An Antique Sarouk from Central Persia, c. 1920s

Sarouk is one of the great workshop traditions of central Persia — the city lies in the Arak region of the Markazi province. By the early twentieth century, Sarouk had established itself as a benchmark for dense, lustrous wool and disciplined floral composition. Pieces from the 1920s are now over a century old; the wool has settled, the natural dyes have deepened, and the surface has gained the layered depth that distinguishes a genuine antique from a younger piece washed to look older.

This Sarouk is hand-knotted in wool on a cotton foundation. The composition is the classical Sarouk vocabulary, read here through a palette of rust, brown and blue — the rust carrying the field with its botanical motifs, brown anchoring the medallion and border, blue running through the secondary elements as a cooler counterpoint.

Composition and Palette

The Sarouk floral repertoire is dense without being busy — stylised palmettes, curling vines and botanical motifs are arranged with a clarity that comes from disciplined workshop production. Rust as the dominant field tone is the classical Sarouk register: warm without being aggressive, deep without losing legibility. The blue accents through the borders give the composition its breathing space, and the brown contour holds everything together as architecture.

Placement

At 186 × 365 cm this is a generous long format — anchoring a long dining table with chairs pulled back, running the length of a large hallway or grand corridor, or organising an open-plan living space as a horizontal field. Antique Sarouk wool is famously robust; the piece has already proven its durability over a century and will hold up to everyday use. Use a non-slip pad on smooth flooring; suitable above underfloor heating. The rust-brown-blue palette works particularly well in traditional, library, or stately interiors where its depth supports darker wood, leather and brass.

Specifications

1stDibs Recognised Dealer · Spencer (2021)

Djoharian carries the Recognised Dealer badge on 1stDibs since 2013, with a 5.0/5 verified rating. Our rugs have appeared in international productions including Spencer (2021) with Kristen Stewart. Both reflect a standard of authentication and presentation that serious collectors and design professionals can rely on.

Responsible Origin · Label STEP

Djoharian is a certified partner of Label STEP, the international fair-trade organisation for hand-knotted rugs. STEP audits production conditions on the ground — wages, working environment, no child labour — 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 inform every piece we offer — collected, vetted, and presented with the documentation a serious buyer expects.

Service

Secure and fast worldwide shipping, fully insured. Each piece is professionally packed and documented. We are available for any questions on placement, care, or comparable pieces.