A Kashan rug made in Persia in the city of Kashan in Isfahan Province North Central Iran. There was production of Persian carpet at Royal workshops in the 17th and early 18th century. The Persian carpet workshops ceased production in about 1722 after the Afghan invasion. Persian carpet production was very minor until the 20th century. Historically, Kashan was a major center in the garment trade. In the late 19th century, the market shifted and the local industry went from fine wool cloth to fine wool carpets. High quality wool was sourced from Sabzevar.
Ushak rugs have been in production since the 15th century with superb wools and natural dyes. Unlike other Turkish rugs, Ushak rugs influenced after Persian rugs and they woven with Ghiordies knots and all double knotted, their design is feature intricate motifs of vines and leaves and typically based on geometric motifs.
Antique Shirvan Prayer Rug with multi color motives on white background field.
The historic Khanate or administrative district of Shirvan produced many highly decorative antique rugs that have a formality and stylistic complexity that is found in few rugs from the Caucasus. The depth of colors, the complexity of the composition and the phenomenal patterns featured in antique Shirvan rugs set them apart from those produced in other regions of the Caucasus.
Tree of life Feraghan Sarouk with birds of happiness.
The Feraghan district located south of Tehran, encompassed the cities of Arak, Qum and Kashan, an area with a long and illustrious history of rug and carpet weaving. In the nineteenth century, many British companies opened oriental carpet factories and began to produce fine Persian Feraghan rugs and carpets for export to Europe. Antique Feraghan carpets and rugs are prized for their sturdy construction and their quiet, all-over patterns.
Unusual Pictural Oushak Rug. Greek mythology story. Probably Armenian Rug.
Antique Turkish Oushak rugs have been woven in Western Turkey since the beginning of the Ottoman period. Historians attributed to them many of the great masterpieces of early Turkish carpet weaving from the fifteenth to the seventeenth centuries. However, less is known about what happened to production there in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. When things become clearer toward 1900, the Oushak region re-emerges as a major center, this time for room-size decorative rugs.
The Iranian city of Isfahan has long been one of the centres for production of the famous Persian carpet. Isfahani carpets are known for their high quality. The most famous workshop in Isfahan is Seirafian. Weaving in Isfahan flourished in the Safavid era. But when the Afghans invaded Iran, ending the Safavid dynasty, the craft also became stagnant. The high knot density antique carpets in which Isfahan excelled continued to be woven in the late 19th and 20th centuries, maintaining the original inspiration and attention to refinement and detail.
The Caucasus is bounded by the rugged mountains and lush valleys of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. This cultural melting pot was populated by Armenian dyers and weavers, Azeri Turks, groups from the Northern Caucasus and minorities from the surrounding areas. The Kazak rugs of the Caucasus are distinctive and individual. Geometric people and animals, symbolic motifs, dramatic medallions, crenelated fence borders, angular cloud-bands and graphic latch hook
Colorful and dramatic Kilims (kelims) were produced by both villagers and tribal nomads in Persia. Slit tapestry predominated among Azerbaijani, Shahsevan and Ghashghai weavers, while some Kurds and others in western Persia used interlocked tapestry. These all typically have clear coloring and bold patterns.
