Provenance and Heritage

The name Sarouk (also Saruk, Sarough) belongs to one of the most celebrated weaving traditions of Persia, centred on the western province of Arak — the historic Sultanabad region, which also gave its name to the related Mahal, Mohajeran and Ferahan weaves. From around 1900 to 1940 a distinctive group was knotted expressly for the American market: the so-called American Sarouk, built on a palette of rust, deep red and indigo with a dense, blossoming floral drawing. From the 1970s onward many of these pieces were exported back from the United States to Europe, where they are traded as re-imports.

This carpet is one of them — hand-knotted around 1925–1935, returned from the U.S. and now offered here. It is a substantial, room-size Sarouk in very good antique condition, carrying the quiet authority of a piece that has already lived nearly a century.

Design and Colour

At the centre of the rose-red field sits a finely articulated medallion with cusped, scrolling edges, answered by floral cornerpieces in the spandrels. Around it the field is filled edge to edge with detached floral sprays and palmettes in the classic Sarouk manner — never empty, always blossoming. A deep indigo border of turning vines and flowerheads frames the composition, with an ivory outer guard of delicate red vinework. The palette moves between rose-red and rust, indigo and navy, ivory and cream, with polychrome accents of rose, soft green and pale blue in the flowers.

Age, Condition and Patina

The carpet is in very good condition for its age: largely full pile across the field, with slightly lower pile in places along the edges and two small, professional restorations. It carries an even, age-appropriate patina — the gentle mellowing of colour and surface that only decades of life can give, and one of the qualities most prized in a genuine antique. Every piece of this age is a unique survivor; the honest signs of use are part of its character, not a flaw.

Material and Weave

The pile is 100% highland wool — the lustrous, hard-wearing sheep’s wool of the Persian highlands that gives Sarouks their depth of colour and long life. The foundation of warp and weft is 100% cotton; as is typical of old Sarouks, the weave shows the characteristic blue weft. The carpet is hand-knotted throughout with the Persian (asymmetric) knot.

Presence in the Room

At 360 × 265 cm (9.54 m²) this is a generous room-size carpet — a true 9 × 12 ft format. It is made to anchor a whole room rather than a corner of it:

• Living room: large enough to carry a full seating group, with sofa and chairs resting on the rug, the medallion centred in the room.
• Dining room: ample for a table of eight to ten with chairs pulled out, the dense field forgiving of daily use.
• Stately and classic interiors: the rose-red ground and indigo borders bring warmth and gravitas to panelled rooms, period houses and grand entrances alike.

Specifications

Responsible Origin · Label STEP

Djoharian is a certified partner of Label STEP, the international fair-trade organisation for hand-knotted rugs, which audits production and trade conditions and tracks pieces from loom to dealer.

Djoharian — Since 1967

Our family business was founded in 1967, with roots in the Grand Carpet Bazaar of Tehran — five decades of trade and connoisseurship behind every piece we offer. We are a verified dealer on 1stDibs since 2013, and one of our antique carpets featured as a film prop in Spencer (2021) with Kristen Stewart — provenance and trust built over generations.

Service

Every piece is expertly inspected in our atelier in Lohr am Main, professionally washed and shipped with a certificate of authenticity. Secure and fast worldwide shipping, fully insured, with personal consultation in our showroom or by video call.