Dear Visitor,
I have added these pages to my website to show you some of the common designs in Persian rugs.
The finest and most valuable handmade Oriental carpets are the pure silk rugs and the Qom carpets are the most often mentioned.  Other region make silk rugs as well like in Tabriz and Keshan, but these carpets are so rare that when we talk of silk rugs, we are basically referring to handmade silk pieces that are made in the city of Qom. The city of Qom lies near the center of Iran and is to the south of Teheran, the capital of Iran. Depending on who you asked, Qom is also known as Qum and Ghom. Often referred to as a holy city, it contains several important religious sites and is known for it's religious history and monuments as well as for the super high end pure silk rugs. Like many other types of rugs, the Qom rugs come in a variety of quality ranging from the low quality wool rugs with about 80 kpsi to the very high end pure silk Qom rugs, which can have over 1200 kpsi. Unlike most other rug weaving centers in Iran, there are however not many Qom rugs that are made in the middle and you will find that most are either very cheap or very expensive. Even though the majority of Qum rugs are made of the lower quality wool type, it is the pure silk carpets that have earned such a high reputation as being some of the finest Persian rugs. Typically,  the pure silk Qom rugs start at about 500 kpsi and the better quality pieces should have about 700 kpsi like the ones you see in my galleries. There are also Qom carpets that have well over 1000 kpsi, but they are extremely rare and very expensive even by pure silk standards.
Like most city rugs, the designs and colors can greatly vary and the Qom rugs are actually very similar to Tabriz carpets in that they will often use different patterns that are not very traditional. The Qom carpets you see in stores often have the same light or red colors and center medallions, but some of the weavers like to imitate other Persian rug styles and incorporate them, which can have a truly dramatic effect. As always, I like to offer rugs that are both unique and very well made and my Qom carpets are very popular with my clients.
Below you will see some examples of present and past silk Qom rugs that I have offered and I hope that you like the pieces that I have picked to showcase.
 

As you can see in the pictures, Qom rugs can come in all sizes and colors. The shapes tend to be more traditional and the rare pieces like the round and oval are very hard to find. Some of the designs, like the dome shaped Gonbad pattern, has been copied from Tabriz rugs and as you can with quiet a bit of success. Due to the natural silk, the Qum rugs tend to be very fine and shiny, which tend to make the colors shine and vibrant. Even though they are perfectly fine for laying on floors, many of my clients like to hang them on walls and I have seen them as framed masterpieces.

Now, in case you are thinking about buying a pure silk Qom rug, especially over the internet, make sure you know what to look for since there are sellers who will be less than honorable. Many folks have fallen victim by buying pure silk Qom rugs that turned out to be silk rugs made in India, China, or Pakistan. At times, it can be very difficult to know the difference and here are a few pointers that you should consider before you buy one of these masterpieces.

1. Always, always call the seller or e-mail and check out his/her inventory of other rugs.  Many merchants offer low quality rugs and if they only have a couple of super high end pieces in between, then odds are that there is something strange going on.

2. Make sure that you receive a signed certificate stating that it is in fact a genuine Persian Qom rug made in Iran. There are copies being made mainly in China and India, which can look and feel just like the real ones from Qom. Again, getting to know the seller can be helpful.

3. If a seller makes a big deal about the signature and that it was made by a master weaver, forward him one of those spam e-mails for Viagra and tell him to go someplace. Virtually all Qom rugs are signed, and to produce one of these rugs, the weaver  has to be very good. Unless there is something absolutely amazing about that particular Qom rug, there is no reason why a signature would add to the value, so don't fall victim to these predators. Just about every Qom rug in my inventory is signed, but you can see that I don't dwell on it.

4. I have added a "Buyers Guide to Persian Rugs" and I would strongly recommend that you look at it. You can find it at:
   http://www.mprugs.com/guide.htm

I hope that you have enjoyed this article about the Nain rugs and feel free to look at my other featured rug designs and my website.  As always, I enjoy hearing my visitor's thoughts and experiences, so drop me a line or two if you like.

Take care,

Mike Panah
Owner, MP Persian Rug Imports