Red Antique Malayer Rug
This red antique Malayer rug is double hand knotted in Iran from lamb’s wool and measures 182 x 110 cm. A red field holds a navy medallion with a cream and gold rosette at its heart, and sprays of pink, yellow and blue flowers fill the ground around it.
The design up close
The medallion is a long, pointed diamond in navy, with a cream and gold rosette at its centre. Its tips reach toward the top and bottom of the field, where smaller navy pendants hang from the ends. Pale blue and cream corners frame the medallion, each holding a cluster of pink, yellow and blue flowers. The medallion sits near the centre, so this red antique malayer rug has a clear focal point.
The red ground is covered with small flowering sprigs in pink, cream, yellow, blue and green, scattered in loose rows. Around the field a cream band with blue scrolls leads to a navy border, which carries a gold vine with pink, cream and blue flowers. Narrow stripes in gold, navy and red frame the outside, so the border has more layers than the field.
In this red antique Malayer rug the flowers are small and evenly spaced, so the eye moves across the whole field rather than settling on one point.
Persian rugs and the Malayer name
Persian rugs are hand knotted in Iran one knot at a time on a loom, and a room-size piece can take a weaver many months. Malayer rugs take their name from the town of Malayer in western Iran. Our records note that this rug is more than 90 years old.
How a red antique Malayer rug is made
Each knot is tied by hand, and the pile is sheared level. Our records note vegetable dyes. Dyed wool can vary in shade across a field, so the red may look a little lighter in some places than others.
Sizing it for your room
At 182 x 110 cm this red antique Malayer rug covers about 2.0 square metres. That makes it a fit for a bedside, a study corner or the floor in front of a single armchair. Lay it beside a bed where you step out in the morning, or at the entry of a room, where its red field and navy border stand out against timber.
In a smaller room it adds warmth and colour without taking up the floor. Its navy border suits timber and plain walls, and reds like this sit well with cream furnishings and brass or wood accents.
Looking after your rug
Vacuum it on a suction-only setting, or with the beater bar switched off, so the brush does not pull at the knots. Turn it around every six to twelve months so sun and foot traffic wear it evenly. Blot spills with a clean white cloth and cold water rather than rubbing them in. When it needs a full clean, choose a cleaner who washes handmade rugs by hand.
Put a good underlay beneath it. It stops the rug sliding on timber or tiles, adds cushioning and takes some of the wear off the pile. Moths like wool in dark, quiet spots, such as the part of a rug under a sofa, so vacuum those areas often and lift the furniture now and then.
See it before you buy
Visit our showroom at 307 Penshurst St, North Willoughby, open every day from 11 am to 4:30 pm, to see this red antique Malayer rug in person. If you would rather judge it in your own room, with your own light and furniture, book an in-home viewing and we will bring a selection to you.
Browse more Persian Rugs, or ask about a custom made rug in your own size and colour. Read more about Persian carpets.
