The Benlian workshop manufactured carpets for the European market in the city of Tabriz during the first half of the 20th century. Edward E Benlian was a London carpet dealer of Armenian descent who maximized his ties to the thriving Armenian community of Tabriz at the beginning of the last century to produce some of the best quality and most sought after Persian carpets of the era. His master weavers included Javan Amir Kizi and Mahmud Ghalicheh. The Benlian designers successfully reinterpreted the classical carpet designs of 16th and 17th century Safavid Persia, simplifying and unifying the iconic patterns and using a lighter, more European-style palette and strong graphic quality that continues to appeal to modern taste: much as William Morris had done earlier with the British Arts and Crafts carpets of the 1890s. Although other early 20th century workshops such as Petag began producing Tabriz carpets of similar style, Benlian carpets can be identified by the eight-pointed star insignia woven into the inner guard border in one corner of each carpet.