How strict should you be about defects when choosing a carpet?

After all, Persian carpets are hand-made, and it is normal to assume that there could be variations in wool, colour, and straightness. These little inconsistencies also add to the charm of the carpet. At least that is what every dealer tells you when you point out a defect on a rug you are considering.

No matter what, avoid carpets with holes, and those with frayed edges and fringes, or colour runs. Pay particular attention to the area where the fringes meet the carpet, and ensure that the pile is properly secured. Any dealer will have access to professional restoration specialists, so only buy the carpet once it has been repaired to an acceptable level.

For other defects, here are some general guidelines to consider:

1. How old is the carpet?

   The older the rug, the more lenient you can be when it comes to small defects. Semi-antique and antique carpets can show some signs of wear, such as low pile and spots of repair. They may not be completely straight, as wear patterns may have caused the foundation to stretch or buckle slightly.

2. What type of carpet is it?

   Tribal and village rugs are generally more whimsical in nature, and little inconsistencies or some level of crookedness can be forgiven. Workshop carpets, however, such as pieces made in Tabriz, Qum, Nain or Isfahan, go through a much stricter quality control process, and should not exhibit any defects.

3. How expensive is the carpet?

   If you are buying a piece of pottery at the local flea-market, you are willing to oversee a few scratches. However, if you buy a nice Gucci handbag, everything better be perfect. Both products are handmade, but the expectation is that at a certain price point, the piece should be near-perfect.

   The same theory can be applied to carpets. A small village or tribal carpet is not very expensive, and the weaver is often left to their own devices. Hence, you have a great chance of finding inconsistencies in these types of rugs.

   Expensive workshop carpets have dye experts, wool specialists, professional artistic designers, expert masterweavers and shearers. All of these people add to the cost of the carpet, but also enable the production of very fine pieces of art. These types of carpets therefore should be free of defects.

The statement that all handmade carpets have defects is simply untrue. It is especially sad to see clients come in with fine workshop carpets they have bought elsewhere that are 5" wider at one end than at the other, or that have wavy edges.

The fact is that straight carpets can be found if the dealer tries hard enough. Certain workshops are more reliable than others, so knowing where to look is key. We are especially picky about straightness, and will not buy any rugs that are not straight, wavy or buckled. This means that we may have to sort through 5 or 6 times as many carpets, but the effort is well worth it. When you spend a significant amount of money on a carpet, why settle for anything less than perfect?

The highlight page from our February shipment is now available by clicking here. We encourage you to visit our showroom to view these pieces in person and to browse through the rest of the shipment as well.

Doroksh 4x6Loribaft 3x5Fine Bijar 6x6Our new shipment of pieces chosen from Domotex 2007 arrived yesterday. Opening those seven well wrapped bales was like Christmas, albeit without the portly bearded fellow, although I do have to say that I may have enjoyed one too many pies of late and white hairs seem to be cropping up with increasing regularity, sort of a Christmas lite then, exciting none-the-less.
It has been a month since the trip to Hannover and I had forgotten about some of the pieces we were able to find. In terms of quality and selection it has to be the best shipment for a few years. Included were several beautiful Doroksh rugs, with mahi patterns similar to Tabriz but with more interesting tones and shinier wool. We also found quite a few contemporary Loribafts in various colours with the simplistic scheme and clean lines you would expect, perfect for a more casual setting.
I am in the process of changing our wall display to accomodate some of the more decorative pieces. I am particulary excited about an 11 x 16 semi antique Bakhtiar, with a panel design and toned down colours, it is the ideal size for a larger living room in some of Vancouver's Heritage houses. Also, an amazing 6 x 6 Bijar with lots of silk.
8 x 10s, perfect for dining rooms, are often a problematic size as they fall between the metric system for persian carpets but we were able to find some lovely Tabriz Mahis and a striking Dorosksh with an all-over design.
We will follow up with a photo highlight page but in the mean time feel free to stop into the Gallery for a peek.

Round Tabriz 8' x 8'Tabriz lies in the Azerbaijan region of Northwestern Iran. The carpets from this area are famous for their fineness and intricate detailing. Tabriz has a long history of carpet production, creating carpets of all sizes for many centuries. Floral designs are typically used, with central medallions and the Mahi(fish)pattern also common. Occasionally, Tabriz’ are found to contain a stylized geometric pattern, imitating neighbouring Heriz, but with much finer detail. The majority of Tabriz carpets are knotted with a wool pile, but often have silk highlights surrounding the floral designs. Due to the fineness of the knotting, most Tabriz carpets are clipped with a short pile (1 cm high), so that the intricacy of the designs can be seen.

This striking Tabriz has a multi pointed medallion executed in shades of navy, cream and pink, tones which are mirrored in the outer edges of the field. The ornate composition is enlivened by a robust red that reaches out to the outer border under lancealote leaf emblems. A nice contrast exists between the Herati grid and the soft curvature of the central grounds, tied together by finely articulated lines and pin-point detailing. The piece serves as a stunning example of Tabriz workmanship. I could see it in a lobby or foyer area with rounded stairs and marble or rich wood flooring, it would really add a level of elegance. It can be viewed on the wall of our gallery.

There are three different methods of identifying the knot count in Persian Carpets.
The most widely used is KPSI, short for knots per square inch, where the number of knots along the horizontal axis are times by those along the vertical in a measured grid of one square inch.
Alternatively, "Raj" is sometimes used, particularly in rugs from Tabriz and Bijar. Raj denotes the number of rows in a "Gereh" which is 7 cm of weft threads counted vertically. A fine Tabriz rug may have a count of 55 Raj, and a coarser one around 25 Raj and would generally be priced according to these guidelines as well as the general execution of the piece.

Nain rugs are measured differently, by "Laa" which is the term given to the cotton threads in the warp; Nola is a 9 ply warp technically 3 three ply strands corded and is generally among the coarser of Nain output. Shisla is a 6 ply warp technically 3 two ply strands corded, typically dense in structure and finely detailed. Charla is a 4 ply warp technically 2 two ply strands corded, extremely fine, with substantial highlights of silk and seldom produced.

Overall these guidelines are telling of fineness but there are many more factors involved in determining the value of a Persian carpet; such as colour combination, wool quality, age, straightness, clarity and also if the pattern is unusual or the piece was created by a specific Masterweaver, these are all relevant and point to the importance of research and utilizing reliable dealers as a source in selecting a carpet for your home, to which - I would probably stay away from the "Bankruptcy prevention" and "80% off for today only, and maybe tomorrow also" sales of this world.

unusual BakhtiariThe Bakhtiari tribe inhabit the mountainous area of central Iran, west of Isfahan. The carpets produced by these nomadic people fall into two categories: tribal or workshop. Tribal pieces are ornate and coarsely knotted with a wool base and contain traditional tribal motifs. Workshop rugs are distinguished by the fact that they have cotton foundations, colourful floral designs and are created in workshops of various sizes in the hundreds of villages of the Chahar Mahal valley inhabited by the Bakhtiari.
The so–called ‘Garden’ or ‘Garden Tile’ pattern of geometric palettes containing different motifs arranged all over the field are associated with workshop Bakhtiars and rugs with central medallions of ornate shape with motifs of trees and flowers are also common. Vegetable dyes are often used in the colouration and they are woven in the Turkish knot.

This one-of-a-kind modern Bakhtiar has a unique field arrangement of stylized geometric motifs bearing a loose resemblance to tribal masks with hooks and lozenges set into delineated hexagonal panels with perfect symmetry. The vivid colour palette is achieved through the use of natural dyes, which serve to enliven the striking yet naive composition as sea-foam green grounds compliment bolder tones of salmon and navy blue and anchor softer shades of teal, coral and gold. The bordering contains an expressionistic floral arrangement set against midnight blue with a two-headed animal motif that serves almost as a signature at the apex. The three dimensional quality of the design is further enhanced by the rich natural luster to the highland wool pile, I see it as a piece of art as much as a floor covering, imagine how much heart and soul would go into a painting that took six months to complete and the natural dyes echo that as much as the wildly creative composition. The size is 5' x 7'

Semi-Antique SarughSince the nineteenth century Sarugh, a village located in the Arak region of Northwestern Iran, has been pre-eminent in carpet production. The carpets from this area are created in a large variety of sizes and are renowned for their fine quality and durability. Beautifully ornamented Arabesque designs, which are attractively angular and fluid in appearance, are often employed with floral or boteh (pear shaped) motifs also common.
Colouration is typically rich, with rose, blue and orange tones predominant.
Sarugh carpets are very attractive to the North American market due to their high pile and classically lucid designs and they are created in a quality that is medium (200 knots per sq inch) to extremely fine (320 Knots per sq inch).

I love this carpet. Knotted with silk-like Kork wool this stunning Sarugh was knotted sometime between 1910 and 1920, containing a tonality extremely seldom encountered during the time. With an ivory ground and detailing in an array of naturally dyed pastel shades, the palette evokes a look similar to that of the finest carpets created in Laver further to the south of Iran. Four multi hued trees flank an ornate flower medallion that sets the tone for the rich floral detailing that continues out into decorative detached bouquets, like spacious floral explosions sometimes linked with meandering tendrils. The symbiotic arrangement is achieved through the dense symmetry of the central field and distinguished by the powerful and ornate palmettes, interwoven with refined floral detailing rendered in the border as it is elsewehere in the composition. The soft pinks, teals and greens really shine through and further evoke the thematic feel of spring and growth. The cotton foundation adds a stabilty to the soft and luxuriant pile. I am a huge fan of Sarugh carpets, the wool has a different feel, so much richer than often found - but this is something special, please inquire for details. The size is 8'10 x 11'7

Baluchistan: shaded in yellowThe Baluch are a tribal group inhabiting contiguous areas of western Iran and Afghanistan known as Baluchistan. The rugs created by these nomadic people are typically of small dimension and are characteristically thin in structure. With their naively rendered designs encompassing the decorative spectrum it is thought that the Baluchi were introduced to weaving by the Turkomen confederations that passed through this arid landscape and the articles that followed were used functionally as bed covers, saddle bags and floor covers.

Over time the designs have become more stylized and rugs depicted in wildly creative animal and figure designs have become as commonplace as the angular tribal motifs originally found. Alternating tones of red and navy are typical, with ivory and green shades sometimes found. These vibrant shades along with the decorative flair seen in Baluch rugs, provides a counterpoint for the rudimentary knotting techniques, affording them versatility for everyday use.

Domotex ShowfloorDomotex, the annual world trade fair for carpets and floor coverings in Hannover Germany, encompasses the spectrum of carpets and textiles of all types with wholesalers from all over the world exhibiting in twelve convention buildings, each one larger than BC Place.

As you move between the myriad of displays, from rudimentary to complex and ornate there is an air of the carpet bazaar as rugs in all sizes are bought and sold with all the colourful banter you would expect to find in the markets of Tehran. Picking through the thousands of carpets on display is no mean feat as qualities vary greatly, despite the saturation of certain styles.

Reza Nobari: Our buyer at the Tehran bazaarMohammad Nobari: Supplier of our Bijar and Nain carpetsHighlights from this years' trip include a 10' x 14' panelled Tabriz, and severel Loribaft rugs with harmonious colour palettes. In particular, one 6'x 9' Loribaft with alternating shades of navy, ocean blues and teal, contained in symmetrically aligned borders with an overall feel that is soothing yet contemporary, one that you will definitely see displayed on the wall of our gallery.

We will follow up with more information.

In order to provide our clients with better in-home service, we have decided to change our gallery opening hours as follows:

Tuesday to Saturday: 11 am to 5 pm

Closed Sundays, Mondays and on Holidays.

The new hours give our clients more flexibility, as we will be able to assist with in-home consultations, pick-ups and deliveries either in the mornings before 11 am or in the evening after 5 pm.

As in the past, if our gallery hours do not suit your schedule, please call us to book an appointment outside of the regular hours.