A large floral ''Herati'' design in the main field on this antique Baktiari rug, this design is derived from early rug patterns produced in the 16th and 17th century.  It consisted of two fish swimming around a water-lily, and over the centuries it has changed to two leaves surrounding a flower. Wonderful natural dyes, with soft pale blues, greens, and a warm red border in excellent pile all over. We have washed this rug recently and the colours are vibrant yet muted due to the age of this piece.  Woven around 1910-1915 the condition is very good with the ends secure and a sturdy wool pile height.There are some 200 villages in the region of Baktiari, who all produced beautiful rugs around the late 19th century and in some quite striking designs. The garden design, as seen here is a famous design used by Baktiari weavers for centuries.Baktiari, which is west of Isfahan, is a region where rugs used a similar medallion format to those of Isfahan rugs. This is where the similarity ...