Old Qom | 226 x 137 cm | Nr. 15696

Geometric old Qom, blue-grey with border and medallion

Origin

Qom is a comparatively young provenance for Persian rugs. The city of Qom (also Ghom, Gom, Ghoum, Goum) lies in central Iran, roughly 100 km south of the capital Tehran. As Qom had no long knotting tradition of its own to build on, patterns from other weaving regions were adopted there – and still are. Over time, though, a distinct style of its own has grown out of that. Today the silk rugs from Qom are among the most celebrated and finest rugs in the world. The field of Qom rugs is often light in ground and decorated with finely drawn medallion patterns or all-over boteh or vase designs. This old Qom is around 70 years old and a true collector's piece. Strikingly different and strictly geometric, this is a genuine Persian. Stars appear again and again in the border as well as in the main field and the medallion, in various forms and colours.

Pattern

The abstract, geometric composition is what gives this Qom its quiet elegance. The pattern flatters the way a room is arranged and never draws attention away from the furniture, the decoration or the architectural details. It settles beautifully into any setting and complements a room's furnishings in a subtle way.

The decorated surround (border) forms a beautiful contrast to the centre and shapes the transition at the edge of the rug.

At the heart of this Qom's central field lies the symmetrical centrepiece, also known as the medallion. The design of the field is subordinate to the medallion, so that the medallion seems to float on the field.

Blue-grey and olive green dominate the overall impression. The border is worked in light blue and yellow. In the light brown centre, blue-grey and olive green are combined.

Condition

This Qom has a story to tell. It was hand-knotted around 1950. We have cleaned it thoroughly and lovingly restored it. Despite its age, it is therefore in very good condition.

Material

The pile of this Qom is hand-knotted from high-quality new wool. New wool is obtained by gently shearing sheep. New wool is a renewable, natural raw material with a number of impressive qualities: thanks to the wool's natural lanolin content, the surface repels droplets of water and is thus naturally proofed against dirt. Wool also offers excellent thermal insulation, helps regulate the indoor climate and dampens sound. The weft and warp threads of this Qom are made of cotton. This versatile material is tear-resistant and elastic, which makes it particularly suited to a hard-wearing foundation.