Workshop Heritage and Knotting Tradition

The workshop of Hadji Mollah Mohammed Hassan Mohtasham operated in Kashan in the second half of the nineteenth century and is widely considered the single most important name in modern Persian rug history. Mohtasham's innovation was twofold: he imported fine Manchester wool from England — finer, more lustrous and more even than locally available wool — and combined it with a precise floral drawing that became the template for what the world now understands as the classical Kashan rug. Mohtasham-attributed pieces appear regularly in major museum collections and at the highest auction levels.

This piece was hand-knotted in Kashan, Iran, between 1860 and 1870, placing it at approximately 155–165 years of age — a remarkably early example. It is built from 100% fine imported Manchester wool on a cotton foundation, in the characteristic Mohtasham manner: an exceptionally fine floral drawing carried across an ivory field. The piece carries the patina of more than a century and a half of life: the drawing remains crisp and fully legible throughout, with the pile lower in the centre of the field — a condition entirely appropriate to its great age.

Colour and Composition

The composition is the classical Kashan medallion-and-corner layout, drawn with the precision that defines Mohtasham's hand. A luminous ivory-cream field is filled with finely articulated floral vinework and carries a central lobed salmon-apricot medallion with a pale star and pendants. Deep navy-indigo spandrels frame the corners with ivory floral tracery, and a broad navy-indigo main border carries floral scrollwork in salmon-rust, ivory, light blue and olive green, with light-blue corner rosettes. The palette pairs the cool depth of the navy ground against the warmth of salmon and rose — a hallmark of the finest classical Kashan drawing.

Presence in the Room

At 208 × 135 cm (2.8 m²) this is a focused collector's format — a piece for considered placement and close looking. Given its age, it is at its best as a collector's wall hanging or in a low-traffic interior. Three contexts in which the Mohtasham reaches its full effect:

• Collector's wall in a library or study: Mounted as textile art, the fine Mohtasham drawing functions as a museum-grade focal point in a room of books or quiet panelling.
• Salon or reception room: As a hero textile in a refined reception space, the rug reads as a signature of serious collecting.
• Specialist gallery or museum display: The piece is at home alongside other 19th-century Persian collector textiles in a museum-quality presentation.

A Collector's Investment

Early Mohtasham Kashan rugs of this period are among the most sought-after of all classical Persian weavings, held in museum and private collections worldwide. As a documented, exceptionally early workshop piece, this rug represents not only a work of textile art but a tangible store of value — a collector's asset whose rarity is fixed by history and cannot be reproduced.

Specifications

Responsible Sourcing · Label STEP

Djoharian is a Label STEP certified dealer for fair-trade knotted rugs — a commitment to dignified working conditions and against child labour in rug production. Visit the Label STEP entry for Djoharian Teppiche →

Djoharian — Since 1967

With roots in the Grand Carpet Bazaar of Tehran and more than five decades of experience in the international rug trade, Djoharian has specialised in antique and collector rugs since 1967. On 1stDibs we have been a verified seller since 2013 with 5.0/5 stars across 18 reviews and the „Recognized Dealer“ badge. Our pieces have been featured in international film productions, including Spencer (2021) with Kristen Stewart.

Service and Delivery

Every piece in the Djoharian Collection is expertly inspected in our atelier in Lohr am Main, professionally washed and shipped with a certificate of authenticity. We offer secure and fast worldwide shipping, fully insured, and personal consultation in our showroom or by video call.