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Lot Essay
Sarouk carpets became renowned in the 1930s for their overall floral designs, slightly coarsely woven, on red fields. They were the poor man's "Manchester" Kashan" (see lot 54), achieving a very similar result for a fraction of the price. They sold in huge quantities, particularly in Germany, Northern Europe and America. Because of their success in these markets they are now known as "American" Sarouks. .
The present carpet is probably one of the earliest Sarouk carpets where one can see the incipient new design, but still retaining the character and in particular the colouring of the earlier Sarouk carpets, which look nothing like the "American" Sarouks. The red colour is the bright tomato rather than the burgundy that was used later, and there are considerable touches of green, a colour that is almost completely absent from the later carpets. One can see why these became very popular; it is a pity that, as so often, the qualities of the original were forgotten in the mass-production of the later examples.
The present carpet is probably one of the earliest Sarouk carpets where one can see the incipient new design, but still retaining the character and in particular the colouring of the earlier Sarouk carpets, which look nothing like the "American" Sarouks. The red colour is the bright tomato rather than the burgundy that was used later, and there are considerable touches of green, a colour that is almost completely absent from the later carpets. One can see why these became very popular; it is a pity that, as so often, the qualities of the original were forgotten in the mass-production of the later examples.