While they generally feature antique elements, transitional rugs exude a distinctly modern fair. Characterized by an open and non-period-specific look, they coordinate equally well with traditional or contemporary decor.
Contemporary designs often feature naturalistic and abstract patterns. The best quality rugs are hand knotted wool & silk, stands the test of time and high traffic areas.
Probably first produced in the Middles Ages, abriz rugs exemplify Persia's city-weave tradition and their designs still are the genesis for patterns reproduced today. Situated in northwest Iran on an ancient trade route to the Black Sea and Caucasus, the city of Tabriz was Persia's first capital under the Sefavid dynasty (1502-1736) when court weaving flourished along with calligraphy, miniature painting, and tilework. Together with Kashan, Kirman, and Isfahan, Tabriz became one of Persia's most reputed weaving centers. The rug export boomed to the West originated in Tabriz in the 1850's where foreign-owned establishments were built. Among the first special-order carpets tailored to European and U.S. demand, nineteenth-century Tabrizes were often comissioned in the large sizes in an impressive variety of...
Sought after for their classic allure that defies fashion trends, Herizes were woven in northwestern Persian villages beginning in the early nineteenth century. The Heriz weaving district was stimulated by nearby Tabrizi merchants who marketed these rugs to Europe and the United States, where they became popular in the latter half of the nineteenth century. Destined for Western buyers solely as decorative floor coverings, the coarsely woven Herizes are most often produced in room-sized dimensions. Herizes dated from before 1910 are often coined "Serapi", a term alluding to the finest and oldest weave but often used to stimulate sales of newer rugs. This term does not designate provenance; in fact, the term Serapi is also indicative of a design scheme characterized by...
