Antique Persian Malayer Rug Size: 3'10" × 6'2" Date: 1920s Material: Wool on Cotton Malayer rugs from the Hamadan district of western Iran occupy a comfortable middle ground between tribal spontaneity and village structure. They tend toward bold, well-spaced designs with open fields and confident drawing — qualities well represented here. The burnt orange-red field is unusually open, with a large hexagonal medallion at centre outlined in navy and filled with scrolling floral forms in sky blue, rose, and gold. A vertical axis runs the full length of the rug — a central stem connecting the medallion to smaller pendant devices above and below, flanked by scattered angular botanical motifs that float freely against the warm field. The restraint in the field layout gives the rug an almost modern quality; there's plenty of ground colour showing, which lets the individual motifs read clearly. A wide navy inner border separates the field from the outer terracotta border, which carries a repeating geometric floral device in blue, green, and gold. The burnt orange and navy combination throughout is warm and direct, and the wool pile remains in good condition for its age.