Ink
In many ways this rug, and its influences, encapsulates the genesis of the Watercolours collection. It is inspired by the rugs made in the late 19th century by Ziegler and Co., a German company who was one of the first Europeans to set up manufacturing in the Sultanabad region of Iran. These rugs were made by local weavers, but the company supplied them with the highest-quality materials and equipment to make rugs which preserved the exquisite craftsmanship of the region, yet appealed solely to the Western market. Ink feels like the natural progression for these rugs, which used traditional Persian motifs to create new designs for a new audience. Its soft, pale colours are reminiscent of the vegetable dyes used in the Ziegler designs. Delicate pen-like strokes dance across an ivory ground, with an elegant running ’S’ guard stripe so prevalent in the aforementioned designs. The all-over floral field has a central pattern of large palmettes surrounded by jaunty flowerheads and leaves. The indigo border has, again, the typical floral running design we see so often in the Persian Town carpets.
