Gabbeh Rugs

Karastan rugs is a name which is known for its high quality and beauty.

Things you should know about the Gabbeh rug.

Gabbeh rugs have been around for hundreds of years. Hand-woven in the south central Zagros mountain ranges, these rugs are woven mainly for personal use.

The word “Gabbeh” is Persian for "in the rough, natural or uncut and genuine pieces are completely individual, often telling a women’s story or emotions.

Knock-off or not?

As with most fine art pieces around the world, the Gabbeh rug is often copied and inferior examples can be found for sale in the markets of Egypt, India, Turkey and China. The tell-tale signs to look for when shopping for this type of rug is to make sure the ends are not white. This shows that the rug is actually cotton based. Imitation rugs will often use inferior colorings and materials also.

What style of rug should I look for?

Here are the types of genuine Gabbeh rugs that you should look for;

1. The basic Gabbeh has a thick wool finish and consists of just a few knots per inch. They have simple and usually bright colors with basic designs covering most of the rug. Sometimes these rugs feature animals and people designs.

2. The Baluch Sumak is a flat woven rug. They usually do not consist of bright colors but have intricate tribal detailing.

3. The Kashkoli Gabbeh have simple geometric designs with colorful backdrops. As these rugs are woven very tightly, this style of rug gives off a gloss and shine similar to Chinese silk.

4. The Amalehbaft Gabbeh has basic elements in a medium weave. They are usually very simple in design to the other styles of Gabbeh rug.

5. The Luribaft Gabbeh also have a fine weave much like the Kashkoli. The design usually consists of classic designs as seen in other Persian rugs.

6. The Gabbeh Sumak rug is a flat woven rug with the details woven into the base of the rug. This rug usually consists of colorful designs with impressive detailing.

So, now you have seen that the Gabbeh rug comes in many different styles. Don’t be fooled by imitations and look for the signs. If you educate yourself with the history of the Gabbeh rug, you’ll be well on your way to finding yourself a beautiful and genuine rug that will bring your home to life. Good luck.

[an error occurred while processing this directive]