October's best new arrivals are room-size antique rugs, and nearly all of them are Persian. More than three hundred rugs came in over the last thirty days, and twenty of the twenty-four our sales data ranks highest measure 8' x 10' or larger. Every one is hand-knotted, one of a kind, and dated to the 1920s or 1930s.
They are grouped by type and ranked inside each group by how strongly our sales data expects each piece to sell. For the wider selection, see Antique Persian Rugs, or start with 9' x 12' Persian Rugs if you already know the size. Every rug below was in stock when this was written.
Seven antique Mahal rugs
Mahal rugs are woven around Arak in west-central Iran and are known for large flowers spread across the whole rug. Seven arrived this month, more than any other type, and none has a center medallion, so a coffee table never covers the middle of the design. More are in Antique Mahal Rugs.
- Antique Mahal Area Rug (10' x 13'). The top-ranked Mahal and the longest rug here at 10'2" x 13'8". Small flowers on a dark charcoal field hide everyday wear in a family room.
- Antique Mahal Area Rug (9' x 12'). The classic Mahal: large pale green and ivory flowers on faded rust inside a wide charcoal border, in a true 9'2" x 12'4".
- Antique Mahal Area Rug (8' x 12'). Terracotta with slate blue and sage. At 8'7" wide it fits rooms where a 9' x 12' would crowd the walls.
- Antique Mahal Area Rug (8' x 11'). The one cool-toned Mahal: pale blue gray and ivory, easy beside gray, white, or blue upholstery.
- Antique Mahal Area Rug (9' x 13'). Weathered terracotta inside a wide pale blue border. At 13'6" long it covers floor that a 9' x 12' leaves bare in a long room.
- Antique Mahal Area Rug (10' x 12'). Blue gray and ivory inside a terracotta border, a full 10' wide for a seating area where 9' comes up short.
- Antique Mahal Area Rug (8' x 12'). The softest of the seven: terracotta faded toward rose, with pale blue flowers. Visible wear keeps it relaxed rather than formal.
Tabriz, Khorassan, Meshed and Tehran: fine city florals
These seven come from Iran's weaving cities: Tabriz, Tehran, and Meshed with its surrounding Khorassan region. City rugs are knotted finer than village rugs, so the flowers curve and carry more detail. This group holds the month's top-ranked rug and most of its quiet palettes. More Tabriz is in Antique Tabriz Rugs.
- Antique Tabriz Area Rug (9' x 12'). The top-ranked rug of all twenty-four, circa 1930. Soft florals in blue gray, ivory, and taupe with no strong color, so it works with almost any upholstery.
- Antique Khorassan Area Rug (9' x 12'). Ranked third overall, and the only turquoise field on the list, framed in ivory and sand.
- Antique Tabriz Area Rug (7' x 10'). The top Tabriz's quiet blue gray palette at 7'3" x 10'4", a size for a bedroom or a smaller living room.
- Antique Khorassan Area Rug (10' x 13'). Scattered flowering plants on ivory and pale blue with touches of blush. The palest of the three 10' x 13' rugs here.
- Antique Meshed Area Rug (9' x 12'). A faded pale blue medallion on ivory, nearly ten feet wide at 9'10" x 12'7".
- Antique Tehran Area Rug (10' x 13'). The one crisp, saturated red in the group: small flowers on crimson inside a navy border, strong enough for a dining room with dark wood furniture.
- Antique Tabriz Area Rug (8' x 11'). Pale aqua and faded rose around a finely detailed medallion, a gentle palette for a bedroom.
Heriz and its northwest neighbors
Heriz rugs come from the villages east of Tabriz: angular flowers, bold medallions, and a dense, hard-wearing weave built for dining rooms and family rooms. Three arrived this month, along with a Karaje and an Ardebil from the same corner of northwest Iran. The full range is in Antique Heriz Rugs.
- Antique Heriz Area Rug (7' x 10'). The top-ranked Heriz, without the usual brick red: angular flowers in taupe, brown, and pale blue.
- Antique Heriz Area Rug (8' x 11'). Rust red packed with angular flowers inside a wide powder blue border, a durable pick for a dining room in daily use.
- Antique Heriz Area Rug (8' x 10'). The classic Heriz: a large stepped medallion on rust with sky blue corners and a navy border, the color still strong.
- Antique Karaje Area Rug (8' x 11'). The same angular, stepped style in a Karaje: a large terracotta and sky blue medallion outlined in ivory.
- Antique Ardebil Area Rug (8' x 11'). The one ivory-ground rug in the group, with powder blue and muted teal flowers and open space between them.
Shiraz, Baktiary, Hamadan and one Afghan
The last five come from four traditions: a tribal Shiraz from southern Iran that ranks second of all twenty-four, two Baktiarys from west-central Iran, a Hamadan, and the list's one rug from Afghanistan. More tribal work like the Shiraz is in Antique Shiraz Rugs.
- Antique Shiraz Area Rug (6' x 10'). Three linked rust diamonds run down a weathered blue gray field inside an ivory zigzag border.
- Antique Baktiary Area Rug (7' x 10'). A large ivory medallion on terracotta with turquoise corners. At 7'2" x 10' it suits a bedroom or a study.
- Antique Hamadan Area Rug (8' x 11'). Taupe, ivory, and charcoal florals with no medallion, an easy match for oak floors and linen upholstery.
- Antique Afghan Area Rug (8' x 11'). Faded aqua and blue green flowers on terracotta, with the pile worn low and soft.
- Antique Baktiary Area Rug (9' x 12'). A garden pattern, a Baktiary specialty, in rust, ivory, and sky blue at 9'3" x 12'6".
Each rug here is one of a kind, so this list will shrink as the month goes on. Everything else that came in recently is in New Arrivals.
