Rugsville Oxidye Floral Black Wool Silk Designer Persian Carpet 5' x 8'

Black grounds were rare in classical Persian carpet because the iron-mordant dyes that produce a true black are slightly corrosive and tend to wear out the pile faster than madder or indigo. The Oxidye programme works around that historical limit by using contemporary fibre-reactive dyes for the deepest tones, then putting the finished rug through an oxidising wash that pulls the surface back to the muted, lived-in quality of an antique. The cartoon under this dark field is a classical Persian floral, drawn from the workshop archive.

Two weavers shared a vertical loom in India for around six months. The pile blends hand-spun wool with a measured proportion of bamboo silk, with the silk drawn through only the floral highlights so it catches light against the dark ground. Persian asymmetric knot. Cotton warp and weft. After the rug left the loom it was washed twice, once to clean and once to oxidise, then sun-dried before the final shearing brought the pile down to its working depth.

The composition

A dark ground that reads as deep charcoal in low light and as a soft black under direct sun. Floral vine work runs across the field in muted tones with the silk threads occasionally lifting forward as the angle changes. The palette is held to a tight register, which means the rug carries weight in a room without the busyness that a multi-colour traditional Persian can introduce. Over the first year, the surface will settle a half value as the wool finishes oxidising in normal light.

What you are buying

Comparable wool-and-silk Persian florals on a black ground in the 5' x 8' (152 x 244 cm) class trade through European dealers at $2,800 to $5,500. This is the same construction made in India by hand, sold direct from the workshop. A hand-knotted carpet of this build is one of the few household goods that appreciates with use, because the wool patina deepens with light and the cartoon settles into the foundation over the first decade.

The piece in a room

5' x 8' (152 x 244 cm) suits a primary bedroom under a queen bed, a small living space around a coffee table, or a study with a single armchair and a reading lamp. The dark ground works against pale walls and pale floors as a graphic anchor, and against dark walls as a continuation of the architecture. Brass, walnut, leather, and linen are the natural companions; strong patterned upholstery fights it.

Conservation

Rotate twice a year. Vacuum on suction only with the beater bar disengaged. Blot spills with clean cotton. A professional wool-and-silk hand-wash every six to eight years preserves the dark ground without flattening the silk highlights. With this care, the rug runs sixty to eighty years through normal household use.

Reference

• Medium: hand-knotted wool and bamboo silk on cotton foundation
• Dimensions: 152 × 244 cm (5' × 8')
• Construction: Persian asymmetric knot
• Hands: 2 weavers, ~6 months
• Dye: oxidised wash on a black ground
• Origin: India

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