Persian Rug Tabriz 284 x 191 cm Wool Hand-knotted (Sold)

Tabriz Persian Rug

Material and Craftsmanship

This Persian rug from Tabriz is hand-knotted. Its pile is made of 100% virgin wool, while the warp is made of 100% cotton. The combination of a wool pile and cotton warp is one of the clearly identified material features of this rug. The pile forms the visible and tactile surface, while the warp provides the foundation into which the rows of knots are secured.

The knot density is approximately 90,000 knots per square metre. Knot density records the number of knots made within a given area and is closely related to the way contours and small design details can be arranged in a hand-knotted rug. It is a technical description of the weaving structure, not a statement about the rug’s age or condition.

In hand knotting, each knot is tied individually around the warp threads and then secured within the developing row. The rug is built gradually, row by row, as the design takes shape. The cotton warp acts as the supporting framework and the virgin wool forms the pile. These are the stated material and construction characteristics of this particular piece; no additional fibres or blends are attributed to it.

Origin and Tradition

The rug comes from Iran and is associated with the city of Tabriz. Located in north-western Iran, Tabriz has long been one of the important centres of Persian carpet making. Its position between the Iranian plateau, the Caucasus, Anatolia and routes leading further east encouraged the movement of artistic ideas, commercial goods, dyes, materials and weaving practices.

Tabriz carpet production is widely associated with controlled drawing and carefully organised compositions. Workshops in the city and surrounding area worked with designs prepared by experienced draughtsmen. In the classical Persian process, a pattern could be developed on a guide grid so that medallions, borders, floral scrolls and corner elements remained balanced across the field. Knotters then followed the planned colours and forms progressively as the rug was made.

There is no single visual formula for every Tabriz rug. Regional work can include different levels of detail, varied arrangements and contrasting approaches to the central field. Floral scrolls, palmettes, blossoms and structured borders are all part of the broader vocabulary associated with Persian weaving in Tabriz. The individual workshop, the chosen design and the period of production influence how these elements are combined.

This piece is described as a semi-antique Tabriz Persian rug from Iran, made before the Iranian Revolution of 1978. Its production therefore belongs to an earlier period of modern Iranian history. Here, semi-antique is a time-related description. It does not establish an undocumented collection history, workshop attribution or additional provenance. Iran identifies the country of origin, while Tabriz identifies the regional and city connection within that tradition.

Persian carpet making has always combined practical use with inherited design systems and skilled manual work. In Tabriz, established Persian motifs were continued, refined and adapted to changing preferences. Medallion compositions could be strictly symmetrical, richly floral or framed by highly articulated borders. This regional background explains the design language and construction tradition associated with the rug, without adding an unrecorded maker or a provenance that has not been supplied.

Design and Pattern

The pattern is identified as a Tabriz medallion design. Its composition is therefore organised around a prominent central ornament that acts as the visual focus of the field. A medallion may be built from oval, diamond-shaped, polygonal or flowing outlines. Its essential role is structural: it establishes a centre from which the surrounding field and border relate to one another.

Persian medallion rugs often use a border to frame the central field. The border creates a transition between the interior and the outer edge and may contain continuous vines, flowers, palmettes or ordered geometric ornament. The area between the medallion and the border may carry leaves, blossoms and supporting lines. For this rug, the documented pattern description is Tabriz with a medallion; specific additional motifs are not stated and are not presented as confirmed features.

The colour combination is described as rare. In a rug design, colours work through their relationships with the field, medallion, outlines and borders rather than appearing as isolated elements. An unusual combination can distinguish the different layers of ornament and alter the visual weight of the central motif. The description records the rarity of the combination without naming individual shades that have not been specified.

Tabriz design traditions often combine measured symmetry with finely developed floral forms. A central medallion may be accompanied by opposing scrolls, while the corner sections respond to the main field and reinforce its balance. Such relationships between centre, corners and border make the composition readable. In Persian ornament, plant forms are generally stylised signs arranged through rhythm and repetition rather than literal botanical illustrations.

The density of knotting can provide a technical framework for closely controlled contours in a medallion design. Differences in line width, colour placement and repeated detail can be arranged with precision within a finely structured drawing. This rug has a stated density of approximately 90,000 knots per square metre. That figure explains part of the construction, but it does not by itself determine the artistic status, durability or value of an individual rug.

Persian carpet patterns function as systems of organisation as well as decoration. Repeated scrolls connect separate parts of the field, borders contain the composition, and the medallion concentrates attention at the centre. Tabriz workshops have interpreted these principles in many different ways. The design of this piece is described through its Tabriz association, its medallion arrangement and its rare colour combination.

Special Features

The rug is described as semi-antique and was made before the Iranian Revolution of 1978. It originates in Iran and is associated with Tabriz. The rare colour combination within the medallion design is another stated feature. Together, these details establish its documented time period, geographical context and visual classification.

The condition is described as good. The rug has been professionally washed and shows signs of use. Those signs of use can be seen in the photographs and form part of the recorded condition. Professional washing is a documented care treatment; it does not imply an additional restoration or repair that has not been mentioned.

The hand-knotted construction, the 100% virgin wool pile, the 100% cotton warp and the approximate knot density complete the factual description. Alongside the medallion, the rare colour combination and the semi-antique date, these details bring together the rug’s making, visual structure and history of use without adding unrecorded claims.

FAQ

Where does the rug come from?

The rug comes from Iran and is associated with Tabriz. Tabriz is a long-established centre of Persian carpet weaving in the north-west of the country. This identifies the rug’s geographical and regional connection. The medallion is a pattern feature and does not indicate a separate place of origin.

Which materials were used?

The pile is made of 100% virgin wool. The warp is made of 100% cotton. The rug is hand-knotted and has an approximate density of 90,000 knots per square metre. No other materials are specified for this piece.

What is the condition of the rug?

The rug is described as being in good condition. It has been professionally washed and shows signs of use. These signs can be seen in the photographs. Its time classification is semi-antique, with production before the Iranian Revolution of 1978.