Category: Blog

“Nain Carpets – a touch of silk for good measure”   

Nain is a city in Isfahan Province in central Iran. Up until  the beginning of the 20th century, Nain was little known as a carpet producing area. Carpets produced in Nain were labelled as Isfahan; they were predominantly lower grade products sold on the local market.

Then came the unexpected change: a visionary man named Fatoallah Habibian started producing very fine, beautifully designed, quality carpets in wool with finishes in silk. They were all signed Habibian and marked as Nain carpets.

Habibian carpets had quickly become noticed and gained international recognition.  Orders began to flow from all over the world while the production within the small studio was limited.

Soon, other manufacturers, small studios in Nain and the area, followed affording a steady supply of carpets in unique and characteristic patterns and a rather limited colour range: grey and blue arabesque designs with a large, centrally located floral medallion set against a warm cream-colored field.  

Nain carpets are relatively easy to recognize; nearly all are made within the same style and colour, although red maybe be sporadically used in contrast to the traditional blue.

Almost all Nain carpets have some silk woven into the wool pile. The aim is to highlight the intricate arabesque patterns.

Fatoalah Habbian died in 1975; his studio however never shut down. Beautiful carpets of the highest quality continue to emerge out of his original shop produced under a very strict supervision of the master’s progeny.

All original Habibian designs had been copied by other manufacturers in Nain and beyond; sadly, at times, inclusive of the master’s signature.

Buying a genuine Habibian has therefore become a problem, as ‘fakes’ are aplenty while certificates may be forged as well.

Studying the signature maybe of help to some learned collectors but a chance of paying a high price for a forgery remains a probability.

This situation has seriously hampered the popularity of Habibian carpets; they are however recognizable by their outstanding quality.

‘You will tell a Habibian once you see it’, said once a respected New York merchant.

In essence, buying a Habibian is no different than buying diamonds: always consult an expert.

Here are some tips for buyers on Nain rugs:

LA is a mark of quality in Nain rugs. LA refers to a numberof plies making a single weft thread.

There are 3 types of Nain rugs: commercial quality 9LA ; good to very good quality 6LA;  and  4LA  carpets wherein a weft consists of 4 plies to a single thread.

4LA Nain carpets with knot densities in the upwards of 1 million knots per square meter are extremely rare.

Importantly, all Nain carpets represent good value and are aesthetically pleasing . 

A.G.

pre-1995 Vintage Habibian carpet

Tabriz is a city in the north of Iran. It is the capital of East Azerbaijan province. Tabriz is a world-renowned center producing exquisite hand-knotted carpets.

One of the characteristics of a good quality Persian Tabriz is a short pile which accentuates the designs typically consisting of a central medallion surrounded by arabesques.

All-over flower designs devoid of a centrally located medallion are though not uncommon.

Occasionally, Persian Tabriz rugs feature stylized calligraphy in the borders; more often than not, excerpts from ancient Safavid poetry by Said, Hafez or Omar Khayam.

Hunting scenes, another Safavid accent, are also a frequent theme in pictorial carpets from Tabriz. 

Many Tabriz master weavers draw their inspiration from the ceiling mosaics in various mosques

This Persian Tabriz  carpet reflects the central mosaic ceiling within the dome at Isfahan’s 17th century Shah Imam Mosque

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The “Imam Mosque”, and is considered one of the greatest masterpieces of Islamic art and architecture 

Raj, the unit of knot density in Tabriz rugs refers to the number of knots across 2 ¾ inches of a rug; the higher the number, the better quality of the Tabriz carpet.

Raj is often confused with the KPSI count (knots per square inch), or wrongfully applied to other Persian carpets. 

(Note to prospective buyers: knot density does not guarantee the quality of the oriental carpet; the origin, the design and age are of greater importance.)

Tabriz carpets are very attractive and given their popularity,they constitute an excellent investment.

A.G.

Read more …

The Luri (or Lurs) are a nomadic tribe of shepherds inhabiting the valleys of the Zagros Mountains in south-western Iran, a large area they share with other pastoral tribes.

They are believed to be the indigenous peoples of the region; they speak  Iranian dialects: Luri and/or Laki; the first being related to Persian; the latter to Kurdish.

As other nomadic tribes, the Luri are renowned for their beautiful wool carpets: nomadic rugs called the Luri Behbehan rugs, which are made entirely of wool; and the Khorramabad rugs  with predominantly all-over patterns and, often, beautifully braided fringes

Most Luri Behbehan rugs feature bold geometric nomadic motifs, while the Khorramabad rugs often display busier patterns in more restrained colour schemes.

All Luri carpets are made exclusively by women;  men may be only involved in collecting and preparation of materials for the dyeing process.

‘The story of the Lurs is one of strength and beauty, courage and pride, discrimination and prejudice, humiliation and poverty.
Yet the luster of their weavings shows through the mists of time, like the glint of precious gemstones from beneath a heavy haze of dirt and grime. Long neglected and marginally collected, the weaving of the Lurs can rightfully be claimed to be as elegant, colorful, timeless and striking as that of their better-known neighbors.’

(-) Alluring Luris, Denizens of the Zagros by Patrick Weiler … read here

If the origins of most nomadic tribes in Iran are obscure, the Shahsavan’s are outright confusing.

It is said that centuries ago, just like the Qashqai, they migrated to Iran from Anatolia (present day Turkey); the Shahsavan are in fact Turkic peoples.  

However, unlike the Qashqai, who settled in the highlands of the south west (the Zagros), the Shahsavan chose the fertile steppes of the Mogan and Ardabil districts of eastern Azerbaijan. 

There many other theories, some documented, suggesting their central Asian, or Caucasian origins. It is also believed they might be historically Kurdish.

The Shahsavan are nomads, but in contrasts to other nomadic groups of the region, their life-style is almost sedentary; they are spared the long and 
arduous seasonal migrations. 

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Their occupations are similar to those of other tribes; they trade in  livestock, but, in the Western world, they are famous for their stunning rugs and flat-woven soumaks[1].

Their works in many styles and intricate designs show the most remarkable skills and seemingly unlimited imagination.

The works of the Shahsavan weavers are perhaps the most coveted collectibles.

A.G

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[1] a rug distinguished by a flat, pileless surface and loose threads at the back.

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The Bahtiari tribe constitutes the largest tribal group in Iran; a third of them being nomadic. The sedentarized Bahtiaris live in villages within Chahar Mahal and Bahtiari Province near Isfahan where they produce some of the best-known carpets in the style and designs which are popular,easily recognizable and collectible.

The Bahtiari’s roots however are further south, in the Zagros mountains and in fact some of the  finest Bahtiari rugs, predominantly antique ones, originate from the south west Iran.  If you are an aspiring collector, be on the look-out for Bahtiari rugs with wool foundation. It is wool foundation that distinguishes antique tribal Bahtiari rugs from more commercial Chahar Mahal ones; invariably set on the cotton warps and wefts.

The life-style of the Bahtiari nomads is somewhat similar to that of other south-western tribes and evolves around seasonal migration (called bâr).

In the spring, the Bahtiari clans abandon the plateaus of the mainland and move to the hillsides of the Zagros seeking better climate and vegetation.

Bârs are extremely arduous. ‘The nomads suffer frequent accidents and losses of livestock when they clamber over snow-covered cols, ancient  Bahtiari  mountain routes, and through rock-encumbered gorges and when they either swim or float on rafts held up with inflated goatskins across the Kārūn and other raging rivers at the time of the snow-melt.’ [1]

The works of the sedentarized Bahtiaris frequently show a strong urban influence. While many of their rugs retain their tribal character, they often resemble the more sophisticated atelier works including those with curvilinear motifs within the medallion and niche/corners designs.

A.G

Interested in more articles on the Bahtiari nomads? Read the article below:
Why Iran’s Nomads are Fading Away (National Geographic) or … click here

The Afshar people are descendants of Turkic clans from central Asia.
Over the centuries,  they migrated settling down in the areas from the Caucasus to the plateaus of southern Iran.

‘ … , the Afshar are perhaps the oldest of the Turkic tribes. They are scattered now into most areas around Iran, with the largest concentration in western Kerman province. Their lifestyle has remained largely the same for 1000 years.’[i] They are famous for exquisite rugs in a wide range of designs.

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[i] Parvis Tanavoli On Afshar Rugs  By Jim Adelson

As of the more recent census, the largest concentrations of the Afshar tribes in the county’s are north west, with small communities inhabiting Iran’s north east (Khorasan) and some in the Kerman province. Each of these regional groups produce distinct work of weaving arts.

Just like many Persian nomadic tribes of Turkic origin, the Afhar are tent-dwellers. Their primary occupation is sheep husbandry and handicraft such as many ornamental weavings: saddlebags (khoorjin), salt bags (namakdan) and flat-weaves (jajim, ghelim) better known in the West as kilims.[1] They are however best known for their superb carpets in an array of eclectic designs.

Perhaps not the largest but certainly bettern known and more prolific concentration of the Afshar clans is in the Kerman province, Baft being their central marketplace.

Their best-known carpets in fact are made by and tribeswomen[i] in southern Iran’s Kerman and Hormozgan provinces.

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[i] Tanavolia observed that “women do all the work; men sit around and smoke.”

Most Afshar carpets display stylized geometrical patterns in a wide range of colours. Their designs may be unpredictable and eclectic.
They are valued world-wide as quality tribal artifacts.

Some Afshar rugs resemble Khamseh works, and often in fact are mistaken for such. Here is a priceless advice from Jim Adelson

‘According to Opie, “Woolen warps and wefts predominate in Afshar work until cotton was adopted in the 1930s. Wool warps are almost invariably ivory in color, though minor admixtures of darker wool or goat hair are occasionally found. . . . Wefts are commonly dyed red, sometimes with a decidedly orange tinge which distinguishes them from Khamseh work.” ‘

When on the look-out for an antique Afshar rug, a number of considerations out to be made. Most Afshar rugs on today’s market are very well made; they are typically colourful with wool being soft and shiny.

The patterns of Afshar rugs are also quite eclectic. They will typically be hand-knotted (Ghiordes knot) on white cotton foundation. 

The older Afshar rugs (pre-1930[1]) are all wool and perhaps these early 20^th century rugs should be considered when investing in tribal rugs.

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The above-featured rug, displays a very old pattern, the French Rose (gϋl frange)  popular in Persian from late 19^th century onward.

[1] Both the Afshar and the Bahtiari (independently) adopted cotton as their preferred foundation material around the 1930s

Here is another example of a pre-1930s Afshar rug is small pushti (pillow) format from a private collection.

A.G.

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[1] The Turkish name kilim is widely adopted in the Western world in reference to hand-woven tribal textiles, the names of which vary from ghelim  in Iran or mandour in Morocco. The origin of the name kilim or ghelim may be traced  back to ancient Aramaic where the word ghalim denotes a blanket. 

Quotations about Afshars from Parvis Tanavoli On Afshar Rugs by Jim Adelson