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

Floral old Tafresh, rust red with border and medallion

Origin	Persia
Dimensions	146 cm x 103 cm (= 1.50 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: wool Weft & Warp: cotton
knots per m²2	160.000
Pile height	5mm
Year of manufacture	1940
Colour	Rust red, Dark blue
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.

Rugs from Tafresh are knotted with the Turkish knot. The knotting of Tafresh rugs is firm, unusually fine for Hamadan provenances and of exquisite craftsmanship. To let the pattern stand out clearly and crisply, the pile is kept low and the nap laid at a correspondingly steep angle, which gives the pile a certain density. The mostly red colouring is light and friendly, which is rather the exception among Hamadan rugs. This old Tafresh is around 80 years old and a real connoisseur's piece.

Pattern

The ornate border forms a wonderful contrast with the centre and shapes the transition at the edge of the rug.

At the heart of the central field of this Tafresh lies the symmetrical centre, also known as the medallion. The design of the field is subordinate to the medallion, creating the impression that the medallion is floating on the field.

The lavish floral motifs of this Tafresh are elegant and full of variety. The graceful plant symbols, depicting blossoms, leaves and branches, are artfully intertwined.

The background of this Tafresh is dark red. Rust red and dark blue also dominate the overall impression. The border is worked in cream white, blue-grey and dark red. In the dark blue centre, rust red and cream white are combined.

Condition

This Tafresh has a story behind 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. We have not restored this Tafresh because we think it has a special charm just as it is. If that is what you would like, we will of course happily restore the rug for you. Either way, this Tafresh will give you pleasure for decades to come.

Material

The pile of this 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 wool's natural oil content, the surface repels droplets of water and is therefore naturally proofed against dirt. Wool also provides excellent thermal insulation, helps regulate the indoor climate and dampens sound. The weft and warp threads of this Tafresh are made of cotton. This versatile material is tear-resistant and pliable, which makes it particularly well suited to a hard-wearing foundation.