Australia

Acquired from a Swedish collector Ferahan Sarouk carpets produced around the wider Arak (city) area from about 1850-1900 earned a deserved reputation as amongst the most desirable and imaginative finely woven carpets in Persia. As these things go, they morphed in style around 1910- 1920 into the differently woven Mahajirhan Sarouk fashion (quality examples of which are also in demand) and then disappeared entirely. Their desirability rests not only on fine weaving, and excellent wool. Many of the better examples were commissioned by aristocrats or wealthy merchants who encouraged new approaches and creativity, one source of their excellence. Beyond this lay a more fundamental and seemingly contradictory set of motivations by the weavers. At one and the same time they sought to emulate the great court carpets in finesse and design, and yet-- they applied rustic or village, and even tribal elements and nuances to their designs. The result was a cavalcade of creativity. So, a village-based genre came into being which produced primarily an approx. 6x4 rug size format, and also provided, if more rarely, larger formats, which command increasingly high prices, due to their rarity, visual excitement and grandeur. The artistic achievement of this “school” had to do with marrying elegance and a degree of formalism with whimsy, and design innovation. They offer a charm and a certain magic beyond that of court and most city carpets. As in any area or era, there is a quality spectrum ranging from mediocre to highly superior. Superiority is judged of course as to weave and wool quality. It is rather unusual, though, to encounter pieces made before 1890 -which are bona fide Ferahan Sarouks- with poor wool or weaving: standards were upheld during this period, and natural dyes employed universally. Thus, as an investment collectible to adorn the home we believe the ultimate criterion is aesthetics, this being an art form, after all. Ferahan Sarouks have been a special area of interest for us over the decades both from artistic and investment perspectives. Allowing for personal taste, our suggestions are few and simple. A Ferahan Sarouk ought to display a wide colour palette, fine and creative drawing and delicate, sometimes “intense “detail. The finest pieces also display balance in the use of space. We have seen many finely woven pieces which in our view are garish and lack one of the two key artistic elements intrinsic to the better examples of this genre – elegance. Sometimes they are overly cluttered; the drawing artistry is muddled or lost. In other cases odd and ineffective design devices are used, detracting from or interfering with an otherwise good design. The era of the Ferahan Sarouk was rife with experiment, not all of them successful. The other important attribute, when it can be found, is original artistic creativity, even serendipity, -- or effective design innovation within the compass of this rug type and the unique standards of its prime period. On average, we examine between 20-30 antique Ferahan Sarouks...

Rare Afshar Bidjar 1880 BIDJAR (AFSHAR BIDJAR RARE VARIANT) 1880 or earlier 6 x 4 feet Acquired from an Australian collector Bidjar carpets are known as the iron carpet...

This rather glorious sterling silver tazza or footed comport was likely made by John R. Wendt in the 1870s. The figural piece features a stepped circula...

From an Australian Collector Ferahan Sarouk carpets produced around the wider Arak (formerly Sultanabad) area from about 1850-1910 earned a deserved re...

ARISTOCRATIC Ferahan Sarouk 1890 Measures: 6 ft 8 inches x 4 foot 4 inches Ladies, if you seek a gift for your much loved man, to make him feel like...

Masdevallia Shuttleworthii and M.Xanthocorys -- Original colour-printed lithograph by Joseph Mansell after the watercolour by landscape painter and botanical artist, Henry George Moo...

From early in the red anchor period, a fluted tea bowl and saucer, exquisitely painted with flowers and insects.

Masdevallia Backhousiana -- Original colour-printed lithograph by Joseph Mansell after the watercolour by landscape painter and botanical artist, Henry George Moon (1857-1905) for Re...

Naga Nuthatch - John Gould lithograph with hand-coloured size 54 cm X 37 cm excellent Condition FREE SHIPPING Accompanied by the information page from 'The Birds of Asia...

Cypripedium Cenanthum Superbum -- Original colour-printed lithograph by Joseph Mansell after the watercolour by landscape painter and botanical artist, Henry George Moon (1857-1905) ...

Himalayan Nuthatch - John Gould lithograph with hand-coloured size 54 cm X 37 cm excellent Condition FREE SHIPPING Accompanied by the information page from 'The Birds of Asia...

Angraecum sesquipedale, also known as Darwin's orchid, Christmas orchid, Star of Bethlehem orchid, and king of the Angraecum. Original colour-printed lithograph by Joseph Mansell af...

Philippine-Islands Thickhead - John Gould lithograph with hand-coloured size 54 cm X 37 cm excellent Condition FREE SHIPPING Accompanied by the information page from 'The Birds of A...

Laelia Harpophylla is native to Brazil and grows in humid semi-shady areas in intermediate to warm temperatures. Original colour-printed lithograph by Joseph Mansell after the water...

MacGregor's Niltava - John Gould lithograph with hand-coloured size 54 cm X 37 cm excellent Condition FREE SHIPPING Accompanied by the information page from 'The Birds of Asia...

Qashgai circa 1870-80 Qashgai, UNUSUALLY FINE ANTIQUE TRIBAL PIECE circa 1870 - 1880 3 x 5 ft Acquired from a French dealer The Qashgai Federation...

Materials: Oil and paper cut outs on canvas.