Large Tabriz Carpet with Geometric Herati Pattern
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A very large Iranian hand knotted Tabriz carpet The field decorated overall with geometric Herati pattern on a blue ground, framed by a broad border with similar motifs on a red ground, between narrower ivory guards. 450 x 3500
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- Ivory - Ivory is a hard white material that comes from the tusks of elephants, mammoth, walrus and boar, or from the teeth of hippopotamus and whales. The ivory from the African elephant is the most prized source of ivory. Although the mammoth is extinct, tusks are still being unearthed in Russia and offered for sale.
Ivory has been used since the earliest times as a material for sculpture of small items, both in Europe and the east, principally China and Japan.
In Asia ivory has been carved for netsuke, seals, okimono, card cases, fan supports, animals and other figures and even as carved tusks.
In the last 200 years in Europe ivory has been used to carve figures, for elaborate tankards, snuff boxes, cane handles, embroidery and sewing accessories, in jewellery and as inlay on furniture. Its more practical uses include being used for billiard balls, buttons, and a veneers on the top of piano keys.
The use and trade of elephant ivory have become controversial because they have contributed to Due to the decline in elephant populations because of the trade in ivory, the Asian elephant was placed on Appendix One of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), in 1975, and in January 1990, the African elephant was similarly listed. Under Appendix One, international trade in Asian or African elephant ivory between member countries is forbidden. Unlike trade in elephant tusks, trade in mammoth tusks is legal.
Since the invention of plastics, there have been many attempts to create an artificial ivory - Herati Design in Persian Carpets - The Herati design has been used in Persian carpet weaving for centuries and is considered a classic. It consists of a repeating pattern of a central diamond or rhombus, surrounded by four curled leaves or petals, with a small flower or rosette in each of the four corners.
The design is sometimes also referred to as the fish pattern, due to the resemblance of the curled leaves or petals to fish, or as the mahi pattern, which means "fish" in Persian. It is believed to have originated in the Herat province of Afghanistan, which was a major centre of carpet weaving in the 19th century.
In addition to its aesthetic appeal, the Herati design also has symbolic significance. The central diamond or rhombus is often interpreted as representing the fish's eye, while the curled leaves or petals represent fish, water, or vegetation. The small flowers or rosettes in the corners are thought to symbolize the four seasons or the four elements.
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