An Investigation into the Emergence of American Business Companies in Iran- the Category of Kermanian Carpet (Qajar and the First Pahlavi)

The industry of carpet weaving has a long background in Kerman. It seems that this art has been fund in Kerman before the Saffavid era and flourished just like all other arts. Variety in designs, the quality of primary elements and the particular dyeing of Kerman's carpet are the effective factors in its popularity among the carpet merchants. In Qajar era, the expert of Kermanian exquisite carpets to Europe and America caused the travel of these two continent's merchants to Kerman which led to the foundation of the first foreign companies in Kerman; therefore Americans and some Englishmen manufactured and traded carpet in Kerman. But the beginning of the First World War in 1914 resulted in the recession of foreign markets and this industry subsequently. After the end of war Kerman's carpet again was in demand, but the defeat of Germany decreased the activity of carpet's merchants who made the middle Europe as the center of their transaction. Records show that from 1562 to 1569 the development and quality of Kerman's carpet reached to its highest point and meantime, there were 5000 carpet weaving machines in Kerman. Economic crisis of America damaged Kerman and its carpet industry; therefore American companies closed their workstation and stores down and gave up this industry. Thus domestic merchants invested and entered into this industry. This article studies the emergence of American business companies and export of Kerman's carpet. The research method is descriptiveanalytic and the information is gathered by library researches.