Qom rugs
Very fine Persian rugs, many of them pure silk, from a city south of Tehran.
Not sure about yours?Upload two photos and get a free report in about 15 seconds.Check my rugA young weaving city
Qom is an old religious city, but its rug workshops are young. Weaving there grew from about the 1930s, helped by weavers who came from nearby Kashan.
Early Qom rugs were made of fine wool. The city soon became known for pure silk rugs, and silk Qoms are now its best-known product.
Designs and colors
Qom weavers use many designs rather than one house style. Common ones are medallion rugs, prayer rugs with an arch, garden and panel designs, the tree of life and allover patterns of boteh (the paisley shape).
Colors range from ivory, red and navy to turquoise, gold and green. Many recent silk rugs use softer, paler shades.
Signatures
Many Qom rugs carry a woven signature in the top border, usually the word Qom with the name of a workshop or master weaver. Signed pieces from respected workshops are prized.
A signature can be copied, so it is a clue rather than proof. Fineness, materials and the quality of the drawing tell you more.
How to recognize a silk Qom
A silk Qom has a short, dense pile and a strong sheen that changes as you walk around it. The back shows a very fine, even grid of knots, and the fringe is usually silk.
Rugs sold as silk are sometimes viscose, rayon or mercerized cotton, sometimes called art silk. Real silk feels cool and smooth and holds its shape. Viscose often feels slightly rough and crushes easily. A burn test on a loose fiber is the surest check: silk smells like burning hair and leaves a crushable ash, while viscose smells like burning paper.
Quick answers
Are all Qom rugs silk?
No. Many are pure silk, but Qom workshops also weave fine wool rugs with silk highlights.
Can you walk on a silk Qom rug?
Silk is less hard-wearing than wool, so most owners keep silk Qoms in low-traffic rooms or hang them on a wall.
How do I clean a silk rug?
Do not wash a silk rug at home. Silk can lose its sheen, bleed or distort when wet, so it should go to a professional rug cleaner who handles silk.
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