Tabriz Antique Carpets, Part One

Tabriz Antique Carpet

The major city of Tabriz, located near the Turkish border, is the center of classically designed antique carpets in Northwest Persia. At the foot of the beautiful Elbruz Mountains, Tabriz has a noteworthy history, both as the Persian market center most linked geographically to European and Western commerce, and as the source of the most venerated antique carpets: the inspired antique Oriental carpets of the Shah Abbas period during the 15th and 16th centuries.

With such auspicious beginnings, during the second half of the 19th century, the city boasted some of the most famous antique carpet weaving masters such as Kurban Dai, Sheik Safi, Faradji. and most notably, the luminary Hadji Jallil, all of whom were responsible for the reclamation of this celebrated past by reinventing a truly memorable antique carpet production.

Serapi Rugs, Part 2

 
Until they began rising in value in the 1980's, Serapis were an inexpensive alternative to classical floral antique Oriental carpets that were often used in heavily trafficked areas of the home. This use helped to soften the color, giving the Serapi antique carpet the muted tonalities they are renowned for by collectors and interior designers around the world.

The heavy use that Serapis often withstood also meant that significant restoration commonly was necessary to preserve many of the finest pieces. If antique carpet care is done skillfully and thoroughly, restoration not only allows the continued use of these majestic carpets, but also increases their investment value. 19th century pieces with only a moderate amount of skillfully executed restoration are quite rare and, if of excellent quality and strong artistic impact, are extremely desirable.

Antique Oriental carpets of Serapi are usually found in the room size format from 9x12 to 11x14. Happily, oversize Serapis measuring 11x15 to 12x18 are sometimes found, and the best examples woven pre-1900 are deeply prized. Very occasionally extremely large antique examples woven in sizes up to 16x 26 can be found. Area-size Serapis, measuring 4ft x 5ft to 5ft x 6ft 6in are very seldom encountered and cherished by connoisseurs. Although rarely found, Serapis runners and keleges (corridor-size runners) make stunning complements to decors featuring room size or oversize Serapis.

Having had the pleasure to place so many of these wonderful carpets, we can attest to the magical element they bring to a wide range of decors. The rarity of the best Serapi antique rugs with pure vegetable dyes, graphic designs and inspired artistry make them excellent investments, occupying an important position in both the American and international art markets.

Serapi rugs, Part 1

Fine antique oriental 19th-century Serapis include some of the most desirable and rare antique carpets in larger sizes. Woven in the rugged mountains of Northwest Persia, Serapis are a distinct Heriz region style of antique oriental rugs, with finer knotting and more large-scale spaciously placed designs than other rugs from this area.

Antique Oriental Serapi Rug

Although it was the grandest of the antique oriental carpets in the Heriz styles, Serapi style antique carpets are seldom seen after 1910, because of the remoteness of the mountains in Northwest Persia presented. Antique carpets had to be taken by their weavers to Serab, 30 miles distant, to be marketed. "Serapi" is not a place or tribal name; rather it is a market term derived from "Serab-i," meaning "of Serab".

Serapi antique carpets combine design elements borrowed from many traditions. The bold geometric designs are probably connected to the antique oriental carpet tradition of tribal Caucasians across the Aras River to the north. The elegant court carpets of Tabriz to the west certainly would have influenced the weavers' understanding of balance and the central medallion format of an antique oriental carpet.

Serapi antique carpets were woven on the level of a family or small workshop with multiple weavers working several years to complete each antique oriental carpet. The weaving was done almost exclusively by women. Highly skilled artisans, they continually reinterpreted the design as they wove, creating highly spontaneous and inventive artistry in each antique carpet. In general, the Serapi antique carpets made in small workshops are more finely woven and formal, and pieces woven on a family level are more rustic and symbolic in design.

The women of this area were master dyers able to deeply dye the superb, silky, local wool with a great range of soft-shaded or "abrashed" color. The wide palette of hues in the antique carpets came from many carefully brewed plants and minerals, colors for which the recipes are now lost. Watermelon to terra cotta tones came from madder root. The blue tones, from sky and aqua to periwinkle and deep navy, came from the indigo plant. Gold and yellow tones are from chamomile and a variety of other plants. The weavers also frequently used large areas of undyed and unbleached wool, whose ivory and camel tones provided contrast to the wide range of vegetable color in the antique oriental carpet.