Black Pictorial Gabbeh Rug
This black pictorial Gabbeh rug is hand knotted in Afghanistan in lamb’s wool and measures 383 x 270 cm, about 10.3 square metres. The ground is a pitch black, and the patterns sit on it in cream, ochre, red, blue and grey, so the colours stand out clearly against the dark field.
The design of this black pictorial Gabbeh rug
Across this black pictorial Gabbeh rug, narrow panels cross the field at several heights, and each one holds a row of small figures or plant forms. Between the panels, rows of diamonds, triangles and stepped motifs in ochre, red, cream and blue repeat across the centre, with small plant forms rising between them in grey and cream.
The border is wide and black, filled with a band of small birds or animals in cream, ochre, red and blue standing upright along all four sides. Thin cream and red guard lines separate the border from the field, and a band of small triangles runs just inside the outer edge.
Where Gabbeh rugs come from
The Gabbeh is a rug of the tribes of the Zagros mountains in Iran, including the Lori and Qashqai, who wove thick, simple rugs mainly for their own households. The name is often translated as raw or natural. Weavers in Afghanistan now make Gabbeh rugs in the same spirit, and pictorial Gabbeh rugs like this one add small figures and plant forms to the traditional layout.
How it is made
This black pictorial Gabbeh rug is hand knotted, and our records note natural plant dyes. The pile is lamb’s wool, and the figures and diamonds are picked out in cream, ochre and blue against the dark ground. The ground stays a consistent black from edge to edge, so the small motifs carry the eye across the whole rug rather than one corner.
Sizing it for your room
At 383 x 270 cm the rug covers about 10.3 square metres. Under a sofa of around 2.2 m, about 81 cm of rug shows past each end, so a full lounge setting fits on it. Under a dining table of about 240 x 100 cm, the rug shows roughly 71 cm at each end and 85 cm along each side.
For a table of about 180 x 90 cm with six chairs, the margins grow to about 101 cm at each end and 90 cm along each side. The black ground suits pale timber, cream walls and warm neutral furniture, where the cream and ochre motifs show clearly.
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 black pictorial Gabbeh 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.
You can see this black pictorial gabbeh rug in our showroom or at home. Browse more Gabbeh Rugs, or ask about a custom made rug in your own size and colour. Read more about Gabbeh rugs.
