Samsun
SAMSUN
Samsun is a classic and a piece of art having the similar characteristics as the 17th to 20th century Tabriz, Tabriz Vase, Mohtashem, Safavid, Polonese, Hadji Jalili, Keschan, Keschan Mohtashem, Kirman and Isfahan, and Isfahan Strapwork rugs. It is a bridge proud of combining the unforgettable values and beauties of the past to the future.
These rugs with their rich patterns, colour harmony, and distinctive characters, are one of the most important forms of art that give us the real excitement. Their genuine ones can only be found in museums, special collections and antique traders. In the 17th to 20 Th centuries, some big families known for their weavings had valuable contribution to the creation of these artistic pieces.
The combination of hand-spun yarn and rich patterns help us to classify Samsun as a classic for the “Anew Old Rugs”.
The nice touch achieved by the help of hand-spun yarn and vegetable dyes creates a fine background to show the original colors in a much nicer way. Various washing and finishing processes applied reflect the classical characteristic of these rugs in an ideal way and add to their values.
Samsun is a revival of the past beauties, today antiquities. Anatolia, Iran, Middle East with their changing ever changing borders were the motherland of these extraordinary rugs.
For a better comprehension and appreciation of Samsun, a short info on carpet history in towns and villages and even Persian and Azerbaijan Turkish nomads may help a great deal.
Just like Turkey, in Iran, carpet weaving was part of the tradition, history and culture. That’s why, one may consider Persian history as the history of Persian carpets. Especially when Shah Ismail, in the early 16th century, managed to transform the industry, bringing it from the tents of nomads into the towns and cities, when he established a royal carpet factory, Persian carpets enjoyed the climax. The demand from the royal courts and nobles of the west increased. Isfahan, Kerman, Yazd, Kashan, Fars, Khuzestan, Ardebil, Azarbaijan, Tabriz carpets were among the best known sources for the most outstanding carpets of the period. The period had a dramatic end when Shah Abbas’s capital city Isfahan was sacked in 1722. After this period carpet weaving was back to the hands of the nomads, the factories were closed, yet the demand was at increase.
For many decades, Persian carpets witnessed the fall of craftsmanship quality.
In Nortwest Persia, in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first quarter of the 20th century, Hadji Jalili workshops created a great contrast to the period with their exceptional ability to produce outstanding Tabriz carpets which had become world famous. These carpets were primarily woven for prominent families, elite institutions, and royal courts. Superiority of materials used, accuracy of weave and texture, uniqueness of colors, and originality of design denote a Hadji Jalili Tabriz. Aestetically, these carpets are rated among the top in the world.
Unfortunately, Hadji Jalili Tabriz carpets just remained as story of great success. Today, only very few international antique dealers and museums boast of having some of these carpets. The latter decades of the 20th century again witnessed the fall of quality.
After many years of hard-work, research, and studies, with the help of a huge organization, research and development center, and many related facilities and experts, we have managed to re-create original Hadji Jalili carpets in our Samsun collection. Hadji Jalili carpets of this collection are “perfectly imperfect” as “each imperfection has been planned, studied”. They are “the antiques of the future”. They have all the unique characteristics of original Hadji Jalili carpets of the late 19th century.
