Oversize 10'5 x 15 Persian Sarough Rug, Navy Field with Dense Floral Lattice and Salmon Boteh, 220 to 240 KPSI Hand-Knotted

An oversize Persian Sarough from the 1980s in mint condition. A deep navy field carries an exceptionally dense small-scale floral lattice, layered with larger salmon and ivory boteh figures, anchored by a small ivory diamond medallion at the center. The drawing is fine, the wool foundation gives the rug substantial body, and at roughly 40 years old this piece has never been on a floor. For more on this storied weaving tradition, see our complete guide to Persian Sarough rugs.

Design and Motifs

The field is the centerpiece and it does something most Persian rugs do not. The deep navy ground is filled with an extraordinarily dense small-scale lattice of tiny diamond cells, each cell holding a small geometric floret in ivory, red, salmon, and gold, with the cells separated by fine ivory and gold tracery that reads almost like the metal setting of a jeweler holding each tiny stone in place. From a distance the field shimmers as a single saturated texture, and only when you step closer does the repeat resolve into its individual cells and florets. Layered on top of that dense base, scattered across the entire field, are larger boteh figures in salmon pink and ivory, each one drawn with the classic curved teardrop silhouette and filled with its own internal florets. The boteh sit above the lattice rather than being part of it, giving the field two distinct layers of pattern depth. At the geometric center sits a small ivory-outlined diamond medallion with stepped cartouche edges, a red inner core, and a tiny floral roundel, with slim ivory pendants extending vertically above and below it. The medallion is intentionally restrained, ceding the visual weight to the field itself. The main border carries the same dense small-scale drawing on a navy ground, threaded with ivory vinework, with a secondary red border of large palmettes and turtle motifs and multiple ivory guard bands carrying rosette and X-chain repeats.

Colors and Placement

The dominant tone is a saturated deep navy, punctuated by warm red in the boteh and secondary border, ivory and gold in the lattice tracery and guard bands, and soft salmon pink running through the boteh and accent florets. The palette is classical and the contrast is deep, which lets the dense field pattern read clearly without becoming visually loud. At 10'5 by 15 this is a true oversize piece, what the trade calls palace size, comfortable under a 10 to 12 seat dining table with chairs pulled back, anchoring a full living or great room with every piece of furniture on the rug, filling a large primary bedroom with room to walk all around the bed, or running end-to-end in a long library, gallery, or great hall. The navy and salmon palette reads particularly well against ivory and cream walls, warm wood floors, dark wood furniture, brass and antique gold accents, and works in formal traditional, English country, and transitional interiors. The thickness of approximately 5/16 to 3/8 inch (8 to 9mm) gives the rug substantial body underfoot and excellent acoustic dampening in larger rooms.

Origin and Construction

Sarough, in the Markazi province of central Iran near the town of Arak, is one of the great Persian weaving traditions, with a workshop output prized for fine knotting, deep saturated palettes, and floral drawing that ranges from classical medallion compositions to dense allover fields like this piece. This rug is fully hand-knotted at approximately 220 to 240 KPSI, with a 100% cotton pile on a 100% wool foundation, an unusual construction choice that gives the surface a distinctive soft sheen and the body a different drape than the more common wool-on-cotton Persian build. The rug was woven in the 1980s, roughly 40 years ago, and has been kept in storage unused since, which is why the pile sits full and the color reads as fresh as new production. Oversize Sarough pieces at this knot density in mint never-used condition are a meaningful find. For more on the Persian weaving tradition that produced this piece, see our world of Persian rugs guide.