Among the finest carpets in the world, the word Nain is sometimes used in Persia as a synonym for 'fine'. These elegant carpets are produced in and around the city of Nain, some 60 miles east of the enchanted city of Isfahan.
A favorite of many collectors, Nains are precise, delicate and can be stunningly beautiful. They are woven on cotton, or on silk of varying degrees of quality, and are mostly beige and blue, with stunning silken highlights. The blues can vary from the deepest midnight to the palest sky, with royals and spectacular turquoises along the way.
Typical details include the curvilinear vines with forked leaves, Shah Abbas flowers, birds and animals, and regal borders. Many are signed, and for a genuine Habibian signature it is permitted to sell the farm.
Although Nain is not a very old rug-weaving city, it is well established and among the most valued carpet-producing centers in Persia. It has adopted most of its skills from the very ancient, neighboring city of Isfahan. Customs and traditions here have changed very little in the past century.
For many generations, the people of Nain produced a superior quality of handmade woolen cloth used to make traditional garments and fine wool cloaks, until just prior to WWII in the 1930s. After the war, persians began to adopt western clothing styles, and the market for these fabrics dwindled. Thus the highly developed knowledge and skill of Nain´s fine textile industry were transferred to the making of handmade carpets. Nain´s reputation for the finest quality weaving was once again established in modern times.
Its talented master weavers may take several years to complete a carpet. Though very similar in appearance to Isfahans, they are easily identifiable because of their distinctive color scheme and smooth, closely clipped pile. Nain carpets usually feature an overall arabesque and curvilinear floral pattern of blues against a warm beige or ivory background, with touches of greens and whites. Over 300 to 500 knots per square inch are not uncommon in Nains. Excellent grades of wool and silk are used on foundations of fine cotton or silk.
