HOT ! Vintage Persian Kerman Runner

This rug comes from Kerman, a city that has been weaving since the 15th century and remains one of the most celebrated weaving centres in all of Persia. Sitting deep in the desert of southeastern Iran, its isolation kept its tradition intact for centuries, allowing craftspeople to develop their work without interruption. Marco Polo encountered these rugs on his travels. Shah Abbas I gave them as tribute to the Ottoman Court. Kerman rugs have always occupied a different category.

These are city rugs, made by professional weavers who might work on a single piece for years. The designs are ornate and considered, intricate floral fields, elaborate central medallions, curvilinear patterns that reward close attention. No two are precisely the same.

Hand-knotted from wool on a cotton foundation, with a low, flat pile that brings the detail of the design forward and wears exceptionally well over time. As a vintage piece, the colours have already softened and the surface has developed the kind of patina that only decades produce.