Nain rugs: ivory and blue fine weaving

Location

Nain is a town east of Isfahan. Carpet weaving there grew in the twentieth century from an older wool-textile tradition.

Designs

Isfahan-like medallions and scrolling floral designs on ivory grounds with light and dark blue are typical.

Grading by 'la'

Nain rugs are often described as 4la, 6la or 9la, referring to the number of threads in the warp yarn. Lower numbers mean finer warps and usually finer rugs, but the terms are used loosely.

Construction

Cotton or silk foundations, asymmetric knots, wool pile with silk highlights.

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
• Ask whether highlights are silk or mercerised cotton
• Get any claim about age, region or handmade origin in writing

Care

Ivory grounds mark easily. Spot-clean promptly with plain water and blot, never rub.

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.