Feraghan, Ferahan Sarouk Rugs
Examples of Feraghan Sarouk Rugs & Carpets
History / Bacground
Farahan rugs were a very esthetically pleasing group. They drew upon a sophisticated design repertoire without the formality of a city workshop carpet. Technically there are a well made carpet and as a rule the dyes were very good. Farahan rugs often used a very attractive copper green called celadon after the Chinese pottery. It would turn brittle over timeand wear away leaving a sculpted look.
Up until W.W.II these carpets represented the best of the Sarouk production. They were attributed to the village of Farahan but were likely made in a number of villages. As with all the Arak Rug types the names are more of a grade than an exact place attribution.
Prior to the introduction of the American Sarouk these carpets represented the best of the Sarouk production. They were attributed to the village of Feraghan but were likely made in a number of villages.
Once the American Sarouk took off these began to disappear. These pieces are highly desirable in today’s market and this one sold for just over 500 dollar per square foot ($74,000) at Sotheby’s New York, when it went up for auction in 1998.
These pieces are very similar to the Mohtashem Kashan rugs in handle and structure. An attribution clue is that that Mohtashem Kashan carpets have lavender silk selvages.
Examples:

The Bernstein Feraghan Carpet circa 1900
Faraghan and Feraghan Sarouk Rugs and Carpets
Antique Sarouk Feraghan Persian Rug
Farahan Structure
Warps: Cotton 6 strand. Undyed (white).
Wefts: 1 rigid and 1 sinuous weft.
Knot: Asymmetric open left. 90 KPSI
Selvage: Surmey blue wool wrapped around 3 warp units.
Handle: Leather hard handle
Farahan, Persia. Circa 1870 – 1880.
This is about 1/2 inch across of the rug magnified.
Farahan, Persia. Circa 1870 – 1880.
Size:
Structure: Symmetrical knot. 9 knots per horizontal inch and 12 knots per vertical inch. 108 per square inch (1674 per square decimeter)
Yarn Spin: Z.
Warp: 4 ply to 6 ply cotton.
Weft: 2 shots 3 ply white cotton small area of 3 ply blue in sample rug..
Pile: 2 wool singles.
Ends: not original in sample.
Selvages: reinforced selvage 2 warp units reinforced with extra maroon selvage yarn.
Handle: Leather hard handle.
Further Notes: Areas of corrosion, black and celadon green. Areas if apple green showing no corrosion.
This is about 3/4 of an inch across magnified.
Farahan Sarouk, Persia. Circa 1900 – 1910.
Size:
Structure: Asymmetrical knot open right. 11 knots per horizontal inch and 18 knots per vertical inch. 198 per square inch (3069 per square decimeter) Medium depressed
Yarn Spin: Z.
Warp: 8 ply cotton.
Weft: 2 shots 8 – 12 ply white cotton. One shot rigid and one sinuous.
Pile: 2 wool singles.
Ends: not original in sample.
Selvages: attached interlaced selvage 1 warp unit wrapped with extra maroon selvage yarn.
Handle: Supple handle.
Further Notes: Areas of corrosion, brown. Areas if apple green showing no corrosion.
Examples:
Feraghan Rug C. 1875
Description A FEREGHAN RUG,
Central Persia, Circa 1875,
The ivory field with floral blossoms, stylized vines and flanking birds overall within an ivory palmette border
Approximately 6ft. 3in. x 4ft. (190cm. x 122cm.)
Sarouk Feraghan Carpet late 19th century
Description: SAROUK FERAGHAN
Origin: West Persia, Arak region, late 19th c.
Size: 351 x 270 cm
Notes on Condition
Low pile with larger re-knotted areas, sides overcast. Fringes at both ends not original.
Sarouk Feraghan Carpet Late 19th century
Sarouk Fereghan Carpet
North Persia, Late nineteenth century.
Overcast sides, fraying ends, approximately 10 ft. 5 in. by 7 ft. (3.17 by 2.13 m.)
Sarouk Feraghan Rug circa 1900
A SAROUK FEREGHAN RUG,
West Persia, Circa 1900,
Having a tomato red arrowhead medallion on the indigo field within an indigo palmette border
Approximately 6ft. 11in. x 4ft. 5in. (211cm. x 135cm.)
Feraghan Carpet
Feraghan Persian Carpet
A Feraghan Carpet, North Persia,
MEASUREMENTS
Approximately 14ft. 3in. by 9ft. 9in. (4.34 by 2.97m.)
DESCRIPTION
Circa 1890 oxidized charcoals, overcast sides, tinting, reduced in size,
Feraghan Sarouk Carpet
MARLA MALLETT: TEXTILES
Feraghan Sarouk Carpet
Persia. Late 19th/early 20th century. Knotted pile. 42″ x 58″
Wool on cotton foundation.
This small carpet, with its tight weave and high knot count, is in very good condition. Abrash in the colors, from dye batch changes, enriches the palette. As this is not a ‘tribal’ rug or kilim, it’s a bit out of place in this group.
Note the light pinkish red in the center of the medallion. It is doughy red which I understand was madder with yogurt added to soften the color.
Fine Antique Silk Feraghan Rug C. 1910
A fine antique silk Feraghan rug, West Persia
The ivory field with angular floral vine around large shaded light beige medallion with bold palmette pendants containing angular floral and leafy vine enclosing open palmette centerpiece, shaded sea-blue floral spandrels, in shaded black currant-red border of polychrome palmettes and meandering floral vine between ice-blue floral meander and reciprocal stripes, very slight localized loss of guard stripe in one corner, slight localized wear
208cm. x 130cm. (6ft.10in. x 4ft.3in.)
Antique Sarouk Feraghan Rug
Title An antique Sarouk-Feraghan rug
The shaded indigo field with delicate flora meander around large dusty-pink pole medallion containing similar design enclosing light blue radiating floral centerpiece, dusty-pink and green spandrels similar, in an indigo border of angular palmette vine between linked lozenge and barber-pole stripes, very slightly corroded black on edges otherwise good condition
Sarouk Feraghan Carpet Circa 1900
A SAROUK FEREGHAN CARPET, NORTH PERSIA,
MEASUREMENTS
Approximately 20ft. 1in. by 13ft. 7in. (6.12 by 4.14m.)
DESCRIPTION
Circa 1900 oxidized greens, false fringes, foldwear
Pair of Sarough-Feraghan Rugs C. 1910
A pair of Sarough-Feraghan rugs,
West Persia, circa 1910, each 208 by 143 cm., 6 ft. 10 in. by 4 ft. 8 in. (2)
DESCRIPTION
A pair of Sarough-Feraghan rugs, West Persia, circa 1910, each 208 by 143 cm., 6 ft. 10 in. by 4 ft. 8 in. (2)
Farahan Sarough Rug
Origin: North West Persia
Date: Last Quarter 19th Century
Dimensions: 86cm x 58cm
Notes: This is part of the broader group of Arak Rugs. Up until W.W.II these carpets represented the best of the Sarouk production. They were attributed to the village of Feraghan but were likely made in a number of villages in the Province of Arak, Iran (old name Persia).
Fereghan-Sarouk Prayer Rug, West Persia, late 19th century
Fereghan-Sarouk Prayer Rug, West Persia, late 19th century, (slight even wear to center, minor rewoven end areas), 7 ft. 2 in. x 4 ft.
Antique Farahan Carpet, circa 1900
Size: 19 ft. 8 in. by 16 ft.
Description: The rug features a blue-black herati field with pale yellow and green bird-filled spandrels. It has a pistachio turtle palmette border with oxidized browns and greens, minor partial ends, and fabric strip sewn to reverse.
This is part of the broader group of Arak Rugs. Up until W.W.II these carpets represented the best of the Sarouk production. They were attributed to the village of Feraghan but were likely made in a number of villages in the Province of Arak, Iran (old name Persia).
Antique Farahan Horse Cover, circa 1870
Origin: West Persia
Size: 4 ft. 1 in. x 3 ft. 11 in.
Small Feraghan Carpet, circa 1920
Origin: Northwest Persia
Size: 9 ft. 6 in. x 4 ft. 9 in.
Description: Slight even wear overall; outer guards missing on top end.
Feraghan Carpet last quarter 19th century
North Persia last quarter 19th century
minor foldwear, approximately 14 ft. 7 in. by10 ft. 4 in. (4.44 by 3.15m.)