Provenance · Tekab

Bidjar, in the Kurdish highlands of western Iran, gives its name to the densest and most durable hand-knotted rugs in the Persian canon — the pile is beaten down so firmly while the wool is still damp that collectors have long called them the “iron rugs of Persia.” Tekab lies within this weaving district, and Tekab Bidjars are regarded as the most accurate and finely drawn of the group. At this size the quality is immediately obvious: nothing in the drawing is simplified to fit the format.

Design and Construction

What sets this piece apart is the drawing. A heavy aubergine arabesque curves down the centre of the ivory field in a series of linked lobes, and within and around it sit boteh in plum and sage, rose-pink palmettes, and small pale-blue fan flowers — a vocabulary closer to the Sarouk and Ferahan repertoire than to the Herati that Bidjar usually favours. The palette is correspondingly softer: rose, sage, teal, brown and lilac against ivory rather than the deep reds and indigos of the classic Bidjar.

The main border runs on salmon red with a rosette-and-leaf vine, framed by narrow maroon guard stripes carrying a linked-cartouche chain. The pile is 100% fine new wool on a cotton foundation, with ivory cotton fringes at both ends.

Quality · Tekab Fine

Knotted at approximately 400,000–500,000 knots per square metre, or roughly 260–320 kpsi (knots per square inch), with a firm 12 mm pile. In a piece this small that density is what makes the difference — the arabesque holds a clean, unbroken line, and the boteh keep their internal detail rather than collapsing into blocks of colour.

Presence in the Room

At 70 × 55 cm (0.39 m²) this is an accent piece rather than a floor covering:

• Entrance: a small mat inside the door, where its density stands up to daily use.
• Wall or console: fine enough to hang, or to lay on a chest or side table.
• Beside a darker piece: the ivory ground and soft palette lift a room that already has a strong red or blue rug in it.

Specifications

Responsible Origin · Label STEP

Djoharian is a certified partner of Label STEP, the international fair-trade organisation for hand-knotted rugs — fair pay for the weavers, no child labour, and ecologically responsible production.

Djoharian — Since 1967

Our family business was founded in 1967, with roots in the Grand Carpet Bazaar of Tehran — five decades of trade and connoisseurship behind every piece we offer.

Service and Care

Every piece is inspected in our atelier in Lohr am Main before dispatch. For expert washing and repair we offer our own professional rug cleaning service. Secure and fast worldwide shipping, fully insured, with personal consultation in our showroom or by video call.