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Masterpieces lie beneath his feet
From the Bolton Evening News, first published Friday 22nd Oct 2004.
BUSINESS is always a pleasure when it stems from a personal enthusiasm. But for Shahriar Razaghi, his new venture is the realisation of a boyhood fascination.
Shahriar opened The Persian Rug Gallery on Derby Street, Bolton, three months ago. The term "Aladdin's Cave" may be a cliche, but it is an apt description. Behind a modest shop front are two floors of artistic treasures from across the old Persian Empire.
"Persian rugs are the only practical pieces of fine art in the world," said Shahriar. "No other investment grows in beauty as it ages."
Persian carpets are known for their tremendous variety in design, colour, size and weave, and the uniqueness of every work produced. Rugs are generally named after the village, town or district where they are woven, or by the weaving tribe in the case of nomadic pieces.
As a boy in Iran, Shahriar was fascinated by the stories and history that lay behind each rug. His knowledge is encyclopaedic, and visitors to his shop can, over a cup of light, fragrant, Iranian tea, learn everything there is to know about the carpet of their choice.
He told me how Iran stood at the crossroads of Eastern and Western civilizations, attaining its artistic height under the Safavid Dynasty of 1502-1736.
Weaving, together with the arts of calligraphy, miniature painting, and tile work, flourished. Highly qualified carpet factories developed in the cities of Kerman, Isfahan, Kashan, Tabriz, and Herat.
Iran is where most motifs, patterns and traditional colour schemes originate. Over the centuries, Persian carpets have become treasured heirlooms, passed down from one generation to the next. For many families, carpets and rugs are their most valuable possessions, and an integral part of their home.
Today, carpet production in Iran has recovered to the levels it was at before the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Persian carpets continue to boast very high standards, and often sell for thousands of pounds.
As a young man, Shahriar moved from Iran to Austria, where he worked in woodworking factories. He came to Britain ten years ago with his family and settled in Bolton.
He opened The Persian Rug Gallery with help from Bolton's Ethnic Minorities Business Service (EMBS).
Ayyub Patel, the head of EMBS, said: "Shahriar's business is typical of the entrepreneurial spirit that exists in towns with growing Iranian and Kurdish populations. With his skill and knowledge, it is extremely rewarding to see this business up and running."
Mr Patel added that the work done by EMBS with Shahriar is a good example of the way the unit can assist with business start-ups within Bolton's ethnic minority communities.
Shahriar visits markets in Iran and Kazakhstan personally and retains an Austrian connection for his imports.
He offers advice to would-be buyers.
"Tightness is a key to durability," he said. "The carpet should be dense and tight to the touch. If the knots are tight the pattern will be clear and crisp like a focused picture; not blurry.
"The carpet should feel neither rough and dry, nor too soft. Contrary to popular belief, thickness has no effect on durability. The thickness is determined by the climate in which the carpet was woven."
He also pointed out that in authentic Persian rugs the pattern is visible from the back.
He gives a tour of his gallery, and every piece has a story. One rug has more than a million strands of wool gracefully tied into a pattern with stylized flowers. Others are made of pure silk which shines in the light. There are hundreds of years of man-hours in the building.
Shahriar said: "If you think a fine Persian carpet is too expensive, consider that it can take a year or more to create a single carpet."
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