Mashhad rug
The city of Mashhad has long been one of the centres for production of famous Persian carpets. It is also one of the oldest centres of carpet weaving. The Perez Topkapi prayer rug was woven between 1550 and 1556 most likely in Mashhad. The carpet manufacturing is extensive in Mashhad and mostly large carpets with medallions are made, which are also sold under the name Meshed. The quality changes and the wool from Khorasan is recognized by its softness.
The greatest Mashhad workshop of all time was that of Soltan Ibrahim Mirza. More recently Mashhad workshops included Amoghli (Amu-oghli, Amoughli, Emoghli), Khamenei, Makhmalbaf, Saber, and Zarbaf. Amoghli was one of the greatest Persian carpet workshops of the 20th century. Under Ali Khan Amoghli and Abdol Mohammad Amoghli their carpets were favourites under the Pahlavi Shahs particularly Reza Shah. Sa'dabad Palace in northern Tehran was furnished by the Pahlavis with carpets from the Amoghli plant. There are also some of the greatest Mashhad carpets woven by Amoghli in Niavaran Palace.[1]
Properties
Mashhad rugs and carpets are mostly curvilinear with a single central medallion, corner floral designs and very busy curvilinear floral motifs in the background. The city of Mashhad is known for producing some of the best wool in Iran. Mashhad rugs and carpets are very high quality and are among the best looking carpets in Iran and the world. Woven rugs and carpets come in different sizes, but the majority of them are large (3 x 5.5 metres). Dark red, blue and khaki are the main colours in Mashhad carpets. In Mashhad carpets warp is mostly cotton and weft is either cotton or wool. Weavers in Mashhad use Persian knots and the averages number of knots is from around 120 KPSI (30 RAJ) up to 475 KPSI (60 RAJ).