The city of Kashan, among the best-known and highly-ranked Persian rug-weaving centres, first rose to prominence in the 16th Century, under the Safavid Dynasty. These workshops earned a reputation for producing many of the most highly sought-after rugs of the Classical period and continued their work into the early 20th Century.

This Kashan carpet is a high-end workshop weaving of the 1930s – an elegant example, featuring simplified design characteristics of earlier 17th Century weavings, with cornflower blue and muted ochre accents, over a soft hazelnut ground, framed by a wide border. Despite dating to the 1930s, this rug has a surprisingly modern aesthetic sensibility – one especially attractive feature is the uniformity of colour between the central field and the border, rather than the conventional stark contrast, lending the composition a feeling of space and balance.

Retained in very good practical condition for everyday use, with its original borders and fringes preserved on all sides.

A stylish carpet, with an understated elegance that would lend itself equally to a classic or contemporary interior.