This circa-1920 antique Mashad Persian rug features a striking all-over design of floral abstractions and interlocking garden leaf motifs in shades of red, green and bone-white against a field of midnight black. The herati pattern, a common staple of Persian carpet weaving, can be seen throughout the antique carpet. Also known as the “fish” pattern, the herati design typically consists of a flower centered in a diamond framed by diagonal leaves. The rug comes from Meshad, the administrative seat of the Khorassan province throughout the centuries, and home to many well-known Oriental rug workshops. The towns of Amoghli, Khamenei, Makhmalbaf, Saber and Zarbaf produced antique oriental rugs that feature both symmetrical and asymmetrical knots, as well as multiple borders with eclectic color palettes. Designs are based on classical models and feature color schemes ranging from traditional burgundies and midnight blues to the more contemporary tints of ice blue and beige.