December 02, 2021

Carpets in detail: useful information about our favorite pieces

Hamburg carpets, oriental carpets, Persian carpets, kilim, bedroom carpet gray modern red

In this post:

1. Creation of value of a carpet
2. Handmade Carpets: Perfect Imperfect
3. How do I calculate the knot density of a carpet?
4. What does the designation 35, 50, 60 or 70 Raj mean for a Tabriz?
5. What does it mean for a Nain carpet?
Designation 12, 9, 6 or 4 La?

Reading time: Approx. 4min

1. Creation of value of a carpet

Carpets are our passion. A piece of long tradition accompanies this craftsmanship. Countless hours of work for each individual.

Typically, the difference in value between two similar carpets is determined by different knot densities. The knotting density is measured in the number of knots per m². However, the knot density of oriental carpets is not the only argument for their value. It is also important which materials were used and how good the quality of the wool is, for example. Furthermore, with silk carpets, the actual silk content is important for the value of the carpet. It also depends on the workmanship and beauty of the patterns produced. There are many different factors to consider when determining the value of a carpet.

2. Handmade Carpets: Perfect Imperfect

All carpets are finest handcrafted. A tradition and technique, passed down and taught through generations. Precise and detailed work is carried out very hard and for a long time to create a carpet. So you don't need to worry about the quality of your carpet. Slight irregularities can occur with original, handmade carpets and are completely normal. Our handmade oriental rugs are individually made by the respective weavers without drawings or models and always have variations in design, straightness, workmanship, color or size. That's what makes it what it is, a work of art.

Fringes of different lengths, a slightly distorted shape or irregularities in the colors are proof for the authenticity of the carpet and should be viewed as part of the charm and uniqueness of the carpet and contribute to its overall value.

A particularly beautiful example of this is the pattern of Kilim carpets created by the colored weft threads that are woven into the warp threads. For every new color, a new thread must be used in each row. The thread ends are incorporated. That has to The result is that a narrow slit is created in the fabric between two different color areas. Therefore these will be Hand-woven carpets are also known as slit kilims.

3. How do I calculate the knot density of a carpet?

The knot density of a carpet is the number of knots per square meter and can be used for any hand-knotted carpet can be easily calculated. Simply choose a straight spot on the back of the rug and count the number of knots along a 1cm line, both vertically and horizontally. Multiply the numbers together and then multiply your answer by 10.000. An example - three knots horizontally and four knots vertical = 12 x 10.000 = 120.000 knots per square meter.

4. What does the designation 35, 50, 60 or 70 Raj mean for a Tabriz?

With a Tabriz carpet, the fineness of the carpet is measured in rows (also called raj). This is the number of rows of nodes measured at a length of 7 cm. A quality 35 Tabriz has an approximate knot density of 300.000 knots per m². 50 Raj is approximately 500.000 to 600.000 knots per m². In the 60 Raj Tabriz class, the carpets have 55 to 60 rows of knots, which corresponds to a knot density of approx. 750.000 to 900.000 knots per m². The highest quality with 70 Raj is very rare and means a knot density of 1 million knots per m² or higher.

5. What does the designation 12, 9, 6 or 4 La mean for a Nain carpet?

For a Nain carpet, the fineness is described by the number of thread layers per warp thread. The lower the number, the finer the knotting quality of the Nain carpet. The La of a Nain can be checked very easily by counting the threads of a carpet fringe. A 12 La Nain has a warp consisting of 12 ground threads with approximately 150.000 - 250.000 knots/sqm. A Nain 9 La has a finer structure with approx. 350.000 - 550.000 knots/sqm. Nain 6 La is one of the finest Persian carpets. The knotting density is approx. 850.000 - 1.200.000 knots/sqm. Extremely fine 4 La Nain can also be found. To this day, most Nain come from eastern Iran.

There is more history and interesting information about Persian carpets than you might think at first glance. There is an incredibly old traditional culture, many entanglements and historical development in the topic Oriental carpets. Follow our blogs for more interesting topics about oriental carpets. Knots Of Love!