Authenticity

Every carpet offered by zarif is sourced individually — from the trade, from families, from private collections — and examined in the hand before it is described. Structure, wool, dye, condition and age are judged physically, knot by knot where necessary, not from photographs.

We decline far more pieces than we accept. A carpet enters the collection only when we are satisfied that it is what it appears to be, and that we can describe it exactly.

Each piece is described in good faith on the basis of that examination: origin, approximate date, materials, construction, condition and provenance as far as it is known. Dating hand-woven carpets is a matter of informed judgement — where we say 'circa', we mean precisely that — and where something cannot be established with confidence, we say so rather than embellish.

If a carpet we have sold is ever shown to be materially other than we described it, we will make it right.

Where provenance, prior ownership history or supporting documentation exists, it is researched, recorded and provided with the carpet. Many pieces travel with a written condition note; significant pieces travel with a fuller dossier.

Not every carpet arrives with a paper trail — village and tribal weaving rarely does — and we do not manufacture one. What we provide is what exists, stated plainly, together with our own examination record.

Provenance questions do not expire at delivery. If anything about a piece from us ever gives you pause — years later included — write to us. Continuity of knowledge is part of what a house like this is for.