19th Century Antique Lavar Kerman Carpet

About the Item

Kerman Lavar – Southern Persia This magnificent Kerman Lavar features a design that catches the eye for its intricate floral motifs and use of plenty of colours. The carpet has a rich design that resembles a multicoloured garden with palm leaves and flowers on the sand-coloured field with warm shades. The wealth of details of this sumptuous Kerman Lavar provides a semblance of royalty to any ambience. Its design is a perfect match for classic furniture. You could easily imagine this large rug in the living or dining room of a traditional or historic house or a library. In a contemporary room, this Kerman Lavar will make a nice contrast with furniture with straight lines and basic shapes. No matter how you use it, this piece will add character and grandeur to your space. The carpet is clean and ready for use. None of the Persian rugs are more elegant and refined than the antique Kerman ones. Their quality and traditional floral designs make them ideal for those wanting to add elegance and glamour to their home design. Kerman or Kirman was considered a centre for producing high-quality rugs in central southern Persia. Kerman rugs have designs inspired by rugs produced for the Persian court, made under the royal patronage of the Safavid dynasty over 400 years ago. An awe-inspiring fact is that 2010 a 17th-century Safavid Kerman was sold at auction for $9.6 million. Located in the great desert of southern Persia, Kerman was an important trading and weaving centre even before the great explorer Marco Polo came along. The city was a must for travellers and merchants on the Silk Road. Kerman rugs were among the first Persian rugs to reach the West, where they were avidly sought after in Europe. In the late 19th century, they were among the most distributed rugs in the United States. However, by the beginning of the 1920s, Kerman rug designs became simpler, with a less varied colour palette, thicker pile, and fewer knots, primarily in response to demand from the American market. The success of Kerman rugs in the West was due to Kerman’s weavers being influenced by European culture. From the 18th century onwards, they developed a soft, graceful style that combined elements of Persian court rugs with the colours and designs found in French fabrics. In the early 19th century, during a period of civil unrest, the city of Kerman was sacked and burned. The most skilled weavers fled to the village of Lavar (or Ravar), north of Kerman, where they established their looms. Lavar artists created delicate, finely woven pieces using a silky cotton-based wool. The finest antique Kerman rugs became known as “Kerman Lavar”. Kerman Lavar rugs have a complex and subtle design that is unique to Persian weaving. The details of the floral motifs are graceful and poetic. They are made with a central medallion surrounded by dense foliage. The wool’s fine weave and excellent quality enabled artists to produce small-scale designs, making flowers and vines with smooth and flowing curvilinear lines. The pile used in antique Lavar rugs has high definition and a stunning finish. The colours used in Kerman Lavar rugs are very soft, delicate, refined and graceful. Ivory and sand tones predominate and are rarely used in other Persian rug styles of the 19th century. Weavers then had access to the expensive cochineal dye, which allowed the production of a renaissance-hued red found in ancient Kerman rugs instead of the rust red used in most Persian rugs. The use of gold, saffron, and soft yellows connect in small areas with indigo, as well as a variety of pink tones, greens, and soft blues, which give Kerman Lavar a sublime colour palette. Lavar rugs reflect mastery in the making and skills of the artist and are made with the best materials. Within the Lavar group, you can find the best of the best by recognizing specific characteristics that distinguish them from the typical Kerman Lavar. It must be made from an excellent weave and finest quality pile derived from lamb’s wool rather than the sheep’s wool used in most antique rugs. Furthermore, the best of Kerman Lavar features exquisite details in their design, with many borders that produce a grey tone effect for the viewer. It also brings an attractive shine to the surface. The skillset of the Kerman weavers is substantial. Their hard work, ambition, and dedication to art are respected worldwide. Today, although alluding to a village, the term “Kerman Lavar” is used in the antique rug market almost exclusively to denote the best quality of Kerman rugs, considered among the finest handmade rugs ever woven in Persia. Lavar rugs produced in the 19th and early 20th centuries are rarely available today. They are trendy and sought after by connoisseurs and collectors in Europe and America for their impressive artistic impact. They are excellent for investments in art, a trend now gaining strength. The delicacy and variety of Kerman rugs give the interior designer great flexibility. The high quality of the finest Kerman rug makes these pieces ideal for composing formal and classic interiors. However, it is equally desirable in modern interiors. Kerman rugs provide designers with a variety of options. There is a perfect Kerman rug for every type of space, whether complex or minimalist. They always bring elegance, timeless beauty, and a magnificent work of art to your space.

Dimensions:

Width: 122.84 in (312 cm)Length: 163 in (414 cm)

Materials and Techniques:

Wool,Hand-Knotted

Place of Origin:

Iran

Period:

Late 19th Century

Date of Manufacture:

Circa 1875

Condition:

Reduced ends.