90039 Late 19th Century Antique Persian Bakshaish Rug Runner, 03'02 x 13'07.
Woven in the storied looms of 19th-century northwestern Persia, this hand-knotted wool antique Bakshaish rug runner is an exquisite embodiment of tribal refinement and rustic luxury. Its expansive camel-brown field serves as a warm, earthen canvas—suffused with a natural elegance that only time and tradition can bestow. This grounding tone allows the composition to unfold like an ancestral manuscript, rich with storied symbolism and encoded meaning. The allover pattern hums with rhythm and balance, a visual poem of geometry and intention that elevates this runner from functional textile to curated heirloom.
Emblazoned across the field is a procession of serrated tribal emblems—bold, angular motifs rendered with graphic clarity and noble restraint. These totemic forms are flanked by quincunx motifs, petite rosettes, and striped pole shapes, each one a symbolic fragment passed through generations. The visual cadence of these figures evokes the pulse of a nomadic journey: deliberate, enduring, and full of significance. The interplay of ivory, brick, and midnight blue against the camel backdrop infuses the runner with dimension and artisanal richness, exuding an understated opulence that speaks to the cultivated eye.
Framing the composition is a regal cartouche lotus border, its intricate medallions blooming along a rich brick-red ground. These stylized lotus blossoms, emblems of purity and transcendence, lend an elevated sense of calm to the vibrant geometry within. This outer frame is flanked by an inner and outer guard band, each adorned with alternating eight-point stars and boteh motifs—symbols of fertility, protection, and cosmic order. Set against a royal blue backdrop, these motifs shimmer with quiet intensity, creating a layered perimeter that feels both architectural and lyrical, a celebration of symmetrical beauty and protective grace.
With its harmonious composition, masterful color story, and deeply symbolic language, this antique Persian Bakshaish runner transcends decorative purpose—it becomes a narrative woven in wool, a passageway of cultural memory. Whether placed in a refined entryway, an elegant gallery corridor, or along the spine of a grand estate, this piece invites admiration and conversation. For the discerning collector, it is more than a floor covering—it is a tactile manifestation of timeless artistry, a precious investment in history, authenticity, and elevated living.
- Abrash.
- Hand knotted wool.
- Made in Iran.
- Measures: 03'02 x 13'07.
- Pile Height: 0.20 of an inch.
- Date: 1890's. Late 19th Century.
