The Gol Farang Design

The design is Gol Farang — literally “French flower.” Its naturalistic rose sprays trace back to the floral patterns of French furnishing fabrics, which became highly fashionable in Tsarist Russia. To satisfy that taste, rugs in this design were woven in the Caucasus, most often in Armenia. The Afshar, whose origins lie in the Caucasus before their migration south, carried the motif with them into Persia, where it entered the weaving repertoire of Afshar, Senneh, Bidjar and Bakhtiari looms — each adapting and reinterpreting the French rose in its own idiom.

Provenance and Tribal Tradition

The Afshar are a Turkic tribal confederation settled across the Sirjan and Kerman regions of southern Persia. Their rugs are among the most collectible of the Persian tribal weaves, prized for a distinctive blend of geometric tribal drawing and softened, semi-floral motifs. Here the Gol Farang roses are scattered across the field in the free, additive manner of a village loom rather than arranged around a single medallion.

This piece was hand-knotted in 100% wool on a cotton foundation and is genuinely antique — over eighty years old. A long life of use has worn the pile down in places to a soft, low, painterly surface; this is honest age, not damage, and it gives the rug the gentle, faded glow that collectors of antique tribal weaves seek out.

Colour and Composition

A deep indigo navy field — reading almost teal where the pile has softened — carries the Gol Farang roses in old rose, salmon-pink, rust-orange, bordeaux and ivory, with rust-gold tendrils linking the blossoms. A generous ivory main border carries a rose-and-vine meander in pink, green and navy, framed by indigo guard borders of floral rosettes. The whole palette is the warm, vegetable-dyed register of an old southern Persian weave. Ivory wool fringes finish the ends.

Presence in the Room

At 140 × 183 cm (2.6 m²) this is a versatile small-to-medium format. Three contexts in which the antique Afshar reaches its full effect:

• Bedroom: Beside or at the foot of the bed, the soft worn pile and warm faded palette bring age and character to a personal space.
• Reading nook or study: Under a single armchair, the painterly surface reads as a collected, lived-in anchor rather than a showpiece.
• Layered styling: The low pile makes this an ideal layering rug over a larger plain floor covering or sisal, where its tribal drawing and patina add depth.

Specifications

Responsible Sourcing · Label STEP

Djoharian is a Label STEP certified dealer for fair-trade knotted rugs — a commitment to dignified working conditions and against child labour in rug production. Visit the Label STEP entry for Djoharian Teppiche →

Djoharian — Since 1967

With roots in the Grand Carpet Bazaar of Tehran and more than five decades of experience in the international rug trade, Djoharian has specialised in antique, designer and collector rugs since 1967.

Service and Delivery

Every piece in the Djoharian Collection is expertly inspected in our atelier in Lohr am Main, professionally washed and shipped with a certificate of authenticity. We offer secure and fast worldwide shipping, fully insured, and personal consultation in our showroom or by video call.