What Is A Serapi Rug

Interesting facts about heriz rugs.

What is a serapi rug.

In the united states the highest quality of heriz rugs are called serapi. The heriz carpet is essentially a 20th century creation. What sets them apart heriz is informal village rugs that are produced in the city of heriz in the province of east azerbaijan in north west iran. Serapi rug gallery is a proud partner of goodweave ensuring our rugs are made by adult artisans not children.

The serapi is a term invented by american dealers to describe those herizes of finer closer weave quality with more spacious and flowing drawing than the more standard heriz carpets. Serapi is a trade name given to better quality heriz rugs thought to have been woven before 1900. The name serapi originates from the village of serab. The construction and diverse weaving patterns that can be found in antique heriz serapi and bakshaish rugs makes them an incredibly versatile type of rug for decorating.

The pile is lower and handle is firmer and more compact. Antique serapis have historically been the carpet of choice in early american state and federal buildings including the white house. Serapi rugs boast command large scale designs that leave not a single inch of open space across the rug. The persian serapi rugs belong to a family of regional persian rugs.

Serapi rugs always are constructed of a cotton warp and cotton weft which is sometimes dyed. Because there is no one pattern that defines these rugs their patterns can range from the more tribal side to the more classical end of the spectrum. Woven in the rugged mountains of northwest persia serapi rugs are a distinct heriz region style with finer knotting and more large scale spaciously placed designs than other rugs from this area. The village of serab or sarab where serapi rugs are generally attributed to is located south of the region responsible for the eponymous heriz rugs the region of north west persia and less than 80 miles east of tabriz.

Antique serapi rugs are a major draw particularly in big city america no other rug so epitomizes the east coast establishment than the antique serapi heriz carpet. The serapi are no different serving as a 19th century antiquity that had been a popular item on the market since their first conception. Their luxury and over the top nature cause any observer to admire their grandeur. These rugs are woven with the turkish knot.

It is also located in northwestern iran and has adopted some characteristics of caucasian carpets. Only natural dyes were used and they are generally excellent ones. The knots are usually ghiordes or turkish although the weavers sometimes employed senneh or persian knots. The antique serapi heriz rug is one of the most sought after rugs particularly in the usa and england for many years.

The term seapi however is an amazingly emotional and evocative term for rug collectors.