2'9" x 17' Persian Nain 6La Habibian Runner | Wool and Silk | Rare Size

This exceptional hand-knotted Persian Nain runner is one of the rarest formats to come out of Nain, Iran, measuring 2'9" x 17' and woven to the exacting 6La standard by the celebrated Habibian workshop. The 6La designation refers to a six-ply yarn construction, one of the finest grades produced in Nain, requiring a higher knot count and greater weaving precision than coarser grades. The pile is a combination of hand-spun wool and silk highlights, set over a stable cotton foundation, producing a surface that is simultaneously plush, luminous, and extraordinarily detailed. At 550 to 600 knots per square inch, this runner contains a level of artistry rarely encountered outside museum collections. The rug is in excellent condition and has never been used, bearing the woven signature of master weaver Habibian in the upper border cartouche.

Design and Motifs

The composition is organized around a repeating multi-medallion layout running the full 17-foot length of the runner. Five individually drawn star-form medallions are distributed evenly along the central axis, each one a distinct rosette of interlocking geometric petals and curling arabesque scrolls rendered in teal, ivory, light blue, and dark navy. The bodies of the medallions radiate outward with layered rings of scrollwork and petal forms, with pendant tear-drop finials hanging above and below each one to link the composition into a continuous vertical flow. The field surrounding and between the medallions is filled with a dense all-over lattice of curling vines, full palmette heads, lotus blossoms, split-leaf arabesques, and small scattered floral rosettes that cover every inch of the ground without ever feeling crowded. Quarter-medallion spandrel pieces occupy the four corners at each end of the runner, completing the classical Persian medallion-and-corner format. The primary border carries a continuous reciprocating vine with large alternating floral heads on an ivory ground, enclosed by narrow guard stripes in gold-taupe with small repeating rosettes. The Habibian signature cartouche is woven into the top border in traditional Nain fashion, serving as both a mark of authenticity and a collector identifier.

Colors and Placement

The central field is a rich, saturated deep teal, a color with significant blue-green depth that reads as warm and jewel-like in natural light and takes on a deeper, more luminous quality in evening or artificial light. This is not a pale or washed teal but a full opulent tone with excellent density across the entire surface. Against this ground, the ivory floral vine work stands out with strong contrast, the cream and warm white of the arabesques and palmettes glowing against the dark field and creating a three-dimensional visual depth. The medallions introduce multiple layers of cool blue tones: light sky blue in the outer scroll rings, deeper steel blue in the inner arabesque layers, and ivory or pale gold at the very center of each rosette core. Dark navy appears as outlining on the medallion scrollwork and certain border elements, adding graphic precision and contrast throughout. Soft beige and caramel tones fill the vine stems and leaf bodies across the field, giving the floral lattice a warm organic quality rather than a flat graphic appearance. Burgundy red appears as a secondary accent within certain floral heads and the inner border guard stripe, providing a rich complementary counterpoint to the teal ground. Pale pink appears as a delicate accent on smaller flower petals scattered throughout the field and border. Sage green punctuates select leaf clusters at intervals across the composition. Black is used in precise outlining throughout, sharpening every motif edge and giving the design a crisp, high-definition quality. The broad border ground is warm ivory with a slight antique beige cast, populated by scrolling vines in taupe, caramel, light blue, and pale burgundy. This palette is sophisticated and layered, suited to interiors with jewel tones, deep neutrals, navy, or classic traditional color schemes.

Origin and Construction

Nain is a city in Isfahan Province in central Iran that emerged as one of Persia's premier fine rug weaving centers in the twentieth century. The finest Nain workshops are known for producing rugs with some of the highest knot counts in the Persian canon, and the 6La grade indicates that the yarn used is composed of six twisted plies, allowing for a finer, more compact pile and a proportionally higher number of knots per square inch. At 550 to 600 KPSI, this runner sits firmly in the upper range of fine Nain output. The Habibian family is among the most recognized and collected workshop names in all of Nain production, with signed pieces sought by collectors worldwide. A runner format at this length and grade is exceptionally rare; Nain workshops predominantly produce room-size and gallery formats, and a 17-foot runner woven at this knot density represents an unusual and significant piece. The cotton foundation ensures dimensional stability across the full length, and the backside reveals an even, tightly packed knot structure consistent with master-level Nain craftsmanship. The silk highlights in the pile catch light directionally, giving the rug a subtle luminous shift depending on viewing angle.