Ziegler Mahal & Ziegler Sultanabad Persian Antique Rugs    

Overview

The first World Oriental Carpet Exhibition of 1891 in Vienna represents a growing familiarity - both in Europe and America - with the art of the hand-woven Persian carpet. When an ever-growing demand from those new markets exceeded a dwindling supply base - replenishment involved something of a mideast-west joint-venture to manage and invigorate production. An influx of British and American firms enlisted local carpet producing facilities for the mass-production of the popular styles of Persian rugs for export to London and New York. By 1883 the British-Swiss company Ziegler & Co had set up offices in Sultanabad - now Arak - the hub of the major rug-producing area which included a small village by the name of Mahallat - from whence the Ziegler Mahal carpet has it's origins.