3x13 Persian Nain Runner | Signed Habibian | 6 LA Wool and Silk on Silk | 600 KPSI

An exceptional 3'1" x 13' Persian Nain runner, hand-knotted in the finest 6 LA Shesh La quality and signed by the Habibian workshop, the most celebrated master weaver dynasty of Nain. Woven in fine wool and silk pile on a pure silk foundation at approximately 600 KPSI (900,000 knots per square meter), this is a true collector-grade hallway runner. To learn more, read our complete guide to Nain rugs and our deep dive into Persian Nain 6 LA and Habibian rugs.

Design and Motifs

The composition is a vertical repeat-medallion runner field, with a series of ivory cartouche medallions running down the center axis, alternating between rounded ogival shapes and pointed star medallions. Each medallion is filled with delicate arabesque scrollwork (the islimi vine), small palmettes, and tiny rosettes drawn in the unmistakable Nain miniature style. Surrounding the medallions, the field is covered in a dense, mirrored composition of curling acanthus leaves, flowering tendrils, and small star-rosettes that flow outward toward the long sides of the runner. This dense leaf-and-vine composition is sometimes called the Joshaghan or boteh-and-vine family of Nain field designs, and it reads beautifully along the length of a hallway. The main border is a continuous floral scroll on an ivory ground, framed by narrow guard stripes carrying small repeating rosettes. The signature cartouche at the top end of the runner reads Habibian Nain in classical Persian nasta'liq script.

Colors and Placement

The palette is anchored by a rich, muted red field, the kind of deep aged-wine color that reads as warm and formal rather than bright. The medallions running down the center are picked out in clean ivory and cream, which makes them appear to glow against the red ground. Inside each medallion, the drawing is filled with sky blue and navy outlines, soft sage green leaves, dusty pink rosettes, and small touches of taupe and charcoal. The acanthus leaves and flowering vines that fill the field are drawn primarily in ivory and cream with sky blue and pale green secondary tones, and the silk highlights catch the light along the leaf edges, lifting the design off the red ground. The main border sits on a clean ivory ground with floral rosettes in dusty pink, sky blue, sage, taupe, and small accents of red, tying the border back into the field. The narrow guard stripes are also ivory with tiny floral repeats. Overall the runner reads as deep red and ivory at first glance, with sky blue, sage green, and soft pink emerging as you look closer.

Nain Rugs and Construction

Nain is one of the most refined city-weaving traditions in Persia, and the Habibian family is widely regarded as its leading master weaver dynasty. The grading system used in Nain is based on the number of cotton or silk threads making up each warp: 9 LA, 6 LA, and 4 LA, with lower numbers indicating finer warps and therefore a finer knot count. 6 LA (Shesh La) is the standard top-grade commercial Nain quality and is considered the sweet spot of fineness, durability, and color clarity. This piece is woven in wool and silk pile on a pure silk foundation at roughly 600 KPSI, equivalent to 900,000 knots per square meter, with the silk used as highlights through the medallions and floral motifs to give them their characteristic glow. The 0.24 inch (6 mm) pile is short and dense, which lets the fine cartoon read sharply with no softness or blur. The signature cartouche at the end border reads Habibian Nain in Farsi, confirming the piece as the work of the Habibian atelier. For broader context on the weaving tradition, the LA grading system, and what to look for when buying a fine Nain piece, read our complete guide to Nain rugs and our article on Persian Nain 6 LA and Habibian rugs.