Number 1740
Material Wool
Style Geometric
Origin Qashqai
Type Tribal
Size 203 x 147
Age 1335
Remarkable tribal rug with an open field in sparkling midnight blue and a garden pavilion in the middle. At the top we see an attractively laid out inscription, executed in fine cursive calligraphy saying:
ูุฑู
ุงูุด ุขูุงู ุณูุฏ ุงุญู
ุฏ
๐พ๐ค๐ข๐ข๐๐จ๐จ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐ฎ ๐ผ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ผ๐๐ข๐๐
And at the bottom we see the Hijri date 1335 (1917).
The fact that a tribal rug was in fact commissioned by special order is an eye catching feat it in its own right. The gentleman behind it was a certain Ahmad, presumably active in the Shiraz area, but praised by the double honorifics ๐ผ๐๐๐ and ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฎ๐๐. The former can be translated into something between Sir and Mister while the latter refers to a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad. What is indeed odd is the fact that these ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฎ๐๐s were not tribesmen themselves since the vast plurality of tribal folk in Persia were of Turkic origin.
Who was this Ahmad? And how important was he back then that it was enough to simply mention his first name with no other explanation?
Perfect condition, charmingly nuanced abrash, earthy natural browns in the borders and center, original kilim ends and fringes.
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 ๐ฑ๐ป
โI 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. Hadiโs collection is second to none, and his knowledge and service is truly the blessing on top.โ Amr Banaja, Public Investment Fund, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia ๐ธ๐ฆ
You can't only be a customer of Hadi Maktabi. While his main purpose is rug dealing, he starts with story telling and ends with history selling. That's what I call high-end art curating and closing it all with an entertaining friendship. George El Hani, CEO Levica, Lebanon ๐ฑ๐ง