A Thousand-Year Weaving City

The city of Kashan (also spelled Keshan or Kachan) lies on the ancient Silk Road route between Tehran, Yazd and the Persian Gulf. Its carpet tradition reaches back to the 15th century, when European monarchs commissioned Kashan workshops to weave rugs for their courts. From the mid-19th century onwards, Kashan entered a golden era of master workshops — names that today represent the absolute summit of Persian carpet collecting.

For technical and historical analysis of Kashan production, the Jozan Carpet Encyclopedia remains the leading scholarly resource.

The Master Workshops

Mohtasham Kashan

The most legendary of all Kashan workshops, active in the late 19th century. Mohtasham rugs are recognised by their extraordinarily fine knot density, their characteristic deep madder red, dark indigo and ivory palette, and their classic medallion-and-corner compositions. Authentic antique Mohtasham pieces command top auction prices worldwide.

Dabir Kashan

Another distinguished workshop name from the late 19th and early 20th century, known for the technical precision of its medallion designs.

Manchester Kashan

From around 1880 to 1930, the finest Kashan workshops imported premium worsted wool from Manchester, England — the Industrial Revolution’s finest spinning mills produced wool of exceptional length and uniformity. The result: Manchester Kashan rugs of extreme lustre, soft handle and saturated colour. These are considered the technical summit of pre-modern Persian weaving.

Kashan Silk — Mohtasham Silk & Silk Kashan

Smaller-format Kashan rugs in pure silk on silk foundation, with knot densities up to 1 million per m². Often used as wall hangings or in collectors’ cabinets.

Design Vocabulary

• —Central medallion with pendants and corner pieces — the classic Kashan composition
• —Shah Abbasi palmettes: the regal floral motif named after the Safavid king
• —Tree of life and vase compositions for prayer rugs
• —Palette: deep madder red, ivory cream, dark indigo, sage green, occasional camel

Construction & Specifications

• •Knot density (large room sizes): 250,000 to 360,000 knots per m²
• •Knot density (small pieces, especially silk): up to 1,000,000 knots per m²
• •Pile: Persian Kurk wool (or imported Manchester worsted in antique pieces); fine silk in master silk pieces
• •Foundation: cotton warp and weft; silk warp in silk pieces
• •Knot: asymmetric Persian knot

Common formats: 5 × 3 ft, 7 × 5 ft, 10 × 7 ft, 12 × 9 ft, 14 × 10 ft and oversized palace formats.

Why Choose a Kashan from the Djoharian Collection

• —Verified provenance — antique Mohtasham, Dabir and Manchester pieces with detailed technical documentation
• —Label STEP Fair Trade partner — ethical sourcing for modern production
• —Professionally cleaned and master-restored by our specialist craftsmen
• —Djoharian Collection — since 1967, with roots in the Grand Carpet Bazaar of Tehran