Yang Di/Shanghai Daily

In every Persian carpet, there is a world of artistic magnificence that has been nurtured for more than 2,500 years. The best way to experience this world is to drop in to a place like Mortazavy, where luxurious Persian carpets of numerous patterns and styles can be found alongside the less elegant country rugs which also possess amazing workmanship.
Lynn Yekiazarian from England, 51, opened the 175-square-meter shop two months ago on the arty Shaoxing Road, which has a calm and relaxed atmosphere, one of the things Yekiazarian likes so much about Shanghai.
Yekiazarian has been an informal seller of Persian carpets for the five years she has lived here. Over that time, Yekiazarian has had the pleasure of meeting, advising and helping people complement their homes with this art form.
"Finally, I started looking for a shop and decided to take the plunge," Yekiazarian said. Her gallery-like store has more than a hundred different carpets, all of which she picked personally from Iran.
"Persian carpets are renowned for their richness of color, variety of patterns and quality of designs. I really love them," Yekiazarian said.
Yekiazarian's fascination with Persian carpets dates back to mid-1970s. Her husband is Iranian and the couple lived there for three years just after they were married.
As expat wives tend to do, Yekiazarian spent days and days wandering the carpet bazaar, fascinated by the different designs and techniques. She grew to love carpets and, of course, collected dozens of different items.
"In Iran, carpets are part of the lifestyle. Everyone has them," she said. "People also see it a form of investment because fine Persian carpets maintain their value and appreciate over time. It's comforting to know that, this year alone, prices in Iran have increased by 30 percent."
Within two months, the 20 carpets she stocked were sold out. While some rugs are undoubtedly luxury items, such as a wool and silk carpet from Tabriz in northwestern Iran priced more than 169,000 yuan (US$20,864.20), most are placed within a reasonable price range, especially when you consider the fact that they'll still be around in 50 years.
"Most people bought the carpets to decorate their home. It is a bit like having a piece of art for your floor," she said.
The Iranians were among the first, ancient carpet weavers and, through centuries of creativity and ingenuity, building upon the talents of their past, Iranians achieved a unique style and a widely respected talent in the art.
Towards the end of the 19th century, carpet making flourished once more with Tabriz merchants exporting carpets to Europe through Istanbul. Some European and American companies even set up businesses in Persia and organized craft production destined for Western markets.
Today, carpet weaving is by far the most widespread handicraft in Iran and is seen as a national industry.
The city carpets are very good quality, finely knotted and made of strong lustrous wool or silk. The usual city carpet design is a medallion surrounded by flowers and tendrils. However, some carpets are designed with repeating patterns.
Tribal history
Indeed, many of the most common motifs were developed in the 16th century, in the region of Shah Abbas, the Safavid King, who commissioned carpets especially for his palaces in Isfahan. The new motifs included palmettes and curvilinear patterns based on garden plants and flowers - stylized rather than natural.
These patterns are most commonly found in carpets made in the city weaving centers, although each place has its own style. The best known workshops are in Tabriz, Isfahan, Nain, Gom, Mashad, Kerman and Kashan.
City weavers usually make finely knotted Persian carpets, while nomads make coarsely knotted ones. The tribal carpets were probably first made by nomads to cover the earthen floor in their tents.
Tribal carpets, Gabehs, Bakhtiars and Baluches, to name but a few, are always woven in wool. They are also less fine than the city carpets because the thicker wool means fewer knots per square inch. Motifs also take on a more rural tinge with birds, trees and antelopes commonly depicted.
"I like some of the old tribal pieces because they are naturally dyed and when they are old, the colors mellow, which are very warm and rich. And the tribal designs are very individual because nomads don't write down the patterns," Yekiazarian said.
"Small flashes of green may mysteriously appear where the pattern suggests blue. For me, this variation is part of the charm," she added.
"I am not trying to get rich through selling carpets. I like to talk to and educate people who come to our store and who really appreciate these art pieces."
Address: No. 19 Shaoxing Road
Tel: 6467 3556