“Sultanabad” is one of those magical Oriental rug types, something to conjure with. There are real Sultanabad's, of which this is one, those moderately coarse carpets woven in the Sultanabad/ Arak (Markazai) area/province before the First World War, and there are plenty of Mahal wannabees, rugs from the same area but lacking the expansive design and mellow palettes of the originals. Cotton foundations are standard, along with asymmetric (Persian) knots. Colors: gray/green/ivory