Made by skillful weavers in Iran, a hand-knotted wool vintage Qashqai tribal carpet.
A wool-and-silk blend in a tribal design strongly points to a high-quality, fine-weave Kalyan/Kelardasht style or a premium workshop variant of a Qashqai revival rug. True tribal rugs are usually 100% wool, so adding silk indicates a higher level of premium, intentional craftsmanship designed to make the patterns pop.
What the Material Reveals
- Visual Highlights: The silk fibers are likely woven into the outlines of the medallions and smaller geometric motifs, creating a subtle sheen that reflects light differently than the matte wool.
- Knot Density: Rugs blending silk and wool require a finer foundation. Looking closely at the back photo, the knots are small, tight, and highly structured, indicating a high knots-per-square-inch (KPSI) count.
- Durability: The combination offers the resilient elasticity of wool paired with the soft, luxurious texture of silk.
-
Identifying Qashqai Elements
- Double Medallion: The two large, stacked diamond medallions form a classic southern Persian nomadic layout.
- Dense Millefleurs Field: The dark blue background is tightly packed with traditional Qashqai "millefleurs" (thousand flowers), geometric rosettes, and stylized star motifs.
- Bird & Animal Motifs: Look closely at the small squares and geometric shapes—many contain highly stylized, abstract representations of birds and small animals, a signature of Qashqai weavers
A vintage Qashqai rug made with a wool-and-silk blend is a highly desirable collector's piece. In the rug world, "vintage" typically means it was woven between 40 - 80 years ago (roughly the 1940s to 1980s).
