An exceptional early period Ziegler Sultanabad carpet.
10ft 2in x 7ft 1in : 310cm x 215cm
In 1876, the Manchester-based Swiss firm of Ziegler and Co. became the first European concern to establish their own looms in Sultanabad, Persia, for the production of carpets specifically to the Western markets.
The designs used were mainly repeated all-over patterns, though Ziegler used principles of architectural proportions to make the motifs much larger and incorporated wide borders, thus keeping a balance with the scale of a room. Higher ceilings in the West required bigger designs also to note one is sitting on chairs in the west as opposed to the floor in the Orient so designs did not need to be intricate but bolder. William Morris was working with the company and was influenced from the designs he saw creating flat two dimensional forms for the Arts & Crafts carpets he produced.
The present carpet is rare as to its size and exceptionally fine in weave, indicating an earlier period produce with most Zieglers are bigger in format hence coarser weave. Also the use of cotton highlights in the pile is unusual, together with the exceptionally beautiful border and rare colours as in cinnamon and grey, creating a unique piece.
