Vintage 4x6 Persian Isfahan Rug | Signed Sarraf Mamoury | Kurk Wool on Silk | 645 KPSI | Circa 1950s

This is a genuinely rare find: a vintage hand-knotted Persian Isfahan rug signed by the Sarraf Mamoury workshop, one of the most respected master weaver families of Isfahan. Woven in the 1950s on a pure silk foundation using fine kurk lambswool, the piece measures 3'7" x 5'10" and was knotted at approximately 645 KPSI. 

Design and Motifs

The composition is a classical Isfahan medallion-and-corner layout built around a single radiant star medallion at the center. The medallion itself is drawn as concentric rings of rosettes surrounding an eight-point star, with short floral rays extending outward like sunbeams, an old Safavid-era motif symbolizing paradise and divine light. Framing the medallion are four lavender corner spandrels filled with lotus palmettes and curled leaves, a device known in Persian design as lachak-toranj that anchors the field and echoes the architecture of domed Persian ceilings. Between the medallion and the corners the ivory field is populated with slender flowering vases rising from the center axis, pendant palmettes, cloud-like leaves, and a continuous arabesque vine system (the islimi scroll) carrying rosettes and tiny polychrome blossoms. Every motif here draws from the paradise-garden tradition of Persian design, where the rug is meant to read as an eternal garden seen from above. The main border repeats a rhythm of large floral rosettes set in cartouches on a pale gold ground, enclosed by narrow floral guard stripes on either side, drawing the eye back inward to the medallion.

Colors and Placement

The palette is notably soft and refined, which is a hallmark of the finest Isfahan workshops. The field is woven in a clean ivory that gives the entire rug its light, formal character. The central medallion is built from soft pink and coral at its innermost rosette, outlined in navy and sky blue, with pale green accents in the radiating floral rays. The four corner spandrels are picked out in a distinctive soft lavender with ochre and olive-gold sub-motifs, a color combination that is signature to Isfahan master workshops. Throughout the field, the arabesque vines are drawn in sage green and navy, carrying small rosettes in burgundy, copper, sky blue, and pale pink, with occasional touches of bright light green that give the flowers life. The main border sits on a pale gold-cream ground with floral rosettes in navy, sky blue, coral, and burgundy. The outer guard stripes are sage green with tiny floral scrolls. Overall the rug reads as ivory and soft blue at first glance, with lavender, gold, and coral emerging as you look closer, making it exceptionally easy to place in both traditional and transitional interiors.

Isfahan Rugs and Construction

Isfahan is widely considered the pinnacle of Persian city weaving, and the Sarraf Mamoury workshop belongs to a small group of ateliers whose signed work is actively collected worldwide. This rug is hand-knotted in kurk lambswool pile on a pure silk foundation at roughly 645 KPSI, measured at 10 by 10 knots per square centimeter on the back. Kurk refers to the softest wool taken from the neck and underbelly of young lambs, prized for its fine fiber and the way it takes dye; combined with silk warps and wefts, it produces the clarity of drawing and the cool, slightly lustrous surface that Isfahan rugs are known for. The short 0.3 inch pile is deliberate, allowing the fine cartoon to read sharply without any softness or blur. The signature cartouche on the end border reads SARAF MAMOURY ISFAHAN, confirming the piece as the work of the Sarraf Mamoury atelier. For broader context on the weaving tradition, design vocabulary, and what to look for when buying a fine Isfahan piece, read our complete guide to Isfahan rugs.