Old Afghan Zahir Shah Rug c. 1970

This is an old (circa 1970) authentic Zahir Shah rug, handmade in Afghanistan. Zahir Shah rugs were originally commissioned by the former king of Afghanistan, Zahir Shah, who wanted to introduce a new style of rug into the market. They are influenced by Bokhara rugs and closely resemble the motifs of Tekke rugs. The repeated motifs are in orderly rows resembling columns, with multiple narrow borders. Unfortunately, these rugs are no longer being produced as they were not present in the market for long enough to be widespread, and so mostly older pieces remain from the 1960s and 70s. They usually consist of beige and burgundy colours and are constructed with higher quality wool with a denser knot.