Antique Oriental Hand Knotted Herati Wool Rug Indigo Red Tribal c.1900 210x120cm

An antique Oriental hand-knotted rug of classic small-village format, woven in the cottage workshops of the Near East around the turn of the 20th century. The field is densely covered with the celebrated Herati pattern — a repeating diamond-and-fish motif rendered in deep indigo blue, madder red and ivory — set within a multi-band border of complementary minor guards.

The rug measures approximately 210 cm x 120 cm (roughly 6'11" x 3'11"), a size typical of village production intended for everyday use and the Western export market of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The foundation is cotton with a wool pile, single-wefted between rows of knots in the manner characteristic of traditional village weaving — a structural feature that distinguishes genuine antique pieces from later commercial revivals.

The Herati design has been one of the most enduring motifs in Oriental carpet weaving for over three hundred years. Village weavers favoured a bolder, more graphic interpretation than the finer urban workshops, and this example shows the strong tribal-village character that collectors specifically seek out. The deep indigo and madder palette is produced using natural plant and insect dyes — the slight tonal variation across the field (known as abrash) is characteristic of hand-prepared yarns and is highly valued.

Condition: good honest worn condition consistent with age and use — please see images for the full picture. There is general overall wear to the pile, some scattered low areas, and natural patina throughout. The structure is sound. This is an antique rug that has been used and loved; please review every image carefully before purchase.

A handsome decorative piece for a hallway, study, or layered over a larger plain rug in a sitting room. The colour palette — deep indigo, rust red, and aged ivory — works particularly well in period or eclectic interiors.

Carefully rolled and dispatched via a tracked, signed-for courier service. UK buyers welcome to collect from Nottingham by arrangement. International buyers please message before purchase for a shipping quote.