Hadji Jalili, Orange Antique Area Rug

Similar to a fine painting, the art of hand crafting an Oriental Rug is surely a craft which requires a masterful skill to "perfect."  However, unlike a fine painting, the weaver rarely ever leaves a signature, date or other identifying mark.  "Hadji Jalili" (or Haj Jalil) rugs and carpets often fall right into this category.  They are one of the few types of antique Persian rugs attributed to someone without having some consistent recognizable trademark, signature or other written identifier. 

It's not exactly known whether Hadji Jalili was a workshop, a commissioner or other.  However, what remains constant in regards to attribution for these rugs is the following: They are specifically Tabriz carpets which are of a certain age, quality and motif.  Often the wool pile on cotton foundation "Jalili" rugs are woven between 1870-1900, may feature a orangish/rust background, and have knot density in excess of 250 KPSI.  It's also common to see a slightly varying shade of blue accent throughout the weaving, fluctuating from a pale, powder blue, to a rich sky blue.  Scrolling vines with nothing more than a mere outlining of the flowers may accent the field, while Palmettes fill the border.  Silk on silk Tabriz carpets with almost double the KPSI of "Hadji Jalili" wool carpets may feature a prayer rug design with soft, antiqued ivory tones accented with light jewel tones, often with brilliant aqua blue or sometimes greens.

This particular example seen above measures as approximately, a 4'x6' rug.  The edges have an ivory wool selvedge, which may or may not be original.  Often, these Hadji Jalili types have a white or greyish cotton wrapping the edges on either side.

Note above the secondary border, which has a rising and falling, almost "undulating" floral motif.  It's not uncommon for this to be featured in the main border, with much higher detail and larger scale. 

Above is a photograph of the medallion, which ends with two outlines meeting at a palmette design, stretching down towards a "lantern" like design element which is referred to by some as a "samovar."  Note the bold scrolloing of the blue, a powerful statement in what, relatively speaking, is a fairly small rug.

Knot density measures in at appoximately 272 KPSI. 

Here's a Video of this particular rug.  It's in what most experts would consider "Very Good Original Condition" with all original fringes, *possible* reselvedging, free of repairs, no moth eaten areas, no foundation showing, and healthy fibers with malleable hand (no dry areas.)

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