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Kashani Style
Kashan
When one speaks of top quality Persian carpets, the names of Isfahan and Kashan lies halfway along a line drawn north form Isfahan towards Tehran. Today Kashan produces velvet, silks and carpets as well as interesting ceramic and metal work. However, the huge bazaar and its side stalls are dominated by the carpets woven on the 15,000 or so looms in the Kashan area, which produce some 100 pieces every day.
Sizes
In the town workshops all formats are produced including room size carpets up to 12 sq. m (130 sq. ft). The villagers generally weave rugs up to 1.50 x 2.20 m
Color
Clear blue or Red shades as well as beige and ivory are used for the field, with numerous contrasting colors for the designs. The color excel in their subtle brilliance.
Patterns
Amongest the many designs are found the majority of Persian floral motifs, including arabesques and flower-stems, palmettes, rosettes, blossom and leaf motifs. Rugs with medallion, mirror and vase designs, and pictorial rugs are less common.
Foundation
Warps and wefts are of finely spun cotton or silk.
Knots
The carpets are extremely dense and woven in the Persian knot. The weave is fine to exceptionally fine, with 2,000-10,000 knots per sq. dm, or even finer for silk carpets.
Pile
Very good quality wool, often obtained from Kermanshah. Top quality pieces are made from kurk wool, occasionally with the use of silk for design outlines. The material for silk carpets comes from local sericulture. Kashans are mostly cut flat, those woven from kurk sheep's wool or silk, very flat.
Quality
These carpets belong to the best made in Persia and are exceptionally hard wearing and highly decorative. The best pieces, especially whose which are old, are a good investment. However, carpets of lower quality appear on the market labelled Kashan which are woven in the surrounding villages.
Motashem Kashans, named after the workshops of a well-known Iranian rug weaver, belong at the top of the highest category. Often woven in kurk wool and silk to the highest finsih, a favourite design includes a pointed oval medallion with the corners to match.
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