Polonaise carpet sells for over £2 million

At a recent auction at Christie’s, a polonaise carpet once owned by the Rothschild family was sold for £2,322,000.

Polonaise carpets were the most common type of carpet exported from Persia in the 16th and 17th centuries. The highest quality carpets of the period were made during the reign of Shah Abbas (1587-1629), who was enthusiastic about premium-quality carpets made in Isfahan.

The carpet was made in Persia around the 16th or 17th century. Baron Rothschild (1823-1900) once owned the carpet and, after his death, it became the property of Maurice de Rothschild. For the last 50 years, a German noble family has owned it. It is a fine example of a high-quality polonaise carpet, boasting a floral arabesque pattern, corner and central medallions and strongly defined borders. The carpet is knotted with gold and silver brocade. Due to the carpet's age, the colours have faded, but this did not put the winning bidder off paying over £2 million.

People choosing carpets for Chester, Wrexham and North Wales homes who love classic designs that are similar to Persian patterns don’t have to pay over £2 million. High-quality wool carpets are available for much less. Modern dyeing technology means that the carpet’s colours will not fade.

Unlike the polonaise carpet, new carpets will not be worth a fortune after a century or two, but a decent-quality carpet will last a few decades, provided it is cleaned regularly and any spills are wiped up promptly.