The Habibian Family
Few signatures in the world of Persian carpets have been copied, forged, and misused as often as that of Habibian. At times, it seems as though every second Nain rug bears the name, despite the fact that authentic Habibian pieces are exceedingly rare.
This article explores the history of the Habibian family, their various producers, and the key elements that distinguish a genuine Habibian rug from an imitation. Insights were gathered through interviews with living members of the Habibian family and leading experts in the field.
Table of Contents
The Founder Fatollah Habibian
Fatollah Habibian (1903–1995) is widely recognized as the founding figure of Nain carpet weaving. In the early 20th century, together with his brother Mohammad, he established one of the first weaving workshops in Nain, effectively transforming the town into a leading center for fine Persian carpets. Habibian’s carpets are known for their superior wool quality, their unique and highly artistic designs, and their extraordinary finesse—often exceeding one million knots per square meter—and are typically classified as 4La or 6La.
Although Fathollah Habibian had several daughters, none of them entered the carpet trade. It was his son-in-law, Farhang, along with his sons, who took over the family workshop, carrying on the legacy and upholding the high standards long associated with the Habibian name.
The displayed example is a 3 square meter masterpiece by Fathollah Habibian, produced over 50 years ago and featuring one of his most renowned directional designs. The pile, with a knot density of around 800,000 knots per square meter, is woven almost entirely from pure silk with only minimal wool elements, on a pure silk foundation. Many of Fathollah’s early works were made from pure silk or predominantly silk compositions. His signature typically appears within a sharp rectangular frame and is not integrated into the surrounding design.
The Co-Founder Mohammad Habibian
Mohammad Habibian was a key figure in the development of Nain carpet weaving and played an equally important role as his brother Fatollah in establishing the Habibian workshop. Together, the two are often referred to as the "Habibian Brothers" who transformed Nain in the early 20th century from a center of textile production into one of the most respected names in Persian rug making.
In addition to their joint efforts, Mohammad later established his own independent workshop, where he continued to produce carpets of outstanding quality until his passing in 1986.
The displayed example is one of his later works - a 3.5 square meter carpet woven from superior quality handspun wool with silk highlights on a 6-La cotton foundation. With 1.3 million knots per square meter, it features an impressively precise weave and a perfectly symmetrical, well-balanced design. This piece stands among the finest and most masterfully executed Nain carpets I’ve ever had in my collection.
Farhang Habibian
Farhang Habibian, son-in-law of Fathollah Habibian, is considered one of the finest producers in the Habibian family legacy. He began weaving not long after his father-in-law and quickly showed remarkable skill.
As his grandson recalls, Farhang’s carpets were truly “one-of-a-kind.” Using only the finest kork wool, working closely with his own designers to create original patterns, and occasionally weaving on silk foundations, he produced some of the most distinctive and exceptional carpets ever made under the Habibian name. He passed away about 20 years ago, by which time his three sons, Masoud, Mahmoud-Reza, and Alireza, had already taken over the business.
The displayed carpet is an earlier example by Farhang Habibian, dating back to the 1960s. An 8 square meter piece made from extremely soft and supple kork wool with countless silk elements, woven on a pure silk foundation. The border design, featuring sharp arabesques, is strongly reminiscent of Nain Tudeshk rugs, while the all-over center design is very classic for Nain. The result is a highly unique and surprisingly harmonious composition of outstanding quality.
The New Habibian Generation
The most prominent living members of the Habibian family are the three brothers Masoud, Mahmoud Reza, and Alireza Habibian. They successfully took over the production of Habibian carpets in the mid-1990s and have since created many exceptional pieces. However, due to declining demand and growing skepticism surrounding the blurred lines between genuine and fake Habibian rugs, the production of authentic Habibian carpets has significantly declined over the past decade and has nearly come to a halt today.
Carpets by the new generation maintain the classic Habibian aesthetic, featuring traditional designs, high knot counts, and a generally superior quality compared to other Nain workshop rugs. The signature remained unchanged, with the exception of Mahmoud Reza, who began adding his own first name to distinguish rugs produced in his workshop.
Fakes and Imitations
Unfortunately, genuine Habibian carpets are vastly outnumbered by fakes on the market — making authentication a real challenge, especially for those without hands-on experience.
Generally, there are two levels of forgeries:
1. Obvious Fakes:
These are regular, medium-quality Nain carpets with a Habibian signature added after weaving. They're usually easy to spot, as the knotting, dyes, and wool texture around the signature differ from the rest of the rug.
2. Advanced Fakes:
These are much trickier. From the beginning, they were produced to pass as Habibians. The fake signature is woven into the original design using matching wool and dyes. While convincing at first glance, these rugs typically lack the refined design language, proportions, and material quality of true Habibians. Spotting them requires in-depth knowledge of original pieces.
What has never been successfully replicated are the unique Habibian designs — many of which were never shared outside the family — and the unmistakable quality: softer wool, a slightly thicker pile, and balanced, elegant compositions.
Even a woven signature is no guarantee of authenticity. True Habibians stand out through their overall quality, not just a name.
Indicators of Authentic Habibian Rugs
Apart from the mentioned quality differences, there are certain design elements that are believed to be exclusive to the Habibian family. These can serve as useful indicators for spotting authentic Habibian rugs.
The "Azhdari" dragon corner medallion design was pioneered by the Habibians and is very unconventional compared to classic Nain rugs.
The typical border designs show two types that can repeatedly be spotted in authentic Habibian rugs, especially in the sub-borders surrounding the signature.
