Tabriz

enTabriz is the capital of eastern Azerbaijan province located in northwest Iran, and is one of the oldest and biggest handmade rug-producing center in the world, most definitely one of the oldest. One of the finest eras of Persian rug weaving was the Saffavid period, which started in 1502, and the city was made into an artful and poetic center of Persian culture.

Materials used in these rugs are wool, silk, or combination of the two. In most cases, a beautiful blend of wool and silk is used in the fine tapestry of Tabriz rugs. Designs used for these rugs usually consist of medallions, or the renowned Mahi (fish) design, as well as geometric patterns and pictorials. Many colors are combined in these rugs, such as burgundy, red, ivory, blue, tan, creams, greens, as well as many others, thereby making them the most flamboyant of all Persian rugs.

Isfahan

enCarpets from Isfahan are located in Central Iran and is the capital of the province of Isfahan. They are one of the most highly prized amongst Persian carpets, and are much in demand by connoisseurs who value aesthetic excellence, fine craftsmanship, and range of contemporary and traditional design. Notorious all over the world for their delicacy and utmost beauty. Ancient Persian kings always had these rugs placed throughout their palaces; on the floors, and sometimes placed on the walls like priceless paintings.

The main and most common combination of materials that are used in the construction of Isfahan carpets is a superb blend of wool and silk combined for the pile (knots), woven on a foundation of pure silk. Designs used in these carpets are of complex colors, shapes and Árabesque’ swirls, which are often inspired by the mosques tile works, or the gardens of the cities and palaces. Isfahan rugs are distinct and are characterized by thin carpets with extremely high knot density, making them a priceless and without exaggeration, the most beautiful piece of art that can be placed on any floor.

Qum

enA holy city located in Central Iran. Qum is considered as the most luxurious of Persian rugs due to them consisting of 100% silk. Designed by Master designers and woven only by the most skillful weavers, these rugs are pure art in its finest form.

Using the finest silk thread and the most stable dyes available, Qum carpets possess highly curvilinear patterns, and most intricate minute details of all Persian carpets. There are many different shapes and sizes in these rugs, including squares, rectangles, ovals, round rugs, or wall hangings. Quality of these carpets are determined by the number of motifs and colors used, quality of silk, as well as the number of knots, varying from around 500 to 900 knots per square inch. Master designer pieces tend to have a higher retail value due to the quality and uniqueness of the art, not to mention the most expensive material which is used, natural silk. It is by far the most sought after collection by connoisseurs and collectors of Persian rugs.

Nain

enNain, a small town located not far from Isfahan in central Iran, is a fairly new carpet weaving centre, but has succeeded in carving a name for itself and creating a distinctive style for its range of rugs and carpets. The design scheme of most Nain carpets are characterized by a single medallion with flowing tendrils/vines and floral design set in a solid background color usually in red, blue, and ivory; and recently in green and yellow.

There are four main quality distinctions in Nain carpets that depends on the thread size used to weave the carpet:

• Charla (four strands)

• Sheeshla (six strands)

• Nohla (nine strands)

• Tabaz (12 strands).

The highest quality being the Charla, where four strands are used in each thread for weaving, making the knots smaller in which the design would be executed with finer precision. The lowest being the Tabaz, which consists of twelve strands per thread, making the knots bigger, with a diminished detail design. The simplicity of the Nain’s color schemes tend to make it very attractive to its buyers.

Antiques

enThese are the type of rugs that are sought after by collectors of Persian carpets. They are valued as an art according to age, rarity, beauty, quality and the condition of the rug.

To be a valuable collection, it has to be within the internationally accepted standard of antiquity. They are also appraised collectively by competent and reputable people who have the first hand knowledge of a particular culture and tradition of people in the local area where the rug was originated and woven.