8'6"x12'4" Persian Isfahan Rug | Signed Hekmatnejad Majnooni Masterpiece | 700 KPSI Kork Wool on Silk

Every so often a rug arrives that belongs in a different conversation entirely. This one is a Persian Isfahan measuring 8'6" x 12'4", a true 9x12 room size, knotted in fine kork wool over a full silk foundation at approximately 700 knots per square inch and signed in the end panel by the Hekmatnejad Majnooni workshop. It is about sixty years old and has never been in regular use. A certificate of authenticity is included with every rug we sell, and with a rug of this standing that document matters.

The Hekmatnejad Workshop

Among the great weaving houses of Isfahan, the Hekmatnejad atelier occupies a place close to legend. Its finest years fell during the Pahlavi period, when it was reputedely the workshop Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi turned to first whenever an Isfahan rug was wanted. A long list of masterworks was commisioned directly by the court from the Hekmatnejad family, and a good number of those left Persia as state gifts to foreign kings, presidents and heads of state. Master Hassan Hekmatnejad is now counted among the most influencial names in the entire history of Persian rug weaving. What we know of the family comes from conversations with living members of the Hekmatnejad line, from specialists who have handled their work, and from the well known Hekmatnejad Majnooni reference book.

Design and Color

A cornflower blue star medallion sits at the center of an ivory field, its core opening into a red rosette ringed with olive leaves and pale blue blossoms. Around it the field runs with scrolling vines, palmettes, lotus blooms and small bouquets in red, navy, olive and soft grey, drawn with the fluency that separates Isfahan from every other Persian weaving town. The main border carries cartouches and flowerheads on a pale ground, framed by a wide camel outer band that gives the whole rug a warm, quiet edge. In a formal living or dining room the ivory ground reads as light rather than pattern, which is exactly why room size Isfahans of this class hold their value.

Weave and Condition

Kork wool is the short, soft fleece taken from the neck, shoulders and underbelly of the lamb, and on a silk foundation it allows a knot count of around 700 per square inch without the pile losing its sheen. Turn the rug over and the drawing is as crisp on the back as on the front, which is the honest test of a fine weave. Condition is very good for sixty years: there is one small area of light wear on the field, shown in the photographs, and the rug is otherwise excellent throughout, with full pile, sound selvedges and clean fringe. As a direct importer, Rugs.net offers free shipping and free returns to all 50 states, same-day refunds, and our price beat guarantee.