This early 20th century antique Persian rug features all-over beige floral abstractions over a field of ice blue. The boteh motif, a staple of mashhad oriental rugs, repeats throughout the design. A pear-shaped figure characteristic of the paisley pattern, the boteh may represent a leaf, bush or a pinecone. The antique carpet comes from Meshad, the administrative seat of the Khorassan province throughout the centuries, and home to many renowned oriental rug workshops in the towns of Amoghli, Khamenei, Makhmalbaf, Saber and Zarbaf. Antique Meshad carpets typically feature the Jufti knot, a “false” knot which is tied onto four warp threads instead of the normal two. Designs are based on classical models but executed in color schemes ranging from traditional burgundies and midnight blues, to the more contemporary tints of ice blue and beige, as in this intricate antique rug.