Number 1803
Type Workshop
Material Silk
Style Geometric
Origin Tabriz
Size 321 x 237
Age 1815
Signed FABRIK RIZA 1815 .. this coup de grace is a 200+ year old PURE SILK GARDEN CARPET that’s as old as the Battle of Waterloo. The Chaharbagh Garden theme is beautifully rendered in the inimitable Safavid style, with elegant inscriptions around the border.
Back when it was made, half the world away Napoleon was still the dominant figure in Europe and the Duke of Wellington was about to experience his greatest achievement. Back then both the Ottoman Empire and the nascent USA were slave owning states, Farsi was the official language of the British Raj in India, and Japan was still 40 years away from opening up to the world.
It was last seen/sold in Chicago in 1925 .. when it was already 110 years old. And now it’s mine and is waiting for a museum or private collection to take it home for the next century.
It has seen so many empires rise and fall, witnessed some of humanity’s greatest successes and most horrifying cruelties. It’s seen men master electromagnetism and defy gravity and travel to space. Yet as AI has become an everyday thing in our society, we still believe in the magic of a flying carpet. Well how about a silk one that’s still rocking it in its third century of life?
The Nastaliq poetry around the calligraphic border reads:
خوش آمدید و من از آمدن شما خوشحال شدم
𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙜𝙡𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙩.
I have been buying and collecting oriental rugs for over 40 years. As a result I have had direct experiences with many dealers and galleries throughout Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia. The Hadi Maktabi establishment is distinct and unique. It is rare to find a dealer who not only has a discerning taste and excellent choice of rugs. But with Hadi, the experience is one of an erudite oriental rug scholar paired with years of family experiences and traditions dealing in rugs, carpets and textiles. The available choices, diversity and quality of his stock is awesome. It is always a pleasure. Highly recommended and satisfying. As a collector he has become not only a partner of choice, knowledge and information but also a valued friend. Robert Bell, CEO Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, U.K. 🇬🇧
I must say this one of the most enriching carpet purchase experiences I ever had. This was not a mere transaction but more an experience about art and history. Dr Maktabi's experience and knowledge in this space is second to none. Highly recommended! R.A., Doha, Qatar
I first met Dr. Maktabi as a lecturer on carpet history and was captivated by his passion for the subject. Only later I knew him as a dealer, though even in our financial transactions, Hadi has been a gentle guide and friend. He has understood my taste and interests and made wonderful suggestions, but never in a pushy way. That is to say I have enjoyed working with him on several levels and wish to continue our excellent relations and dealings far into the future. A. Harvey Pincis, formerly Dar Al Athar Al Islamiyyah Museum (Kuwait), Latvia 🇱🇻
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