7'2" x 10'8" Persian Tabriz Mahi Wool Silk Rug, 50 Raj, Fish Pattern in Ivory and Brown

This magnificent 7'2" x 10'8" Persian Tabriz Mahi rug is a supreme example of one of the most celebrated designs in the entire history of Persian weaving, hand-knotted at an exceptional 50 Raj density using a luxurious combination of wool and silk in the historic city of Tabriz, Iran. The Mahi, or fish, pattern is one of the most technically demanding and visually mesmerizing designs in the Persian repertoire, requiring extraordinary skill and precision to execute at this level of refinement. The rug is in excellent never-used condition, with full pile, brilliant silk highlights, and vibrant natural colors that glow with an inner luminosity under any light.

Design, Motifs and Patterns

The entire field of this rug is covered in the iconic Mahi herati pattern, a mesmerizing all-over lattice of diamond-shaped compartments each containing a stylized rosette surrounded by curved lancet leaves that create the fish-like forms from which the design takes its name. This endlessly repeating field is interrupted at the center by a magnificent large scalloped medallion whose lobed edges cascade outward like the petals of an exotic flower, the interior filled with the same fine herati pattern executed in a contrasting warm brown and burgundy palette that makes the medallion appear to float above the ivory ground. Pendant forms at the top and bottom of the medallion echo its shape and anchor the composition vertically. The ivory border carries a wide main border of flowing floral scrollwork with large palmette blooms and sinuous vine work, framed by multiple narrow guard borders in deep navy blue carrying small geometric and floral repeats.

Colors and Their Placement

The overall impression of this rug is one of refined warmth and quiet sophistication. The primary field ground is a luminous warm ivory overlaid with the herati lattice rendered in soft grey, warm brown, navy, and rust tones that create a gently shifting visual texture across the entire surface. The large central medallion introduces a warmer and deeper palette of burgundy red, warm brown, and chocolate tones, edged with steel blue scalloped outlines that provide crisp definition against the ivory ground. The ivory main border carries its floral scrollwork in warm brown, rust, navy, steel blue, dusty rose, and sage green on a clean ivory ground, creating a rich but harmonious frame. Deep navy guard borders provide strong visual boundaries between field and border. Throughout the rug, the silk elements catch and reflect light differently depending on the viewing angle, creating a subtle shifting iridescence that gives the surface extraordinary life and depth.

Persian Tabriz Mahi Rugs and the 50 Raj Standard

Tabriz is one of the oldest and most celebrated rug weaving cities in the world, located in northwestern Iran and home to a tradition of excellence spanning many centuries. The Mahi or herati fish pattern originated in the Khorasan region but reached its most refined expression in the workshops of Tabriz, where master weavers elevated it to an art form of extraordinary technical complexity. The designation 50 Raj refers to the knot density measured in rajhs, a traditional unit of approximately 7 centimeters. A 50 Raj Tabriz contains roughly 350 to 400 knots per square inch, placing it firmly in the category of fine collectible rugs reserved for the most discerning buyers and collectors. The incorporation of silk into the pile alongside premium wool adds a luminous sheen and tactile softness that elevates this piece above standard wool Tabriz weavings and makes it a genuinely exceptional acquisition.