Kashan 16281 Carpet No(Type N Reference): 16281 Origin (State, Province): Central Persia Size: 200 X 130 CM from sh.sameyeh Oriental carpet catalogue page No.70 Age: 2ND QUARTER OF 20TH CENTURY Category: Central Persia Price : Singapore $ 3700.00 Description of Design and History: Antique Kashan Rugs are among the very finest Persian rugs and carpets. Kashan was a center of silk production since Safavid times and some of the best classical Persian silk rugs have been attributed to Kashan. At the end of the nineteenth century the weavers there began to produce high quality rugs and carpets as well, which continued the high standards of design and technique established in the classical era. The very best antique Kashans carpets are known as Motashem Kashan. They often have medallion designs, but allover Kashans are not uncommon. The palette can be deep and rich in the classical tradition, or it can utilize softer hues appropriate to modern decor. Though Kashan is now removed from the commercial trade route of Persia, it used to be the largest city in the northwest, and virtually all traffic between Esfahan and the east passed through it. Because of this important location Kashan became the popular stop on a bustling trade route during the Safevid Era. In modern times, nearby mountain ranges prohibit trucks from traveling the route that caravans had so often ventured. During this era in which carpet weaving flourished in Persia, Kashan developed a reputation as one of the finest weaving centers of the east.