Sample of unique Persian Tabriz Rugs
Rare Tabriz Carpets

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

Dear visitor,

I have added this page to show you some of the truly unique designs in Persian rugs.
Some of the most unique Persian carpets are made in the city of Tabriz, and thanks to my family contacts in the Persian rug profession, I have been able to showcase many of them. Unfortunately, virtually all of these rare Tabriz carpets sell very fast and I am not able to find others like them, which is why I decided to create this page dedicated to these rare pieces.
 

Medium sized twin Tabriz oriental rugs with a diamond shape, which is one of the most unique Persian carpets that I have ever offered. My specialty is in rare and truly unique Persian rugs like this set and many of my oriental carpets are so rare that they are actually purchased by other retailers who then turn around and sell them in their stores. Due to my direct family connections in Tabriz, I am able to receive some of the most remarkable Tabriz Persian rugs, which are well known for their at times rare designs.
Twin diamond shaped Tabriz rugs from 2003 and I have not been able to find another set since. These Tabriz carpets sold pretty much as soon as they arrived and I have received many requests for more if only I could.

10' round Tabriz Persian rug with a silk foundation and among the finest round oriental carpets that I have offered so far. Designed to be very durable and yet very luxurious, these Tabriz have large amount of silk added to their pile as well as a silk foundation, so they are definite showpieces. Typically, round oriental rugs are not this large and to find round and oval carpets in this 8-10 foot size can be difficult. Another unique feature of this Tabriz carpet is the color combination, which brings out the silk highlights.
10' round 60 raj  Tabriz rug with a silk foundation, which is very rare large round rugs. Another feature of the Tabriz carpet is the red and light gray color combination, which is just as rare and it is an absolute masterpiece.

Another very rare Persian Tabriz rug is this star-shaped oriental carpet, which has received a trememdous amount of interest. Due to my family's Persian rug business in Tabriz, which has been there for generations, I am able to offer some of these rare Tabriz oriental carpets. My family has direct contacts with many of the weavers in the city and as a result I can purchase Persian rugs that most other oriental carpet retailers are unable to unwilling to offer because of the uniqueness or cost of the Persian rugs.
Star shaped Tabriz Persian carpet from 2004, which is another extremely rare shape. Due to the difficulty in making these odd shapes, only a few weavers have the skills and I have only been able to find another couple of pieces since.

Another very unusual Persian carpet is this octagon Tabriz rug with a silk foundation and a 60 raj quality. Due to my personal passion for rare and unique oriental carpets, I always try to offer rugs that are different from what most other retailers sell in their stores. This Tabriz carpet was actually a twin set, but due to the large size I sold both carpets seperately. Finding octagon shaped Persian rugs is extremely rare and this twin set were the first ones that I have offered so far.
Octagon shaped 60 raj Tabriz rug with a silk foundation, which was actually a set of twins. Due to the large size, I sold them individually and to have find this  large twin Persian set was a tremendous find that I have not been able to repeat.

Large square Tabriz Persian rug with a combination of a Mahi design and other patterns, which is extremely rare in oriental carpets. The borders of this Tabriz carpet are made with metal fields and the star shaped field feature a Mahi pattern. Oriental rugs like this Tabriz carpet are extremely rare and combined with a square size makes for a truly masterpiece.
This large square Tabriz rug featured a metal foundation in the corners, a Mahi design is the star pattern and a more traditional design in the center. One of my personal favorite Persian carpets and just a stunning piece of art.

Large round Tabriz Persian rug with a metal foundation making it one of the most unusual design in oriental carpets. Tabriz metal Persian rugs are among my most popular oriental carpets and they sell very fast. In fact, many of these rare round Persian rugs have been sold to other oriental carpet retailers, who then turn around and sell them for three to four times the purchase price. These oriental rugs are truly showpieces and are to be treated as such.
Gold-metal foundation rugs are some of the most unusual looking Persian rugs and are extremely rare and valuable. If you look at my galleries, you will see some other metal Persian carpets and they are definite showpieces.

Large square Tabriz Persian rug with a geometric design called Gonbad or Gombardeh and a silk foundation making this a 60-raj Tabriz oriental carpet. This Tabriz oriental rug is a very high end Persian carpet and it is also one of two identical rugs that were made. My father and I decided to purchase both of these rare Persian rugs, but due to the large 8' size, we choose to each keep one and both sold in a very short period of time. The design of this Tabriz oriental rug is extremely rare and the square size is also not as common in Persian carpets.
A 60 raj silk foundation Tabriz rug with a large round medallion. This Tabriz carpet features a very unusual Gombad (dome shape) design in the middle, which the corners are made in a more traditional manner. Very fine and rare.

One of my personal favorites is this oval twin Persian rugs and they sold the same day that they arrived to another oriental carpet retailer, who saw the value and opportunity to resale these oval Persian carpets. Oval Persian carpets are some of the most difficult oriental rugs to weave and they are very rare. It is only due to my family connections, that I am able to purchase these rare Persian Tabriz rugs and they have me very popular with my clients. Other than Tabriz carpets, the only other well known source of oval rugs are the oval Qom carpets.
Another twin Persian carpet set, but this time in an oval shape. I have offered several oval Persian rugs and this was actually my second set of twin oval carpets, which are so rare, that they were bought by another rug seller.

One of my most unusual looking Tabriz Persian rugs is this very fine carpet, which was actually supposed to have been a twin set. When we found this Tabriz carpet, it was still being woven and after realizing how unique it looked, we asked the weaver not to split it in half and to leave it as is. The solid black colors really bring out the silk highlights and it is one of my favorite Tabriz Persian rugs that I have ever offered.
This Tabriz rug was actually supposed to be a set of twin square rugs. We saw it while it was being made and it look so different than the other rugs, that we asked the weaver not to split the Tabriz carpet when it was done.

As you can see in the pictures above, Persian Tabriz rugs can have some very unique designs, which are very rare in Persian rugs. Unlike most other types of Persian carpets that are almost always very similar, Tabriz carpets will from time to time vary in design and quality. For example Nain rugs, Bidjar carpets, or Isfahan rugs, all tend to be made with the same colors and designs and it is very rare to see true uniqueness. The Nain rugs almost always feature whites, blues, reds, and greens and I have never seen a solid black one and the same goes for most other Persian rugs. Most regions are very specialized in what they do and the weavers tend to make the same thing over and over again. That is one of the reasons why the Tabriz rugs are so popular, because they can be diverse, especially among the high end ones.
The main reason for this diversity, and this is just my opinion, is the location of Tabriz itself. Tabriz is Iran's second largest city and is located in the north-western corner of Iran not too far from Turkey and some former Russian republics. For centuries, it was one of the main cities along the silk and spice route since everything from the middle and far east passed through Tabriz on the way to Europe and vice versa. As a result, Tabriz has always influenced by other cities and countries and my mother's family is a perfect example. My mother comes from a large family that has been in Tabriz for generations and they speak both Farsi, Iranian, and also Turkish. In that part of Iran, virtually everyone speaks more Turkish than Farsi and that is just the way it is. Also, one of her uncles had married a woman from Azerbaijan, so there was also a bit of a Russian influence, which again is very much of the norm. Tabriz is very much like a melting pot and therefore is much more open to change than in other Iranian cities, where there is little outside influence. The results are very evident in the rugs for example, which can have many different shapes and designs. Unlike other types of Persian rugs, Tabriz carpets are not bound by tradition (stubbornness as I like to call it) and are much more open to new designs and outside influence. It is probably also helpful that Tabrizi, as the locals are called, are well known for being very business savy and always look for new ways to make some money. Like I mentioned above, my opinion is not based on science or books, but rather on personal experiences.

I hope that you enjoyed reading a bit about the Tabriz rugs and if you like to see other types of rare rugs, I would highly recommend my personal favorite's showcase, where you can see some of my most popular Persian rugs from the very beginnings in 1999 until now. Just click on the link below:

Link to Favorite Persian rugs section

As always, I appreciate your feedback and opinion, so feel free to let me know if have any questions or would like to see something added.

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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