The Agra workshops drew their reputation from a single quality the European market admired above all others, the fineness of the floral tracery against an open ground. By the late nineteenth century the design had been adapted for the drawing rooms of London and Paris, with palettes that softened the palace blacks toward beige, ivory, and burgundy. The rug in front of you sits in that civil tradition.

Three weavers shared the loom for close to seven months. The Persian asymmetric knot was tied row by row against a vertical beam, every knot packed with a steel beating comb before the next was begun. The pile is hand-spun wool, the foundation cotton, and the dye lots were prepared in small batches so the burgundy reads as a layered red rather than as a single flat note. The drawing was scaled directly from a master cartoon held by the workshop.

The composition

A beige field carries the floral tendrils that give Agras their reputation, with burgundy reserved for the central medallion and the inner border guard. The colour balance is unusual, the warm beige holds about seventy percent of the surface, leaving the burgundy to act as a stop rather than as a ground. Over time the beige ages toward bone and the burgundy darkens into oxblood, the contrast tightening with use.

What you are buying

An antique Agra of this drawing fineness with comparable condition trades through the London and New York auction rooms in the twenty to forty thousand dollar range. This is a current weaving on a hand-built loom, in hand-spun wool, with the same knot density a period piece would carry. The rug appreciates rather than depreciating with use, which is the case for almost no other object you place on a floor.

The piece in a room

9' × 12' (274 × 366 cm) is the canonical drawing-room scale. The beige ground reads against pale plaster walls without losing the burgundy, and the rug sits comfortably under a ten-seat dining table or a full sectional. Brass and walnut belong with this palette. Cool greys fight the warm beige; warm greys settle into it.

Conservation

Rotate the rug a half turn each spring and autumn so the field ages evenly under daylight. Weekly vacuum, beater bar disengaged. Blot any spill with cotton, never rub. Schedule a wool-trained conservator to hand-wash the piece every five to seven years. Stored properly, an Agra of this build lasts the better part of a century.

Reference

• Medium: hand-knotted wool on cotton foundation
• Dimensions: 274 × 366 cm (9' × 12')
• Construction: Persian asymmetric knot
• Hands: 3 weavers, ~7 months
• Pile: 9 mm hand-spun wool
• Origin: India

Free UK delivery. 14-day returns. Authentic hand-knotted craftsmanship.