Sell Your Kashan Rug —
A Masterpiece of Persian Weaving
Kashan has produced some of the most refined city rugs in the history of Persian weaving. If you own one — from a soft kork-wool medallion rug to a rare Mohtasham — we buy antique and vintage Kashans at fair market prices, with free valuation, no fees and insured collection across the UK.
What Is a Kashan Rug?
A Kashan rug is a fine city rug woven in Kashan, a historic oasis town in central Iran with a weaving tradition reaching back to the Safavid era. Kashans are hand-knotted on a cotton foundation with a dense asymmetric knot, and typically show a graceful central medallion, a floral field of Shah Abbasi palmettes and a formal border, in deep madder red, indigo blue and ivory.
Where a tribal rug is spontaneous and a decorative carpet is all about scale and colour, a Kashan is about discipline and refinement. These are workshop rugs, drawn from careful cartoons and knotted by skilled urban weavers, and at their best they rank among the finest Persian rugs ever made. Kashan sits in the same distinguished company as Isfahan and Nain as a byword for quality.
That heritage is why Kashans have been collected in Britain for well over a century, and why the name still carries weight in the saleroom. It is also why grade matters so much: the gap between an ordinary later Kashan and a fine antique kork or Mohtasham example is enormous, and knowing where a rug sits on that scale is the heart of an accurate valuation.
Mohtasham, Manchester or Standard Kashan — Grades That Change the Price
Not all Kashans are equal. Mohtasham Kashans are the finest antiques, with kork wool, jewel-like natural dyes and very fine knotting. Manchester Kashans use lustrous imported merino wool. Standard antique Kashans are still fine city rugs, while later machine-influenced pieces are more modest. Placing a rug in the right grade is what separates a fair valuation from a guess.
These distinctions are not marketing labels; they reflect genuine differences in materials and workmanship that the market rewards. A Mohtasham and a later commercial Kashan might share the same medallion design, yet be worlds apart in value. The table below sets out the main grades our specialists work with.
| Grade | Hallmarks | Market position |
|---|---|---|
| Mohtasham | Finest kork wool, superb dyes, c.1870–1920 | Top of the market |
| Manchester Kashan | Imported merino wool, high lustre | Highly collectable |
| Antique kork Kashan | Soft kork wool, fine knot | Strong |
| Later / commercial Kashan | Ordinary wool, stiffer weave | Modest |
Genuine Mohtasham Kashans are relatively rare and easily confused with later pieces. Send us close photos of the pile and reverse and we will tell you honestly where your rug sits — as part of a free valuation.
How to Recognise a Fine Kashan
Recognise a fine Kashan by its firm cotton foundation, dense and even asymmetric knotting, and soft, lustrous wool with a gentle sheen. The design is formal and symmetrical: a pointed central medallion with matching corner spandrels, a field of curling palmettes and vine, and a well-defined border, usually on a rich red or ivory ground.
The reverse tells much of the story. On a good Kashan the knots are small, regular and clearly hand-tied, and the cotton warps are firm and pale. Run a hand across the pile: kork wool has a distinctive silky softness that ordinary wool lacks. A few further pointers:
- Design discipline: Kashan drawing is precise and balanced, never sketchy — a sign of workshop cartoons.
- Palette: classic Kashans favour deep madder red and indigo with ivory; ivory-ground Kashans are especially prized.
- Sheen: fine kork and silk Kashans catch the light and appear to change tone as you move around them.
- Format: as well as medallion rugs, look for Kashan prayer rugs with a mihrab and mille-fleur field.
If you would like to confirm the origin yourself first, our guide on how to identify a Persian rug walks through the key checks — or send photographs and we will confirm it for you.
The Role of Kork Wool and Silk in Kashan Value
Material is central to Kashan value. Kork — the soft, fine wool from the lamb's neck and underbelly — gives the best Kashans their silky handle and sheen, and lifts value well above ordinary-wool pieces. Silk and part-silk Kashans are finer and rarer still. Identifying wool type accurately is one of the most important steps in any Kashan valuation.
Two Kashans of the same age, size and design can differ substantially in price simply because one is woven in kork and the other in standard wool. Silk adds another dimension: it takes dye brilliantly and produces the shimmering, colour-shifting surface collectors love, though it is more delicate and must be assessed for wear with care. Our guide to silk rug values explains how silk changes the picture, and we also buy dedicated silk rugs of other origins.
What Determines Your Kashan Rug's Value
The factors our specialists weigh on every Kashan we assess.
A Kashan's value comes down to grade and materials first — Mohtasham, Manchester, kork or standard — then age, knot density, dyes, size and condition. Fine antique kork and Mohtasham examples with natural dyes command the strongest prices, while later commercial Kashans are valued more modestly. Silk content and rare formats add a further premium.
Grade
Mohtasham and Manchester Kashans sit well above standard pieces.
Wool
Soft kork wool with a silky sheen lifts value considerably.
Silk
Pure-silk and part-silk Kashans are finer and rarer.
Age
Late-19th and early-20th century antiques are the most sought-after.
Dyes
Natural, mellowed dyes outvalue harsh synthetic colours.
Knot Density
A finer, tighter knot signals a higher-quality workshop rug.
Size & Format
Ivory-ground and prayer-rug formats can carry a premium.
Condition
Even pile and sound ends help; great age can offset light wear.
Kashan Rug Price Guide
As a broad UK guide, later commercial Kashans sell for around £150–£500, good antique wool Kashans for several hundred to a couple of thousand pounds, and fine antique kork Kashans from roughly £1,500 upward. Rare Mohtasham, Manchester and silk Kashans can reach five figures. Every figure depends on inspecting grade, wool and condition.
These bands are indicative only. Because grade and material move Kashan prices so sharply, two rugs of the same size and design can sit far apart — which is exactly why photographs matter.
| Type | Typical character | Indicative range (GBP) |
|---|---|---|
| Later commercial Kashan | Ordinary wool, stiffer weave | £150 – £500 |
| Antique wool Kashan | Good age, natural dyes | £400 – £2,000 |
| Fine kork Kashan | Soft kork wool, fine knot | £1,500 – £5,000+ |
| Mohtasham / Manchester / silk | Rare, top-grade antiques | £5,000 – £25,000+ |
Indicative only and not a valuation. For a firm figure, request a free assessment or see how much a Persian rug is worth.
How We Value and Buy Your Kashan
A straightforward online process, from photographs to payment.
Selling your Kashan is simple: send clear photographs and measurements through our quote form, and our specialists date and grade the rug and reply within 48 hours with a fair written offer. Accept, and we arrange free insured collection anywhere in the UK and pay by secure transfer — usually on the day. No fees, no obligation.
Photograph Front, Back & Detail
Shoot the full face in natural light, the reverse (to show the knotting and foundation) and a close pile detail that reveals the wool and any wear.
Add Size & Any History
Include the length × width and anything you know about the rug's age or origin — a family purchase or old receipt can help.
Receive a Graded Offer
We place your Kashan in the correct grade — Mohtasham, Manchester, kork or standard — and send a clear, market-rate offer within 48 business hours.
Collection & Payment
Accept and we book fully insured collection across England, Scotland and Wales, then pay by secure bank transfer, usually on the day.
Why Sell Your Kashan to Heritage Rug Buyers
We Grade Kashans Properly
We distinguish Mohtasham, Manchester, kork and standard Kashans — so your offer reflects the true quality of your rug, not a flat rate.
Fair Market Prices
We price to live collector and dealer demand and explain every factor behind the figure, never the low numbers of a house clearance.
Free UK Collection
Fully insured collection across England, Scotland and Wales at no cost — no posting, no saleroom trips.
No Fees, No Obligation
Free valuation, no commission, no premium. Decline our offer and you owe nothing.
Fast & Secure
A firm response within 48 hours and payment by secure bank transfer, usually on the day of collection.
Discreet & Honest
Your photos and details stay confidential, and our reasoning is always transparent.