This Malayer runner from the early 20th century is a piece of quiet, enduring beauty — an overall design of repeated tree branches in two tones of green set against a warm rust-colored field of considerable depth and warmth. The white border filled with rust and green designs frames the composition with a crispness that accentuates the organic, painterly quality of the branching motifs within.
The tree branch or 'weeping willow' format is one of the most distinctive and poetic designs in the Malayer runner vocabulary — its repetition across the long field creating a meditative rhythm that rewards extended viewing. At over 16 feet, this runner is an exceptional find in the Malayer tradition. The Malayer district of Western Persia — located in the Hamadan province, east of the Zagros Mountains — produced village rugs of remarkable quality and diversity throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. Malayer rugs are distinguished by their fine weave, their inventive use of design formats drawn from both the Hamadan and Sarouk traditions, and a palette of naturally dyed wool whose depth and complexity reward close study. The finest Malayer rugs, particularly those in the camel hair field and Herati allover formats, are among the most sought-after village rugs of Western Persia.
Dimensions: 2' 11" x 16' 3"
Date of Manufacture: 1st Quarter of the 1900s
Place of Origin: Persia (Malayer district)
Material: Wool pile on a cotton foundation with natural vegetable dyes
