Antique Persian Sarouk Rug Size: 2'6" × 5' Date: 1880s Material: Wool on Cotton Sarouk is a village in the Arak district of west-central Iran, and rugs from this area in the late 19th century represent the tradition at its most individual — before the standardized floral medallion format that defined commercial Sarouk production in the early 20th century took over. This small piece has a deep burgundy-red field with an open, symmetrical floral composition built around a central vertical axis — flowering vines, botanical sprays, and individual blossoms rising from the bottom and cascading from the top, meeting at a small geometric medallion at the centre. The layout is airy and uncluttered by the standards of the region, with generous field colour showing between the motifs. The drawing is naturalistic and fluid, with the slightly loose, hand-worked quality that distinguishes village production from more rigidly formal workshop output. The dark navy border carries a continuous floral and leaf repeat in terracotta, gold, and sky blue, detailed enough to complement the field without competing with it. The palette — deep burgundy, navy, camel, sky blue, and sage green — has aged warmly and evenly. A well-proportioned small piece in an honest antique format that works well as an accent or accent layered over a larger rug.