Old Tafresh | 146 x 103 cm | Nr. Z-682

Old Tafresh

Delivery time	2 days
Origin	Persia
Dimensions	146 cm x 103 cm (= 1.5 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: wool Weft & Warp: cotton
knots	160.000
Year of manufacture	1940
Condition	pre-owned and cleaned
Edition	one-of-a-kind piece

Origin

The small town of Tafresh – also written Tafrisch or Tahfresch – lies about a hundred kilometres east of the western Iranian city of Hamadan, on the flank of the mountain of the same name, Kuh-i-Tafresh. A rather unusual pattern is traditionally knotted here, one that sets these rugs clearly apart from the other Hamedan rugs. The pattern of Tafresh rugs is essentially drawn as a four-fold symmetrical floral design, finely chiselled in its details. The central medallion is repeated as a quarter in each of the inner corners. Typical is the sixteen-fold division of the rays of the central motif, while the open areas of the field are striking. On older knottings you also find a longitudinally symmetrical plant-and-bird pattern.

Because this highly characteristic traditional pattern is copied nowhere else, the Tafresh provenance (source, origin) is relatively easy to determine. Only very few rugs are knotted in Tafresh, however. One reason why these extraordinary rugs are so rarely found.

Tafresh rugs are knotted with the Turkish knot. The knotting of Tafresh rugs is firm, unusually fine for the Hamadan provenances and of exquisite craftsmanship. So that the pattern stands out clearly and crisply, the pile is low and the nap correspondingly steeply inclined, which gives the pile a certain density. The mostly red colouring is light and friendly, which is rather an exception among Hamadan rugs.

This Old Tafresh is around 86 years old and a true collector's piece.

Material

The pile of this Old Tafresh was 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 range of impressive qualities: thanks to the natural lanolin in the wool, the surface repels droplets of water and is therefore 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 Old Tafresh are made of cotton. This versatile material is tear-resistant and elastic, which makes it particularly well suited to a hard-wearing foundation.

Condition

This Old Tafresh has a story to tell. It was knotted around 1940. It has been thoroughly cleaned and is in good but unrestored condition. The fringes could do with a repair. We have not restored this Old Tafresh because we feel it has a special charm just as it is. If you would like us to, we will of course gladly restore the rug for you. Either way, this Old Tafresh will bring you pleasure for decades to come.