Orley Shabahang Labyrinth

The art of Persian rug design has long been in Bahram Shabahang’s blood. Born in Iran but now based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Shabahang can trace his family history back to 16th-century Iran when an ancestor once oversaw carpet weavers in the workshop of King Tahmass Safavieh. Today, Shabahang’s Persian rugs and carpets are distinctly more modern in style, albeit produced by using ancient hand-woven techniques.

The story of Shabahang’s journey to becoming a prolific Persian rug designer begins back in 1972 in the bazaars of Isfahan, Iran. There, he met Geoffrey Orley, an American who was searching for “the world’s greatest carpets.” As Orley told Detroit Design magazine: “Somebody with a big Afro showed me a great carpet. He took me back to his home, and that was [Bahram] Shabahang.”

Having discovered that they shared an affinity for the distinctive artistry behind Persian rugs, Shabahang and Orley became lifelong friends and forged a business partnership, forming the rug and carpet company Orley Shabahang in 1973. At first, they focused mainly on importing and restoring antique Persian carpets, but by 2000, Shabahang wanted to create his own collection of modern and unique rug designs.

With the support of Orley, Shabahang designed several collections of new “Persian revival” carpets. Shabahang, who holds master's degrees in architecture and urban planning, relied on his drafting skills to create the Maps series of rugs, which featured maps of San Francisco, Rome, South America and Washington, D.C. Additional works include the Architecture collection and Persian, Indian and Caucasian rugs with minimalist, abstract and animal designs. 

Shabahang’s rugs have been shown at galleries and exhibitions worldwide, including the 30th annual International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in New York in 2018. Publications such as Vogue, Town & Country and Architectural Digest have also featured his works.

On 1stDibs, find vintage Bahram Shabahang rugs and carpets and folk art.

Make a bold statement in a living room or bedroom by incorporating vintage Persian rugs in your home decor.

A Persian carpet lends an aura of prestige to any room, even today. The fascination with Persian rugs dates at least as far back as the 4th century B.C., when historian Xenophon referred to the “soft rugs on which the Persians sit.” For centuries, Iran (modern-day Persia) has been known for the craftsmanship, intricate patterns and artistry of its carpets, which have found their way into households and museums around the world.

Although they have many imitators, real Persian rugs are made only in Iran and are easily recognized by their vibrant colors and elegant patterns.

Traditional, or antique, Persian rugs are what most people identify as “authentic.” Hand-made, they are very durable and, if properly cared for, can be passed down from generation to generation. Modern Persians, on the other hand, are often machine-made. Today’s carpets, Iranian or otherwise, can’t possibly match the level of craftsmanship that prevailed centuries ago, so historical Persian carpets will always be admired and highly valued.

Although the machine-aided production process is much faster and cheaper, the resulting rugs typically do not have the same quality or lifespan as handwoven ones, so traditional options are considered better investments.

To distinguish between the two, look for imperfections. Because traditional Persian rugs are handwoven, you will likely see small flaws on the front and back. With a machine-made imitation, on the other hand, you will probably not find stitching glitches, and the back will have a mesh or plastic covering.

Antique rugs are handmade from the finest materials, including wool, silk or cotton — never synthetic fibers. The fibers used in antique rugs are colored using natural dyes derived from insects and plants and woven into bold designs that reflect Iran’s culture and history. Since Persian tribes traditionally raised and herded sheep, wool was the most common material. The fiber has many advantages: It is fire-resistant and dries much more quickly than cotton. Also, because of its natural elasticity, it is more durable than cotton or silk. Regarded as works of art, Persian rugs can take months or years to complete.

The different types of Persian rugs are named for the cities, villages and regions where they’re made. Kashan rugs, for example, woven in the north-central Iranian city of Kashan, are considered among the finest city rugs, distinguished by curvilinear motifs like palmettos, leaves and arabesques. Nains have high knot counts, an indication of high quality, and generally employ pink, blue and ivory hues, while Tabriz rugs — created by weavers in the northwestern Iranian city of Tabrīz (or Tabriz) — mostly have floral and garden patterns. 

When shopping for vintage Persian rugs, you'll want to consider color, size and more — for a history of these rugs and tips on how to style yours, visit our guide to these woven creations today.

Find Tabriz rugs, handmade silk Persian rugs, Persian tribal rugs and other antique and vintage rugs from the world's best furniture dealers on 1stDibs.