Rugsville Traditional Wool Black & Ivory Carpet 8' x 10'

Black and ivory in a Persian-tradition rug is the most graphic statement the loom can make. The black absorbs everything. The ivory pushes light back. The pattern between them has nowhere to hide, and that is the discipline these compositions demand. Indian workshops working from inherited cartoons have produced black and ivory drawing-room rugs for over a century, refined for rooms that do not want a colour story.

Three weavers worked the upright loom for nearly five months. Hand-spun wool was dyed in small lots, the black taken from oak gall fixed with iron, the ivory left as the natural fleece of the highland sheep. Roughly 1.4 million Persian-asymmetric knots were tied by feel and beaten down against a cotton warp.

The composition

A central medallion in deep oak-gall black sits inside an ivory ground broken by floral arabesques. The border carries a single restrained black guard with a thin ivory channel inside it. The contrast does not flatten under lamplight. The black retains tonal depth because the dye is built in two baths rather than one. The ivory will warm slightly into bone over the first five years and the black will gain a faint blue undertone as iron continues to oxidise the wool.

What you are buying

A new hand-knotted Persian-tradition wool rug of this density and palette retails through European dealers at three to four lakh. Antique examples in fair condition have sold at international auction in the same range. The price you see here reflects direct sourcing from the loom and is not a reflection of build quality. The rug appreciates with use rather than depreciating.

The piece in a room

8' x 10' (244 x 305 cm) suits a formal sitting room or an executive office. The black and ivory carries cleanly against deep walnut joinery, against grey limewash, and against white plaster. It pairs well with brass and matte black metalwork, and with leather upholstery in cognac or oxblood. The composition prefers a minimal furniture plan that lets the contrast read.

Conservation

Vacuum weekly with the beater bar off. Rotate every six months. Blot spills immediately with a clean cotton cloth and avoid liquid cleaners. Hand-wash by a wool conservator every five years to restore lanolin. The black should be inspected at year ten for any signs of iron-induced abrasion, which is normal in oak-gall dye and easily stabilised.

Reference

• Medium: hand-knotted wool on cotton foundation
• Dimensions: 244 x 305 cm (8' x 10')
• Construction: Persian asymmetric knot
• Hands: 3 weavers, ~5 months
• Pile: 10 mm hand-spun wool
• Dye: oak gall and iron for black; natural fleece for ivory
• Colour: black and ivory
• Origin: India

Free shipping across India. Cash on delivery available. 7-day exchange on returns.