Worn, from over a hundred years of footsteps, stories, and daily life. This is a rug that has lived. This 1880s piece carries a rare and quietly striking French blue ground…a color you don’t often see anchoring a Shirvan field and one that immediately sets this piece apart. Time has softened everything just enough, giving the palette that powdery, settled look only true age can create.
Woven with vegetable dyed wool, the wool pile is very worn and the handle is beautifully floppy, making this one more about presence, story, and soul than durability. This is not a high traffic rug and it’s not the best candidate for heavy layering or constant movement. Instead, it shines where it can be appreciated for what it is…a fragile survivor with real history that needs a quieter space.
Shirvan rugs come from the eastern Caucasus and are known for their graphic geometry, crisp drawing, and strong tribal character. Traditionally woven by village and tribal weavers, Shirvans often balanced bold pattern with restrained color. Seeing one with a French blue ground like this is especially uncommon and speaks to the individuality of the weaver and available dyes at the time.
An old rug for the collector who appreciates rarity, subtle color stories, and the beauty of age exactly as it is. Thank you for shopping small and giving these soulful pieces a continued life.
:: Please consider a rug pad for this old beauty, to keep it protected and wiggle free. Click below if you want to add one at BPR and we will custom cut it to size:
