Ardabil and Coronation carpets in Los Angeles

It was a beautiful sunny day today in Los Angeles. In the morning, I went to a rug program offered by the Textile Museum Associates of Southern California, TMASC. Dennis Marquand talked about Kyrgyz rugs. I liked the lecture and the show and tell part. After that, I rushed to Tribal Arts Show in Santa Monica City. It was an interesting show. I went to work at 1:00 pm and stayed there until 4:00 pm. After work, I went to Los Angeles County Museum of Art, LACMA to see the Ardabil and Coronation carpets. WOW. Two beautiful and magnificent rugs were on display. There were not that many visitors in the hall. I had expected to see more visitors. Maybe since it was Saturday afternoon people were busy with work or shopping. Or maybe people do not care!!

After the LACMA visit I went to Radio Iran, KIRN 670 AM for a talk show to have a program on the Ardabil & Coronation carpets. The program was from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. I am now at home writing this post.

Khosrow Sobhe
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.rugidea.com
310-770-9085

Ardabil Carpet Los Angeles County Museum of Art, LACMA

The famous Ardabil Carpet will be on display again. LACMA, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art will exhibit the almost 500-year old Ardabil carpet from November 14, 2009 to January 18, 2010. Dr. Jon Thompson from U.K. will deliver a speech on the Ardabil carpets. Another piece of this rare pair magnificent Persian carpets is in the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.

The London Ardabil measures 34' 6" in length by 17' 6" in width, compared with a 23' 11" length and 13' 5" width for its Los Angeles pendant. It has long been assumed that the outer borders and part of the lower field were sacrificed in the late 1800's to accommodate repairs to the London carpet.

I will write more on these rugs and also on the LACMA Exhibition in the near future.

Khosrow Sobhe
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.rugidea.com
310-770-9085

Ardabil Carpet at Los Angeles County Museum of Art LACMA

Later this year, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), will exhibit the famous Ardabil Carpet for a short period of time, in November 2009.

There are two magnificent Persian carpets called the Ardabil Carpets. Their exact origins remain unknown. They are said to have come from a complex of shrines and mosques at Ardabil in North West Iran, the burial place of Shaikh Safi al-Din Ardabily, ancestor of Shah Ismail, founder of the Safavid dynasty. This dynasty ruled Iran from 1501 to 1733. At one end of the Ardabil carpet, a cartouche contains an inscription which dates to 1539/40 AD.

One Ardabil Carpet is in Victoria & Albert Museum in London. The other piece is in Los Angeles County Museum of Art, LACMA.

Here is some preliminary information on the piece which is in Victoria & Albert Museum in London :

Size: 17' 6" x 34' 6" or 5.34 x 10.51 meter

Weft: Un-dyed silk (beige) 3 paired shoots after each row of knots

Warp: Un-dyed silk (beige) 35 threads per square inch
Knot: asymmetrical (Senneh or Farsi); 340 per square. inch
Pile: wool, 10 colors: white, black, green, yellow, three shades of blue, and three shades of red

Purchased in sum of £2000 in March 1893

Unknown to the Victoria & Albert Museum at the time, there was a more finely knotted second Ardabil carpet, which is now in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. This carpet has lost its borders and part of its central field; a portion of the missing areas are used to repair the carpet owned by the V&A.

The size of the Ardabil Carpet kept at LACMA is 13' 2" x 23' 7" or 4.00 x 7.18 meter.

I will write more on this exciting and one of a kind event later.

Khosrow Sobhe
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.rugidea.com
310-770-9085