Afghan Sultanabad Rug

The History & Provenance These rugs are mainly woven in the northern Afghan provinces of Andkhoy, Mazari-Sharif and Kunduz, using high quality Ghazni wool which provides a natural sheen. They often have a relatively lower pile and widespread colour tonal variation (known as 'Abrash' in Persian) to imitate antique rugs. Originally, Sultanabad rugs were designed in 1833 by the the Swiss-British textile firm Ziegler & Co. in Manchester, England, with a manufacturing base in Iran. The goal was to produce a rug design that suited the western market, as an option to the more prevalent tribal, geometric rug designs of Central Asia. Craftsmanship & Texture Sultanabad rugs are recreations based on fine Persian-style rugs, namely Arak rugs, with highly detailed floral designs and a high knot count. They combine Persian motifs (especially Herati, Shah Abbas, and floral medallions) with European aesthetics - muted colours, open fields, and lighter tones. Motif & Design Symbolism These rugs are also known as 'Chobi' rugs (Persian meaning: wood colour) from their characteristic cream colour resembling pine wood. They use the asymmetrical Persian (Senneh) knot and the design is dominated by floral motifs including palmettes, rosettes, arabesques, scrolling vines and floral sprays.