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.
Purchasing carpets from Hadi Maktabi was the epitome of professionalism and joy. Hadi is an expert curator, purveyor, historian and story teller. His passion, knowledge, professionalism and expertise are evident every step of the way. With a wide range of choices and prices, prompt service, and fast sipping, we had our carpets in Sydney in a matter of days. The ultimate flying carpet experience! Zeina Tebbutt, Sidney, Australia 🇦🇺
“You don’t just buy a rug from Dr Maktabi... It’s an experience, a rich one! You learn about history, culture & art. And more importantly you feel euphoric!” Dr Siamak Abolhassani, Expert Medical Care Clinics, Victoria, Australia 🇦🇺
“I practically furnished my entire home with carpets from Hadi. The process was not only a joy but it was also a learning experience for me. Hadi was super helpful in identifying the right pieces for my home that would both work with my taste, budget, sizes required and that would be a good investment for my family. Hadi’s collection is second to none, and his knowledge and service is truly the blessing on top.” Amr Banaja, Public Investment Fund, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦
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