Number B0122
Material Wool
Style Pictorial
Origin Baluch
Type Tribal
Size 180 x 100
Age 1870
Fascinating! This important antique tribal rug is a unique variant on one of the oldest and most loved Baluch pictorial themes (that in itself being something extremely rare). The origins lie in folkloric adaptations of medieval Persian poetry, in this case the epic romance of Khosrow and Shirin as recounted in Nizami's ๐๐๐๐ข๐จ๐ diwan of poetry, composed in the 12th century. Khosrow the king is completely out of the picture and instead we have a perfect square of 4 x 4 representations of his Armenian queen, Shirin.
The carpet is complete, with oxidation and slight wear, but without damages. There is an impressive range of blues on show, namely in the skirts and garments of the various queens. It is endlessly intriguing to observe how their hand gestures shift from row to row.
Hadi Maktabi and his staff provide comprehensive and thoughtful services to collectors and textile buyers worldwide. His knowledge of antique oriental rugs and textiles, including many fine offerings from the Levant, is unsurpassed. We have been loyal customers for over five years and have visited his Beirut premises. He has worked with us upon several occasions to select the exact Ottoman and Levantine pieces we wanted for our collection. You can be sure of quality and honesty when dealing with Hadi. Penelope and Timothy Hays, Just In From The East Collection, Florida ๐บ๐ธ
The idea of purchasing valuable rugs and other artwork online from an overseas seller is daunting for several reasons, not least of which is the fact that, not being able to examine and feel the rug for yourself, you are never entirely certain that the origin, age or condition of the rug corresponds with the dealerโs description. For me, I could never take this step unless I had absolute trust in the integrity of the dealer, and my recent experience with Hadi confirms that my faith in him was well placed. Every detail of the antique rug expertly explained by Hadi was accurate and when I finally received the actual rug, it turned out to be even more stunning than his photos depicted. F. Alsagoff, Singapore
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