Sample of Persian Rug Designs
Tabriz, Nain, and Qom "Gonbad" Rugs 

Information and samples courtesy of
MP Persian Rug Imports at www.mprugs.com

Dear visitor,

I have added these pages to my website to show you some of the common designs in Tabriz Persian rugs.
Another very popular design in Persian Tabriz rugs is the "Gonbad" pattern, which is also referred as the dome shaped design.  It is inspired by the inside ceilings of mosques, which typically feature colorful and star shaped ceilings.  This design comes in two different patterns and is especially sought after in round rugs, where the large round design works best.

 

Large square Persian Tabriz rug with a very a dome shaped design called Gombardeh or just Gombad. These type of high end Tabriz Oriental carpets are very popular with my clients and are great examples of what high end Persian rugs should look and feel like. Most square Tabriz Persian rugs feature very traditional designs and even though the majority of the Oriental carpets are of a much lower quality, it is these high quality Tabriz Persian rugs, that has given the name the respect it rightfully deserves. One of the unique features of this Oriental carpet is the silk foundation, which makes it a very valuable Persian rug. Large round Tabriz oriental rug with a geometric design called Gombad or Gombardeh, which is among my most popular designs in Persian carpets. It is thanks to my family connections with many of the weavers in Tabriz that I am able to even get these type of Persian rugs and they are very fine and unique Tabriz carpets. Many of the oriental carpets have sold very quickly, and even though the vast majority of large round Persian rugs are around 7' in diameter, I am still able to offer some like this larger 8' Tabriz oriental carpet and I have even offered some in the 10' range as well, which are some of the most spectacular Persian rugs you will ever see. This large Tabriz Persian carpet features a dome shaped design known as Ghombad Faraji. It is a very rare variation of the main Gombardeh design and extremely hard to find in oriental rugs. Typically, this design is only made in very high quality 60raj+ Tabriz Persian rugs, but I have been able to offer similar Tabriz carpets in larger sizes. Like all of my other 50 raj Tabriz rugs, this carpet is designed to be a showpiece and also very durable. Large round Tabriz Persian rug with a geometric design called Gombad or Gombardeh, which is very rare in Persian carpets. My round Persian rugs are very popular with my clients due to their uniqueness and oriental carpets like this Tabriz rugs are truly showpieces. Perfect for just about every room from an entryway to a dining room, round Persian rugs have become very popular, but are difficult to make due to their shape.


As you can see in the examples, the Gonbad Tabriz rugs come in these two designs, which are very similar and yet have subtle differences. The two on the left feature a the main Gombad design and you can clearly make out the the colorful segments that point and circle around the medallion.  If you were standing in a center of large mosque and looked up at the ceiling, you would typically colorful tiles that are shaped very similar like in the left Tabriz rug and the center of the ceiling would have this star shaped circle.  This Gombad design is a fairly new in Tabriz carpets and has only been around for about 30 years, although it really became popular only in the last 10 years. The round Tabriz rug, second from the left, features the same original Gombad design, and as you can see, the pattern seems to be made for the round Tabriz rugs.
The two Tabriz rugs on the right feature a variation of the Gombad design, which is known as "Gombad Faraji". This variation is very rare and is not just one of my personal favorites, but apparently my client's as well.  Gombad Faraji Tabriz carpets feature typically shades of blue with a darker blue on the outside and the lighter as you move towards the center. Unlike the original Gombad design, there are no large colorful areas; instead there are diamond shaped that are larger one the outside and get smaller on the inside.  It almost resembles a bursting star. Both designs are ideally suited for round and square rugs, where the geometric design works best, but I have sold many in all shapes and sizes.

The quality of the Tabriz Gonbad carpets typically start in the high end 50 Raj (~350 kpsi) and can go as high as 80 Raj (600+ kpsi) and I have not yet seen any in the lower quality range. Whereas the Tabriz Mahi rugs are very common and are made by many weavers, these Gombad pieces are only made by a small number of weavers due to the difficulty in the geometric pattern.  Considering that these are handmade rugs, it is very hard to create this large geometric design where proper shape and dimensions are an absolute most. Remember, the rug is made from one end to the next and the weaver has to be very skilled and careful to make sure that every piece is of the same size and shape, or else the pattern will not fit together.  This is one of the reasons why these Tabriz carpets are only offered in high end qualities and they tend to be a bit more expensive than other Tabriz rugs in the same size and quality range.

Below are some other examples of Persian rugs with the Gombad design and the top 3 pieces are actually pure silk Qom carpets that also feature this dome shaped pattern. It has become such a popular design, that other Persian rugs are starting to copy this pattern, but for the most part it is still only found in Tabriz rugs.
 

Large square pure silk Qom Persian rug with a geometric design called Gombad or Gombardeh, which is extremely rare in Persian carpets other than Tabriz rugs. This Persian Qom carpet was amongst my most popular silk rugs and sold very quickly to a client in Sweden. As with all of my pure silk Qom oriental rugs, this Persian carpet is made of a very high quality and features well over 700 kpsi. In addition to laying on a floor, many of my clients also like to hang them on walls and some Persian Qom carpets are even framed. Large rare pure silk Qom Persian rug with a geometric design called Gonbad or Gonbardeh, which is very rare in oriental carpets. My Qom silk oriental rugs are very popular with my clients due to their uniqueness and Persian carpets like this Qum rug are truly showpieces. Designed as a showpiece, silk Persian carpets have become very popular, but are difficult to make due to their extremely quality. Medium sized pure silk Qom Persian rug with a geometric design called Ghombad or Gombardeh, which is very rare in oriental carpets. My Qom silk oriental rugs are very popular with my clients due to their uniqueness and Persian carpets like this Qum rug are truly showpieces. Designed as a showpiece, silk Persian carpets have become very popular, but are difficult to make due to their extremely quality.
 The design in the oversize room size Persian Tabriz rug is called Gonbad Faraji, which is extremely hard to find in Oriental carpets. Due to my direct family connections, I am able to purchase some of these rare Tabriz oriental rugs and they are very popular with my clients. Designed as a showpiece, these Tabriz carpets tend to be made of a very high quality and are great examples of what fine oriental rugs should look and feel like. Large round Tabriz Persian rug with a geometric design called Gombad or Gombardeh, which is very rare in Persian carpets. My round Persian rugs are very popular with my clients due to their uniqueness and oriental carpets like this Tabriz rugs are truly showpieces. Perfect for just about every room from an entryway to a dining room, round Persian rugs have become very popular, but are difficult to make due to their shape. Round Persian Tabriz rug with a dome shaped design called Gombad or Gombardeh. This pattern is one of my most popular designs in all types of Oriental rugs and especially in the high end round Tabriz Persian carpets. Designed to be both a showpiece and durable, you can expect to receive many compliments about this Tabriz rug and it is oriental carpets like this one that have made me so popular with my clients.
 Large room sized Nain Persian rug with a very unique design and very traditional Nain carpet colors. Nain rugs are made near and in the city of Isfahan and they come in various types of quality like most other Persian carpets. The Nain rugs that I feature are made of a very high quality and to have over 600 kpsi is not unusual. To begin with, all of my Nain oriental carpets are 6-lah quality and I always look for unique designs like this one. Room size Persian Tabriz rug with a classical Gonbad or Gonbardeh design, which refers to the dome shaped design of the oriental carpet. This Persian carpet design is typically found in large oriental carpets and is a specialty of Tabriz rugs, even though it is sometimes found in other types of Persian carpets. It is one of the more modern design and very popular with my clients, who are looking for a durable showpiece Persian rug. Large room sized Nain Persian rug with a very unique design and very traditional Nain carpet colors. Nain rugs are made near and in the city of Isfahan and they come in various types of quality like most other Persian carpets. The Nain rugs that I feature are made of a very high quality and to have over 600 kpsi is not unusual. To begin with, all of my Nain oriental carpets are 6-lah quality and I always look for unique designs like this one.


I hope that you have enjoyed this article about the Tabriz Gombad rugs and feel free to look at my other featured rug designs and my website.  As always, I enjoy hearing my visitor's thoughts and experiences, so drop me a line or two if you like.

Take care,

Mike Panah
Owner, MP Persian Rug Imports

Tabriz Persian rug designs, Part 1 "Mahi - Fish Pattern"

Tabriz Persian rug designs, Part 2 "Gombad - Dome Shaped"

Tabriz Persian rug designs, Part 3 "Heriz- Geometric"

Other types of common Persian rug designs

Persian Nain rug designs

Persian Qom rug "Hunting Scene" designs

Round & Oval Persian rugs

Square Persian rugs

 

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