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Sultanabad Rugs
Select one of the rugs listed below for a preview photo and information:
About Sultanabad
Sultanabad rugs are made in and around the city of Arak, formerly known as Sultanabad. These rugs have generally one of three major patterns. Firstly the famous Herati pattern, which includes small fish throughout the field, with or without a central medallion. Secondly the more curvilinear pattern of Sarough, with intertwined grapevines throughout the field and a round central medallion. Thirdly is that of Wiss, with three diamonds making up the central medallion. The color schemes can vary, but almost always include red and navy blue.
History & Construction
The Persian carpet is a tradition that has survived for thousands of years, with its major flowering in the 16th century under Shah Thamasp and Shah Abbas. Persians are enormously proud of their culture, and this is evident in the way they make their area rugs. Most villages or cities in Iran have an ancient and traditional pattern that has been used in that region for centuries. Many designs are particular to that city, or even to a particular family. Although famous designs are frequently copied elsewhere in the country, they seem to remain purest and strongest at home. Today, many major cities in Iran have their own modern rug industries, and some have started to revive lost designs. In antique paintings, especially those of the Italian Renaissance and later, there is almost always a Persian carpet somewhere in view. Their decorative designs are sometimes borrowed by architects for the ornamentation of buildings, and sometimes weavers have borrowed patterns from buildings, like the exquisite Isfahan medallion inspired by the famous mosque of Shah Lutf Allah in that fabled city. These are what make the Persian carpet such a potent dose of decorative cultural intensity for any interior today. Quality and symmetry are the biggest factors determining the price and value of a Persian rug. The better the quality in a handmade rug, the longer it has taken the builders to construct (the builders of handmade rugs include the producers of the wool and dyes, the designers, the weavers, and those who build and maintain the looms and other equipment involved). The most important factor in the quality of Persian rugs is the tightness and accuracy of the knotting. Very tightly knotted rugs are very durable, but they are also very hard to weave and take longer. Therefore rugs with higher KPSI (knots per square inch) demand higher prices. Other factors in quality are the grade of wool or silk chosen, the material of the foundation, the dyes, symmetry and intricacy. When determining the value of handmade rugs, professional estimators take all these factors into consideration. City rugs are much finer than village or nomadic rugs. This is because it is difficult for the nomads and villagers to weave large or intricate rugs, having little or no access to large protected spaces, or to modern technology. Iran is the world's largest producer and exporter of handmade rugs today. Making the finest rugs in the world, Iran integrates modern technology with masterful design and strong tradition to produce timeless pieces of art so durable that they outlast any similar product anywhere.
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