Orient who prefer a riot of colour in their carpets. In order to cater to the wealthy Western market, these changes were made. Not only that, a major improvement was made in the traditional local dying techniques. This led to the creation of exciting new possibilities in colouring and tonality techniques.
Sultanabad rugs and Sultanabad carpets have been exclusively made for Westerners since the 19th century and boy, have they caught on. These rugs are almost as popular as their Persian Kerman counterparts. They originate from the same part of the world so the colours and skills of the weavers are at par.
In fact, the exact date at which weaving began is not known. Oriental rugs, especially those which originated in what is now Modern day Persia, are known for the kind of knots they have. The supplementary weft yarn passes below one war yarn and finally comes out from a pile in between them. If the Persian knot has a symmetrical structure, it is called a Ghiordes know and if it has an asymmetrical structure, it is called a Semeh knot.
The Best of Both Worlds
The antique Sultanabad rugs have a huge fan following because, not only do they combine the Persian technique of fine rug making, they also have, in addition to Persian technique and design, subdued western colours to suit the western palette. Up until the 20th century, a large number of these rugs were imported from the east to Europe and America. In fact, if one regards these rugs, strictly in terms of style, the rugs from Sultanabad are still ones which are the most compelling to the tastes of the westerner.
So, if youre contemplating buying a Persian rug to bring your apartment alive, then I recommend the Antique Sultanabad rug. Not only do these rugs have Persian designs, they also combine this with colours to suit the western taste, so you get the best of both worlds. So where do you find these rugs? At Doris Leslie Blau of course. If youre a resident of New York, then youve obviously heard of them. They are every interior decorators best friend and if you do decide to go down to them, I can guarantee that you wont be disappointed.
