Qum Medallion Ivory

Qum — the sacred city south of Tehran — rose to prominence as a silk-weaving centre only in the twentieth century, yet its output rapidly earned a reputation for unrivalled fineness, with knot densities that rival illuminated manuscripts and a palette drawn from the restrained, luminous vocabulary of classical Persian court art.

This antique example presents a lobed sunburst medallion in dusty rose and warm taupe at the centre of a generously open ivory field, the star's petals articulated with Shah Abbasi palmettes and fine arabesque arabesques that dissolve into scattered floral sprays across the ground — a deliberate visual breathing room that amplifies the silk's natural lustre.

The lower field carries a bold paired scroll cartouche in slate blue outline, a compositional anchor that balances the asymmetry between the upper and lower halves with quiet authority. The border system moves through a narrow rosette guard, a principal cartouche band carrying lobed medallion panels, and a final running-flower outer guard, all held within the characteristic Qum restraint of tone-on-tone ivory. The fringe is present at both terminals, consistent with its hand-knotted construction. Age has softened the palette to a chalky, silvered warmth that no new production can replicate — a piece for the discerning collector who understands that true rarity in Qum silk lies not in chromatic drama but in the precision of the drawing and the integrity of the weave.