Dear Visitor,
Another very rare shape in Persian rugs are oval carpets and this section is will showcase a few that I was fortunate enough to offer in the past and present. Oval Persian carpets are a fairly new design in oriental rugs and have only been around for the last 20 to 30 years. Keep in mind though that we are talking about a very hard to find shape and if you have looked for one on the internet and in stores, you will know what I mean with rare.

There are 3 basic reasons why oval rugs are so darn hard to find. The biggest reason for a small supply is the shape, which is so hard to weave and to maintain. It is extremely hard to first weave the oval shape and then ensure that it will stay oval, that most weavers will not even attempt them. A good example is a large beige oval Tabriz rug that I have had for a number of years and it has a very common problem in oval rugs. As with all of the oriental rugs, it had to be washed after it was completed and one side decided to stretch a tiny bit more than the other, which causes it to have a couple of folds that will not stay flat. Of course, we had already bought the rug at that time so now it's my problem. This is also why I will never buy another odd shaped Persian rug until it is completely done. The second reason why the oval ones are so rare is that there is only a small demand for them and as a rule, the weavers like to make rugs that they can sell quickly at the bazaars or to wholesalers, knowing that their merchandise is popular and in demand. Oval carpets have always been more of a novelty and they need a special place or else the shape will not work with the rest of the decor. Since the retailers know that the demand is very small, they will not bother with the oval rugs and rather invest their money in other types of rugs. The third and final reason is that odd shaped rugs are only available in certain types of Persian rugs and even than are very rare. Most of the oval rugs are made in the high quality range and the most common ones are the Tabriz rugs and sometimes the pure silk Qom rugs, that's about it. Most regions in Iran do not produce any odd shaped rugs and so far at least, I have never seen any oval pieces other than from Tabriz and Qom. If you do come across any other ones,  I would love to see a picture of one.
Below you will several examples from my past and current collection and if you like to read more about any specific piece, just move your mouse over one of the pictures and hold it still for a second.  A description will pop up and you can read more about it.
 

To see all available oval rugs, click on the "Oval" section above.

As you can see in the examples above, oval rugs typically feature a large medallion and tend to have more traditional looking patterns. Due to their rarity, they are almost always made of very fine Kurkwool and silk like in the Tabriz rugs or are made of pure silk like the two Qom rugs in the lower left and lower center picture. Designed to be showpieces as well as practical, my clients have often told me about the great remarks they are getting from their family and friends and these are definitely very unusual looking Persian rugs.

I hope that you have enjoyed this article about the oval Persian 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