12 x 16 Antique Persian Sultanabad Mahal Rug 78350

78350 Late 19th Century Antique Persian Sultanabad Mahal Rug, 11'09 x 16'04.

Emanating the grandeur of Persia’s storied weaving tradition, this hand-knotted wool antique Persian Sultanabad Mahal rug from the late 19th century unfurls like a garden of Eden beneath starlit skies. Its inky midnight field is alive with an elaborate botanical tableau—each scrolling vine, palmette, and blossom rendered with a master’s hand and a poet’s soul. In the center, mirrored rosettes and stylized lotus flowers bloom in a rhythmic choreography, their soft pink, tranquil tan, and blue tones softened by time and imbued with a gentle, antique patina.

The design reveals a balance between classical elegance and rustic exuberance, a hallmark of Sultanabad Mahal weavings of the era. The lush vegetal motifs echo the Safavid design canon, yet their slightly more whimsical, generous scale reflects the Mahal interpretation—less formal, more lyrical. Angular leaves and rosettes with serrated petals spiral outward like celestial bursts, while sweeping arabesques cradle stylized shrubs and flowering tendrils. The entire composition evokes the Persian concept of gol o bolbol, or flower and nightingale—an ode to nature’s divine symmetry and ephemeral beauty.

Framing this opulent field is a luminous Herati border of golden sand, adorned with a continuous procession of floral medallions, lotus rosettes, and floral meander vines that echo the grace of the central design while enclosing it in harmony. Smaller reciprocal crenelated fence guard bands flank the main border, their narrow motifs like whispered invocations—delicate and precise, offering both contrast and cohesion. This border language, infused with subtle tribal inflections, captures the crossroads of nomadic freedom and courtly refinement that defines the best Sultanabad Mahal carpets.

Woven during the golden age of Ziegler-influenced production in the Arak region, this Late 19th Century Mahal rug carries with it the echoes of empire and artistry. Its presence today—still radiant, still resonant—invites reflection and reverence. Whether spread across the floors of a grand salon or hung as a woven masterpiece in a contemplative study, it is a celebration of endurance, grace, and the eternal dialogue between nature and art. A treasure of woven verse, preserved in wool and time.

• Rendered in variegated shades of navy blue, pink, tan, royal blue, rose, ecru, cerulean, coral-salmon, sand, baby blue, celadon, and beige with other accent colors.
• Abrash. Antique Wash.
• Hand knotted wool.
• Made in Iran. 
• Measures: 11'09 x 16'04.
• Date: 1890's. Late 19th Century.