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Ghoum, Shah Abbas Silk Carpet 17'10" x 10'
Overview
Materials & Craftsmanship:
This fine, diligently hand-knotted area rug contains a perfect blend of 80% pure silk and 20% pure wool. Persian & Oriental rugs made from a high percentage of silk are intricate and are often the most valuable of all handmade carpets. The silk fibers in this piece create a beautiful sheen throughout the field and borders, providing an ultra luxurious feel. The use of silk ensures a precise rendering of the decorative design patterns since strong silk fibers permit skilled weavers to weave more knots per square inch (KPSI) than those of wool carpets. A typical Persian or Oriental rug made from wool might have between 100 and 300 KPSI - a typical 80% silk rug contains between 200 to 500 KPSI. As a result, weaving the rug will require roughly three times the amount of work, and this is one of the main reasons that silk rugs cost two to three times more than wool rugs. The detailing of this particular piece also contains wool, which increases its durability.
A Brief History of Shah Abbas Carpets
Shah Abbas carpets depict a meandering vine and flower border with a field of palmettes issuing angular flowering and leafy vine. These exquisite carpet pieces are called "Shah Abbas" carpets after the Iranian monarch of that name who reigned during AD 1587-1629. Shah Abbas was the 5th Safavid king of Iran and is generally considered the greatest ruler of the Safavid dynasty. He left a far-reaching mark on the society and artistic heritage of Iran, renovating the country's spectacular shrines and transforming its trading relations with the rest of the world. He was very fond of the arts and specifically hand-made carpets.
Shah Abbas was responsible for a large portion of the Persian rug industry by setting up royal rug factories all over Iran and making Isfahan the country's capital. This typically Persian style carpet widely influenced carpets in Kurdistan and the Caucasus and also Indian court carpets. The term Shah Abbas is also used when referring to a pattern style in which the central patterns are made up of arabesque motifs, palmettes and lotus motifs in elegant shapes which demand a high knot density. This carpet pattern is usually found in carpets such as the Keshan, Isfahan, Mashad, and Nain. It is also found in carpets produced in India, China, and Pakistan, that replicate the Persian style. Today, a Shah Abbas carpet is among the finest Persian rugs available. The Shah Abbas carpet is a perfect reflection of this and brings elegance and sophistication to any room it graces.
Sources and inspiration: Bérinstain, Valérie, et al. L'art du tapis dans le monde (The art of carpets in the world). Paris: Mengès, 1996. Print.; Jerrehian Jr., Aram K.A. Oriental Rug Primer. Philadelphia: Running Press, 1980. Print.; Herbert, Janice Summers. Oriental Rugs, New York: Macmillan, 1982. Print.; Hackmack, Adolf. Chinese Carpets and Rugs, Rutland and Tokyo: Tuttle, 1980. Print. ; De Moubray, Amicia, and David Black. Carpets for the home, London: Laurence King Publishing, 1999. Print.; Jacobsen, Charles. Oriental Rugs A Complete Guide, Rutland and Tokyo: Tuttle, 1962. Print.; Bashir, S. (n.d.). Personal interview.; Web site sources and dates of consultation vary (to be confirmed). Without prejudice to official usage.
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