Oversize 11x16'8 Persian Qum Rug | 100% Kork Wool on Cotton | All-Over Floral Field | 320 to 340 KPSI

An exceptional oversize 10'11" x 16'8" Persian Qum rug, hand-knotted in 100% kork wool pile on a cotton foundation at approximately 320 to 340 KPSI. The composition is a dense all-over field of floral cartouches and bouquets, set on a soft ivory and grey ground and framed by a gold-mustard main border with floral medallions. This is a serious palace-size living room or formal dining room rug. To learn more about Qum and what makes its weaving tradition special, read our introduction to Persian Qum rugs.

Design and Motifs

The composition is a true all-over field design, sometimes called a kheshti or panel layout, with no central medallion. Instead, the entire field is covered with rows of ivory cartouches outlined in scrolling brown and gold cloud-bands, each cartouche framing a delicately drawn floral bouquet. The bouquets themselves are miniature still lifes of garden flowers in the Qum style, with roses, irises, tulips, hyacinths, and small blossoming branches gathered together in tight clusters. Between the cartouches the ground is filled with secondary scrolling vines and tiny scattered flowers, so there is no empty space anywhere in the field. The main border features a row of larger floral cartouches against a deep gold-mustard ground, alternating with smaller floral panels and edged by narrow striped guard stripes. The outer border carries a continuous floral scroll on an ivory ground. This is a highly refined drawing tradition that comes from the studio designs of Qum master weavers and is clearly inspired by historical Safavid and 17th century Persian flower painting.

Colors and Placement

The palette is rich but elegant, anchored by a soft greyish ivory field that lets the floral cartouches read clearly. The cartouches themselves are picked out in clean ivory with brown and warm gold scrolling outlines, which give the design its architectural rhythm across the full length of the rug. Inside each cartouche the floral bouquets are drawn in dusty pink, sky blue, navy, deep burgundy, soft coral, olive, mustard, and pale yellow, with occasional touches of lavender and bright red that lift the overall scheme. The secondary field between the cartouches is a soft sage and pale grey, giving the whole field a cool, slightly silvery feel. The main border sits on a warm gold-mustard ground that frames the field beautifully, carrying floral cartouches in ivory, sage, navy, pink, and red. The narrow guard stripes around the main border use small striped chevrons in red and blue, a classic Qum signature detail. Overall the rug reads as ivory, sage, and gold at first glance, with the full polychrome bouquet palette emerging as you look closer.

Qum Rugs and Construction

Qum (also spelled Qom or Ghom) is a holy city in Iran and one of the most prestigious centers of Persian rug weaving, particularly known for very fine wool, silk, and wool and silk rugs. This piece is hand-knotted in 100% kork wool pile on a cotton foundation. Kork is the term for the softest wool taken from the throat and underbelly of young sheep; the fiber is finer, longer, and more lustrous than standard fleece wool, and it takes dye in a way that gives Qum Kork rugs a slight luster and exceptional color clarity. The knot density of approximately 320 to 340 KPSI is appropriate for a piece of this scale, and the 0.36 inch (9 mm) pile gives the rug a soft, plush hand while still allowing the floral drawing to read sharply. The cotton foundation provides the strength and stability needed to keep an oversize 11 by 16'8 piece flat and square over many years of use. For broader context on the weaving tradition and what to look for when buying a fine Qum, read our introduction to Persian Qum rugs.