Antique rugs

In the antique carpets world, there are a number of famous pieces that are so precious that they are stored in museums. Of these, antique Persian rugs are the most coveted because of the history they represent and the gorgeous artwork that is displayed in each piece.

The most famous of all antique Persian rugs is the Ardabil Carpet, now safely housed in the Victoria and Albert Museum in England. It is the oldest surviving carpet in the world, dating back to 1540 AD, according to an inscription on the edge of the carpet. The intricate design is extremely impressive, and is estimated to have taken several years to make, with up to 10 weavers working on the carpet at one time.

The next most well-known of all antique Persian rugs is the famous Emperor’s Carpet, residing in state in the Metropolitan Museum in New York. This is one of a famous pair of carpets, with the mate in the Kunsthistoriches Museum, Vienna. The carpets are estimated to have been made in the late 16 th or very early 17 th century.

Thanks to renewed attention from collectors and investors around the world, the antique carpet world is regaining its lost glory. The limited number of ancient surviving carpets make them so much more significant and relevant, not just in the interior décor world, but in our own understanding of history and art.