How to recognize a Nain
Nain is a small town near Isfahan, and its rugs are very fine, asymmetric‑knotted wool on a cotton foundation, 300 to 700 knots per square inch, graded by the number of threads in the warp ("6‑La" being finer than "9‑La"). The palette is the giveaway: an ivory or cream field with a medallion and arabesques in light and dark blue, the outlines in silk, sometimes with a little beige and green. Sizes run from 3×5 to large room sizes. Cheaper Indian and Pakistani "Nain design" rugs exist and are handled under the Indian and Pakistani pages.
Nains are popular in Long Island living rooms because the light palette suits modern interiors, and we see them from Roslyn, Great Neck, Manhasset, Jericho, Woodbury, Plainview, Huntington, Dix Hills and the Hamptons.
- Origin
- Nain, central Iran
- Knot
- Asymmetric; 300–700 kpsi
- Pile
- Fine wool with silk highlights
- Foundation
- Cotton
- Dyes
- Stable; the ivory field shows soil and urine readily
- Our method
- Dye test → gentle dusting → cool immersion wash with ivory brightener → clear rinse → centrifuge → flat dry, silk brushed by hand
