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A Serapi Northwest Persia, Azerbaijan, 2nd half 19th century

From Sarab to Serapi

Sarab was both a town and a Khanate. Khanate is an old fashion term for an administrative district or state. The use of i on the end indicates that it is from Sarab so simply put Sarabi means from Sarab. All the rugs and carpets from the Heriz area would have been known as Sarab under the old name of the area. The carpets known in the trade as Serapi are clearly from the old Sarab Khanate. How then did Sarabi carpets become known as Serapi? I suggest that about the time the west was coming to know the carpets of Sarab a major news and gossip item was the Prince of Wales 1876 trip to India on the H.M.S. Serapis. Similar words and I suggest that Serapis became the popular pronunciation since it was the more familiar sound.

• Prior to 1813 Sarab and the whole greater Mount Savalan region including the rug producing areas such as Heriz, Ahar, Gorevan, etc.. was the Khanate of Sarab. see Chronology of Azerbaijan History and neighboring regions

• Cecil Edwards made the point that Serapi rugs are from Sarab.

• In the United States the highest quality of Heriz Carpets are called Serapi.

• Quality is higher than the average and knot counts are around 80 knots per square inch with the very best going up to 100 knots per square inch.

• Serapes have mellow colors and a less busy field than a standard Heriz.

• A Serapi Northwest Persia, Azerbaijan, 2nd half 19th century

The Troopship Serapis Arriving at Portsmouth on May 11th, 1876 with H.R.H. the Prince of Wales Aboard, on his Return from India

Sotheby's UK Serapi carpet late 19th C. lot 160

Serapi carpets

The line between a Serapi and an antique Heriz is more a matter of style than substance. For instance Sotheby's New York does not generally use the term Serapi while their counterparts in Sotheby's London regularly use the term. In Germany both Nagel and Rippon Boswell use the term Serapi.

• Mid 19th c. Serapi Carpet Rippon-Boswell lot 118
• Rippon Boswell Serapi Northwest Persia, Azerbaijan, 2nd half 19th century
• Sotheby's UK Serapi carpet C. 1880 lot 101
• Sotheby's UK Serapi carpet C. 1880 lot 137
• Sotheby's UK Serapi carpet C. 1890 lot 135
• Nagel Serapi carpet late 19th C. Lot 138
• Sotheby's UK Serapi carpet late 19th C. lot 160
• Nagel Serapi carpet late 19th C. Lot 29
• Sotheby's UK Serapi carpet late 19th C. lot 136
• Sotheby's UK Serapi carpet late 19th C. lot 51
• Sotheby's UK Serapi carpet late 19th C. lot 147

Sarab

Sarab has lent it's name to a group of camel ground runners generally attributed to the town of Sarab its self up into the beginning of the 20th century.

• Sotheby's Marechal Sarab Carpet last quarter 19th C. lot 136
• 2st half 19th c. Sarab Runner Rippon-Boswell lot 34
• Sotheby's Sarab Runner C. 1900 lot 208
• Sotheby's Sarab Runner C. 1900 lot 159
• Sotheby's Sarab Rug C. 1910 lot 265

Sotheby's Marechal Sarab Carpet last quarter 19th C. lot 136

Structure: Depressed symmetrical knot pulled right. Knot counts can range from 25 to 100.