The Gallery

THE GALLERY

The SAMANI Gallery, which was founded in Lyon in 1932, today is located in the Lyon antique dealers district, 7 rue Auguste Comte.

Given the diversity of the origins, the sizes, and the times of the displayed pieces the amateur can appreciate a very wide variety of origins and a wide range of makings still being done in accordance with traditional weaving

The row of rooms with crisscrossing stone arches and vaults is an invitation to travel through the centuries.
Tapestries manufactured in Aubusson and Brussels among others, lie side by side with a marvelous collection of old and more recent oriental carpets together with a new line of contemporary “Rôchane®” carpets.

“SAMANI, a timeless imprint”

THE ART CARPET

From the tradition

Passion and research for authenticity make the art carpet obey laws of emotion which is the opposite of the consumer carpet. As a vector of a culture by its identity in the same way as poetry, it is a music of the eyes which plays with our senses.

To contemporary “Rôchane®”


The “Rôchane Line” stamp given to a work of art whatever the country in which it is made means respecting the main basic criteria of the qualities which characterize the art carpet, that is,

  • taking into account the age-old tradition of the knotting and calibration of materials,
  • using high quality materials and dyes.

“From the tradition to the best that we can do now”

TAPESTRY

An exceptional art whose technique was inspired from the East (that of the Kilims: the simple crossing of weft with chain), tapestry produced exceptional works.


Their inspiration down the centuries came from either mythology or very great painters, and they were woven by manufacturers such as Gobelins and Aubusson, and in various renowned workshops like Raphael in Paris, Guillaume Vernier in Lille, Van den Hecke, the Leyniers, the Reydams in Flanders, Tapestry remains:

“A marvelous painting of wool and silk !”

THE WORKSHOP

Some advices:
  • cleaning up, which is essential every 3 or 4 years according to use,
  • general checking (fringes, edges) during the cleaning which makes it possible to anticipate and sometimes avoid heavy future restorations,
  • restoration when it is needed (fringe, edge replacement, fault weaving correction).

“To combat the ravages of time enables this heritage to be kept in good condition, and preserved its value”

EXPERTISE


For the amateur and the collector:
  • determining its age and its authenticity,
  • assessing its condition and estimating its value,
  • Is the piece exceptional ?…
  • prevent many objections in disputes whatever they are (insurance companies, successions etc)

“Makes carpet heritage management possible”

Expert for the Court of Appeals
Expert Appraiser’s Office:

R.S SAMANI

Expert at the Court of Appeal in Lyon, Assessor of the Commission of Conciliation and Customs Expertise, Expert, member of N C S E (National Chamber of Specialised Experts) is a professional who is recognized in the world of art carpet and old tapestries.

He masters all the fields related to art carpets, that is, trade, history, teaching, restoration.

With 40 years of workshop experience, he has already restored among others the works at the Stepanakert museum (Karabagh Republic).

He has been a professional in charge of the Art Carpet teaching for 17 years at Jean Moulin University Lyon III and is the author of “Recognizing Carpets” published by Massin, as a charismatic teaching specialist through his conferences he is engaged in sharing and passing on his passion and his knowledge to well-informed and non-informed audiences with the same enthusiasm.

He sets up study and research visits, especially to Armenia, Iran and Karabagh.

See the carpet blog

“A passionate, a specialist, a restorer, a collector…”

CONTACT

Samani Gallery

3, rue Auguste Comte69002 LYON
– Tél : 33 (0)478 376 334
– Fax : 33 (0)478 422 254
– Mail: box@galerie-samani.com