The enduring appeal of Serapis extends well beyond traditional design circles. In the image above, a Serapi rug graces the office floor on the set of the hit CBS drama The Good Wife.
Serapi: The Timeless Rug
What is a Serapi rug?
The Serapi (suh-RAH-pee) is a hand-knotted wool rug produced in northwest Iran until approximately 1920. In my 50 years in the rug business, I’ve watched these pieces consistently command extraordinary prices. While rug design popularity typically fluctuates like fashion trends, Serapis remain timelessly appealing—as evidenced by their feature in House Beautiful magazine in 1984.
Serapis are considered among the most valuable decorative rugs ever made.
What makes Serapis so desirable is their remarkably simple design and limited color palette, allowing them to harmonize with almost any interior design scheme. However, their consistent demand and resulting high values have created confusion over what is a true Serapi.
What is the difference between a Serapi and a Heriz Rug?
Even designers and rug dealers struggle to distinguish between Serapis and a Heriz (HAIR-iz) rug. This uncertainty can create awkward situations when clients later discover they own a Heriz rather than the more prestigious Serapi they believed they purchased. At Fine Rugs of Charleston, we have encountered this exact situation with multiple clients.
The roots of this confusion trace back to the 1930s when Persian rug buyers coined the term “Serapi” to describe a particular type of discontinued Heriz rug. The name derives from the village of Serab (meaning “of Serab”), though ironically, Serab’s weavers only produced long, narrow rugs—not the room-sized carpets we see in the market today.
The Serapi design is believed to be a simplified village interpretation of the intricate medallion rugs made in nearby Tabriz. The finest specimens were produced between the 1880s and 1920s, with 1900 marking the peak of Serapi production. After this period, weavers introduced technical changes that gave rise to today’s Heriz rugs. While the patterns may appear nearly identical, the weaving techniques differ significantly. During a 20-year overlap, both styles were produced, creating the identification challenges we face a century later.
Fortunately, distinguishing between the two types doesn’t require expert knowledge—the secret lies in examining the rug’s reverse side. On a Serapi, the warps and knot rows are firmly pressed down, creating a smooth surface where warp threads are barely visible. In contrast, Heriz rugs feature offset knots that aren’t pressed down, making the warp threads notably visible. A simple touch test reveals the difference: a bumpy texture indicates a Heriz, while a smooth feel indicates a Serapi.
Though this distinction is straightforward, given that a 9×12 Serapi can command prices exceeding $40,000, I strongly recommend obtaining independent authentication before making such an investment.
These are my observations, but I welcome your thoughts and experiences. Please share your perspective in the comments below. – Rob
