Old Qom | 337 x 240 cm | Nr. Z-4447

Floral old Qom, light red with border

Origin

Qom is a comparatively young provenance for Persian rugs. The city of Qom (also Ghom, Gom, Ghoum, Goum) lies in the centre of Iran, roughly 100 km south of the capital, Tehran. As Qom had no old knotting tradition of its own to build on, patterns were — and still are — taken over from other weaving regions. Over time, though, a distinctive style of its own grew out of this. Today the silk rugs from Qom are among the most famous and finest rugs in the world. The field of Qom rugs is often light-ground, decorated with finely drawn medallion patterns or with all-over boteh or vase designs. This old Qom is around 80 years old and a real collector's piece.

Pattern

The edge of the rug is graced by a surround (border). The border forms a wonderful contrast to the centre.

The lavish floral motifs of this Qom are elegant and wonderfully varied. The graceful plant symbols, depicting blossoms, leaves and branches, are artfully intertwined.

The repeating elements of this Qom rug have no specific centre. The recurring repeat pattern feels calming, yet never dull. Rugs with a repeat pattern are also described as all-over patterned.

The background of this Qom is beige. The overall impression is also dominated by light red and beige. The border is worked in light red and light blue.

Condition

You are not the first to take a liking to this Qom. It has had owners before you who valued it and lived with it. It was hand-knotted around 1940. It has been thoroughly cleaned and is in good but unrestored condition. The fringes could do with a repair. There are differences in colour across the surface, which come from exposure to sunlight. In a few places you can see some white threads. That is perfectly normal with older rugs. These are the knot ends of the weft and warp weave, which work their way to the surface over the years. Structurally it is not a major problem. We have not restored this Qom because we feel it has a special charm exactly as it is. If that is what you would like, we will of course be happy to restore the rug for you. Either way, this Qom will give you pleasure for decades to come.

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.