10x13 Fine Persian Mashad | Ivory Mahi Design | Kork Wool | 400 KPSI

This 10' x 12'7" Persian Mashad is a fine pre-revolution workshop piece, woven in the early 1970s in 100% Kork wool on a cotton foundation at approximately 400 knots per square inch. That is roughly double the knot density of a standard Mashad, and the difference shows in everything from how cleanly the small floral cells render to how soft and lustrous the pile feels underfoot. The rug has been kept in storage and is in excellent, never-used condition. For broader context on this weaving tradition, see the world of Persian rugs.

Design and Motifs

The field is drawn in the classic Mahi, or fish, design, a repeating lattice of small diamond-shaped cells, each holding an eight-point rosette flanked by curling paisleys and tiny floral stars. The motif comes from Khorasan tradition and is one of the most demanding patterns to draw at scale because every cell has to align precisely with its neighbors across the full length of the rug. On this piece the drawing holds across more than twelve feet without drift, which is what separates a true workshop Mashad from a village version of the same design.

Colors and Placement

The palette is built around a soft ivory cream field, with the small floral cells drawn in deep red, navy blue, sky blue, salmon, gold, and olive green. The wide main border is a saturated deep red carrying large floral cartouches with navy and ivory paisleys, framed by sky blue and gold guard stripes that pick up the same vocabulary in miniature. The cool ivory field reads especially well in rooms with warm wood floors and brass or gold-toned hardware. At 10' x 12'7" it is a true 10x13, sized for a long dining table with chairs comfortably on the rug, a king bed with full nightstand coverage, or a formal living room with a large sectional and flanking armchairs all sitting on the wool.

Origin and Construction

Mashad (also spelled Mashhad or Meshed) is the capital of Khorasan Province in northeastern Persia and one of the historic master-weaving cities of the country. This piece is hand-knotted in 100% Kork wool on a cotton foundation at approximately 400 KPSI. Kork is the softest grade of Persian wool, drawn from the lamb's underbelly, and on a knot count this fine it gives the pile a distinctive silk-like luster and hand. The selvages and fringes are intact, and the rug is in excellent, never-used condition straight from our import inventory. For more on the materials and how they hold up, see our complete guide to handmade rug materials.