Antique Heriz Silk Persian Rug. Extremely tight weave, with a glorious floral medallion and sharp reds in the borders. A small cartouche adorns each end right against the fringe with Islamic characters in it that are difficult to interpret but are likely a signature. Signed rugs are extremely rare, and usually come from master weavers who have established themselves within a particular region or market, making them much more desirable. 

Condition: Overall fine. Clear signs of wear and use. Commensurate with age. 

Size: 30 x 50 in. 

Heriz rugs are Persian rugs from the area of Heris in northwest Iran, northeast of Tabriz. They are primarily produced in the village of the same name in the slopes of Mount Sabalan. Heriz carpets are durable, hard-wearing, and can last for generations. Part of the reason for the toughness of Heriz carpets is that Mount Sabalan sits on a major deposit of copper, and traces of copper in the drinking water of the sheep in the area produce high quality wool that is far more resilient than wool from other nearby regions. Heriz carpets often follow a similar pattern to the Mashad and Bidjar style, but they also can be unique in that some of the older families of weavers incorporate stories and figural representations of Islamic themes into their work, an extremely rare example in the Near and Middle East. Similar rugs from the neighboring towns and villages of the Heriz region are Afshar, Mehraban, Sarab, Bakhshaish, Zarnaq and Gorevan. The grades of these rugs are primarily based on village name. Serapis, for example, have been considered the finest grade of Heriz since the beginning of the 20th Century. An extremely small handful of ancient silk Heriz rugs are known to still exist, mainly in museums and royal private collections, and are generally considered priceless among scholars for their place in the history of the evolution of Persian rugs and the far-reaching effect of the Silk Road.

Overall fine. Clear signs of wear and use. Commensurate with age.