Kashmar rugs: pictorial and floral weaving of Khorasan

Location

Kashmar is a town south-west of Mashhad in Razavi Khorasan province.

Designs

Kashmar rugs often show dense floral fields, medallions and scenic or pictorial designs, including landscapes and figures.

Construction

They are usually cotton-founded with asymmetric knots and fairly high knot counts on good pieces. Pile can be cut short to show detail.

Kashmar versus Mashhad

Both use Khorasan wool and similar designs. Kashmar is often associated with pictorial work, but the label alone does not prove a town of origin.

Buying checklist

• Ask the seller what the regional name is based on: town, village group or design only
• Turn the rug over and look at knot type, warp colour and weft count
• Check ends, sides and pile height for wear or re-weaving
• Ask whether dyes have run or been chemically washed
• For pictorial rugs, check faces and fine details for re-knotting or painted retouching
• Get any claim about age, region or handmade origin in writing

Care

Hang pictorial rugs only with a proper sleeve or Velcro strip that spreads the weight.

A note on this guide

This is general information from the CraftPersia editorial team and has not been reviewed by a specialist. Regional names in the rug trade are market labels, and design alone is weak evidence of origin. This guide is not a valuation or authentication.