Design: Zil-i-Sultan

The Zil-i-Sultan design takes its name from the Qajar prince Mas’oud Mirza Zil-i-Sultan (1850–1918), son of Nâser al-Din Shâh and long-time governor of Isfahan. Its hallmark is vases of flowers set in rows across the field. Here twenty-four vases stand in six rows of four, each drawn in gold and deep navy and crowned with a bouquet of roses, carnations and daisies in red, salmon, ivory and green. Between the rows lies a second, quieter layer: blossoms, palmettes and tendrils in greyish violet and white on the ivory ground, barely set off — a composition in two depths that only a very fine knot can carry. The main border takes up the vase motif on a larger scale, framed by a navy band of tendrils and palmettes; in the lower border a signature cartouche is knotted in, as is customary for workshop pieces from Isfahan.

Material and Fineness

The pile is kurk wool — the fine underwool from the neck of the sheep, available only in small quantities, giving a soft pile with a matt sheen — with silk used for outlines and floral highlights, which catch the light at changing angles. The warp is silk: thinner than cotton, it is what makes a density of around 900,000 to 1,000,000 knots per square metre (approx. 580–645 kpsi) possible. With a pile of about 6 mm, blossoms only a few millimetres across stay clearly drawn. In the trade, Isfahan rugs of this density are counted among the finest Persian qualities.

Presence in the Room

At 167 × 106 cm (5.5 × 3.5 ft, 1.77 m²) this is a format for considered placement:

• Wall hanging: the fineness and short pile suit hanging, with a hook-and-loop strip or gallery rod.
• Living room: as a single piece in front of a fireplace or a bench, see our living room rugs.
• Bedroom, study or library: beside the bed in a low-traffic spot, in front of bookshelves or beneath a reading chair.

More pieces: Isfahan rugs and our Persian rugs.

Specifications

Responsible Origin · Label STEP

Djoharian is a certified partner of Label STEP, the international fair-trade organisation for hand-knotted rugs — fair pay for the weavers and no child labour.

Djoharian — Since 1967

Our family business was founded in 1967, with roots in the Grand Carpet Bazaar of Tehran — five decades of trade and connoisseurship behind every piece we offer.

Service and Care

Every piece is inspected in our atelier in Lohr am Main before dispatch. For expert washing and repair we offer our own professional rug cleaning service. Secure and fast worldwide shipping, fully insured, with personal consultation in our showroom or by video call.