3822 Swedish 2 ft 5 in x 4 ft (76 x 121)

Bakhtiari rug signed and dated 1886
A very unique carpet, this is an early to mid 19th century version of a very famous 16th century Spanish Alcaraz carpet currently in the Textile Museum. A Phoenix rises from the ashes, surrounded by wreaths. The scull & bones motifs in the original have been replaced here by statue heads (Socrates??). The latin inscriptions (in…