4.6 x 7.1 Antique Bidjar Rug, Deerhead Border Design, Northwest Persia, Circa 1890
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The border style seen in this antique Bidjar rug, with a deer head extending from each side of the Turtle palmettes, seems specific to Bidjar rugs (and the occasional Tabriz copy of a Bidjar rug with this format). At least I do not recall ever seeing any other type of Persian rug with this design.
In this Bidjar example, the navy field is decorated with light green scrolling vines and coral, brick red, sky blue and ivory flowerheads. The brick red border is decorated with the palmettes featuring the two deer heads which are flanked by large, green leaves.
Antique Bidjar rugs are village products but they are often based on more formal city rug paradigms. This Bidjar rug has a folk art quality to it which makes the complexity of the field design quite interesting.
Woven on a wool foundation, this Bidjar rug almost certainly dates to the 19th century.