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

This exceptional hand-knotted Persian Nain runner measures 2'9" x 17' and represents one of the rarest formats to come out of the workshops of Nain, Iran. Woven to the exacting 6La standard and bearing the woven signature of the Habibian family, one of Nain's most celebrated weaving dynasties, this runner carries both artistic and collector-grade significance. The pile is a luxurious combination of fine 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 ivory and light blue against the deep crimson field. The bodies of the medallions radiate outward with layered rings of scrollwork and petal forms in ivory, light blue, and dark navy, 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 ivory vines, full palmette heads, lotus blossoms, split-leaf arabesques, and small scattered floral rosettes that cover every inch of the crimson ground without ever feeling crowded. Quarter-medallion spandrel pieces occupy the 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 a warm 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 deep, saturated crimson red, rich and commanding in tone with a classic jewel-like warmth that reads beautifully in both natural and artificial light. This is a true Persian red with excellent depth and evenness across the entire 17-foot surface. Against this ground, the ivory floral lattice stands out with strong luminous contrast, the cream and warm white of the arabesques, palmettes, and vine work glowing against the dark field and creating a three-dimensional visual depth that draws the eye along the full length of the runner. The medallions introduce a cool counterpoint to the warm red field: their outer scroll rings are built in light sky blue and steel blue arabesque work, while the innermost rosette centers are rendered in soft ivory and pale antique gold. Dark navy appears as precise outlining on the medallion scrollwork and certain border elements, adding graphic sharpness throughout. Warm caramel and soft beige tones fill the vine stems and secondary leaf bodies across the field, giving the floral lattice an organic warmth rather than a flat graphic quality. Pale pink appears as a delicate accent scattered across smaller flower petals throughout the field and border. Sage green punctuates select leaf clusters at intervals across the composition. Black is used in outlining throughout, sharpening every motif edge and giving the design a crisp, high-definition quality at close range. 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. The overall palette is rich, refined, and timelessly elegant, suited to interiors with traditional, transitional, or formal decor in tones of red, navy, ivory, or warm neutral.

Nain 6 LA Habibian Rugs

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.