The Ziegler Mahal Tradition

In the late 19th century the firm of Ziegler & Co. commissioned carpets in the Sultanabad (Arak) region of Persia, refining the village Mahal drawing into the open, large-scale floral idiom that became one of the best-known decorative carpet types. This piece is a contemporary Djoharian interpretation of that tradition — hand-knotted in India in hand-spun highland wool with vegetable dyes, drawn to the soft, light palette typical of the original Zieglers.

Colour and Composition

The design is a classical Sultanabad allover — large-scale palmettes, blossom rosettes and serrated vine-leaves spread generously across an open ivory-cream field, with no central medallion. The drawing carries vivid orange and terracotta accents with indigo-blue palmettes and soft sage-green vinery. A wide salmon-rose main border carries large rounded floral medallions in ivory and indigo, framed by sage-and-ivory minor borders. The open field and large-scale drawing make it read as calm and architectural rather than busy.

Placement

At 245 × 295 cm (7.2 m², approx. 8 × 10 ft) this is a generous large room-size piece. The near-square proportion anchors a seating group, sits well under a dining table for six to eight, or grounds a generous bedroom. It is suitable for floors with underfloor heating.

The Ziegler style was born in the 1880s for English and European homes, and it still belongs there: a drawing room in Holland Park or the garden room of a Cotswold house, where the open ivory field and orange accents catch the light — and it reaches London or the Cotswolds within 2–7 working days.

Specifications

Responsible Origin · Label STEP

Djoharian is a certified partner of Label STEP, the international fair-trade organisation for hand-knotted rugs — fair wages 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 inform every piece we offer. 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.