The blue field of a tribal Persian carpet is not a single decision but a series of related ones. Indigo is the only natural dye that produces a true blue across the wool spectrum, and weavers have used it for the dominant ground in tribal weaving since at least the seventeenth century. The depth of the blue depends on how many times the wool is dipped, the length of each immersion, and the temperature of the vat. The composition in this rug uses the deep, dipped blue against rust and ivory secondary motifs, the classical tribal palette.

This 8' x 10' (244 x 305 cm) carpet was woven by three weavers across roughly six months. Wool was hand-spun, indigo-dipped repeatedly to reach the saturation the design requires, and tied against a cotton foundation using the Persian asymmetric knot. The pattern was held in the weavers' memory rather than drawn from a cartoon, which is why the medallions across the field are similar but not identical.

The composition

A blue ground carrying tribal medallions in rust, ivory, and softer indigo. The medallions are stepped and angular, the borders carry secondary geometric guards, and the field is filled with smaller motifs that reward close looking. Over the years the blue will shift slightly, the rust will warm, and the ivory will yellow toward cream. A hand-spun, vegetable-dyed tribal carpet is engineered to settle into its colour rather than to hold a factory finish.

What you are buying

Antique tribal Persian carpets in this scale and condition trade between $18,000 and $40,000 at international auction. The piece in front of you is a contemporary weaving in the same tradition, in the same fibre, at the same density, for ₹1,77,429 against an MSRP of ₹3,54,858. A hand-knotted wool carpet of this construction holds value indefinitely with reasonable care, and the price reflects materials and weaver-months rather than dealer markup.

The piece in a room

8' x 10' is the working scale for a sitting room with a sofa and two chairs above it, or for a dining table that seats six. The blue ground pairs cleanly with off-white plaster, with warm woods such as walnut and teak, with leather, and with brass. The carpet reads strongest in rooms that allow it to function as the principal field rather than as one of several layered textiles.

Conservation

Rotate one half turn each spring and autumn. Vacuum weekly with the beater bar disengaged. Blot spills with a clean cotton cloth and address oil and wine within the hour. A wool-trained conservator should hand-wash the carpet every six years. With this regimen the rug serves three generations.

Reference

• Medium: hand-knotted wool on cotton foundation
• Dimensions: 244 x 305 cm (8' x 10')
• Construction: Persian asymmetric knot
• Hands: 3 weavers, ~6 months
• Pile: hand-spun wool
• Dye: vegetable, indigo-dipped
• Origin: India

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