What is Abrash?

Esmaili Rugs and Antiques, Inc. Abr??h ?? a t?rm u??d t? d???r?b? ??l?r v?r??t??n? f?und ?n ??l??t h?nd kn?tt?d and Or??nt?l rug?. Alth?ugh ?u?h ?n??n???t?n???? m?? be perceived ?? 'fl?w?' ?n coloration, Abr??h is actually a much m?r? ?nt?m?t? and ??m?l?x ?h?r??t?r??t??.

Wh?l? many suggest Abr??h m?? b? f?und m?r? often ?n the u???r ??rt??n of a rug (top) du? t? l??k ?f ?n?t??l materials, this ?? n?t ?lw??? the ????. In b?th new ?nd ?ld rugs, abrash ??n be attributed t? ??v?r?l d?ff?r?nt f??t?r?, ?nd n??rl? any ???nt ?f th? w??v?ng f?r mult??l? r????n?:

• Ch?ng? in dye lots: When a rug is ?r??t?d, b???? g??d? ?r? acquired t? b?g?n. As the weaving progresses, ?nd m?t?r??l? ?r? u??d, it's n?t uncommon ?dd?t??n?l w??l t? b? ?ur?h???d ?n ?n ??-n??d?d b????, ?r as th?? m?? b? ?ff?rd?d. Su?h ?m?l?m?nt?t??n ?f new dye lots may n?t result ?n a ??rf??t m?t?h.
• H?nd??un wool: During th? ???nn?ng process, some areas may b???m? more tightly twisted th?n ?th?r?. Th?? ??n ?ff??t th? r?t? ?f ?b??r?t??n ?nd ?nt?n??t? ?f ??l?r wh?n the m?t?r??l ?? d??d, r?nd?r?ng variations ?? w?ll.
• A nod to th? ?m??rf??t??n ?f humankind: It ?? w?d?l? known even th? most ??rf??t ?nd ???m?ngl? r?g?d w?rk?h?? rugs will h?v? ?m??rf??t??n? intentionally woven ?nt? th? rug? to ?r?v? 'n? one ?? ??rf??t but G?d.' 

Alth?ugh some may f?nd ?r?d??t?bl?, consistent ??l?r? ?????l?ng, ??m? ?f th? f?n??t, most v?lu?bl? and ??ught ?ft?r rugs ?nd ??r??t? ?f th? world f??tur? Abr??h colorways. Aside fr?m th? ???th?t?? beauty of ?l?ght stretches ?f the ??l?tt?, many ?ugg??t Abrash h?? ?v?n h?l??d attribute two ?f the W?rld'? m??t r?n?wned tw?n Oriental ??r??t? (th? Ard?b?l carpets) as h?v?ng been woven ?t the ??m? t?m?, perhaps ?n the ??m? r??m. Abrash ?? ?? ?????f?? to the n?tur?l h?ndm?d? process of making rugs m??h?n? made rug? h?v? ?v?n ?d??t?d it.

Abr??h can b? ????ntu?t?d ?v?r t?m?, ?lth?ugh in t?d??'? newer weavings it m?? b? l??? likely. Here is an un??u? example wh??h ?? ??m?t?m?? ???n today in select ?nt??u? rug?; wh?n fu?h??n? dye was ?ntr?du??d t? rug weaving ?n th? early 20th ??ntur? t? ?tt??n a d??? ?r?nb?rr? red, the color may h?v? m?t?h?d ??rf??tl? t? ?th?r ??l?r? in th? w??v?ng. Ov?r t?m? and ?x???ur? t? ?un and ?th?r, the fu?h??n? would ?g? to a v?r? pale dusty pink. If mixed with ?n?th?r l?t ?f wool with a similar color but different d??, th?? m?? ???ld ?n abrash affect as well, ?lth?ugh not ?? ?r?g?n?ll? f?r????n.