SERAB CAMELHAIR, Northwest Persian
4' 7" x 9' 0" Circa 1900 Price: $11,500
(High-Decorative)
("New Arrivals Gallery") Simultaneously casual and sophisticated, this wonderfully idiosyncratic undyed camelhair Serab is an inimitable folk art piece crafted over a century ago in Persian Azerbaijan. A hexagonal medallion hovers over a fascinating, intricate pattern of undyed sheep and camel wool. Within is a playful assemblage of elemental flowerheads, some so reductive as to appear square and triangular. Talismanic pendants extend into the field with vigilant cyclopean “eyes.” The corner spandrels were creatively improvised as the talented weaver decided vertical symmetry was a recipe for boredom to achieve a wonderful folk-art aesthetic — something that felt entirely natural to her. Superbly luminous shades of red, azure, green, and gold pop, adding balance to the desert-hued expanses. Serab rugs are particularly known for their durable construction, and this piece is no different, ensuring that it will continue to delight for many years to come. Its dimensions are perfect for a corridor or alongside a table or kitchen island, or as a functional boundary between zones in an open floor plan.