Antique Oriental Rugs

Styles for Oriental Rugs & Carpets

2011-11-21T11:43:00.002-05:00

The Wide Array of Styles for Oriental Rugs & Carpets

Published by contact@nazmiyal.com at 12:42 am under Educational Articles About Rugs

Oriental Rugs

How diverse is the world of Oriental rugs? Well there are literally hundreds of different styles, each with their own characteristic. The world of Oriental rugs is much larger than most assume. If you consider that people have been weaving rugs as far back as the ancient Egyptians, then you can start to comprehend how diverse the styles have evolved over the last three thousand or so years. Also, note that evidence of ancient rug weaving has been found on every major continent.

Although this array of styles has many similarities, let’s take a look at a few things that make them unique from each other. If we simply examine the wide variety of styles that have been created from two of the major rug producing regions, Persian and India, then I am sure you will get a feel of the diversity.

Oriental Rugs

The commonly accepted center of the rug universe is Persia, or modern-day Iran. Their styles represent the best features of almost every possible characteristic. From excellent construction to intricately beautiful designs. Dozens of styles have been born in this region. A few of the most notable are: Tabriz, Kerman, Sultanabad, Kashan, Kurdish, Lori, Bidjar, Baluch, Esfahan, Gabbeh, Hamedan, Bakshaish, Khorassan, Shahsavan, Afshar, Mahal, Senneh, Quashki, Farahan and Malayer to name a few.
Antique hand-made rugs from India are most notably known for their vibrant colors. The Indians produced some of the best natural color dyes from the wide selection of flora that was available to them. Many rug styles from India can also be recognized by the frequent use of animals and outdoor scenes. Some of the styles that emerged from here are called: Agra, Ottoman Embroidery, Millefleurs, Mughal, Indian Shall and Amritsar.
A s we can see, the rug styles that Persia has produced alone can fill a book. From symmetrical designs to abstract, vivid to subdued, geometric to floral, pictoral to decorative these rugs are truly an art form produced by skilled artisans. Some of the many styles I have seen are: Alcaraz , Art Nouveau , Art Deco , Vintage Rugs , Aubusson , Axminster , Azerbaijan, Bakshaish , Bessarabian , Bezalel , C hinese , Heriz , Serapi , Kh otan , Mongolian , Moroccan , Oushak , Peking , Polonaise , Sarouk , Savonnerie , Senneh , Serapi , Caucasian Rugs , Sivas , Spanish , Sultanabad , Tabriz , Tibetan And Turkish Rugs .

Special news on the NYC Rug Tour Oct 15th

2011-10-02T22:28:00.003-04:00

Jason Nazmiyal New York City's leading Antique Carpet dealer will be putting on a special presentation of Antique Oriental Rugs. The presentation will include the best of Antique Tabriz Rugs - Antique Oushak Rugs - Antique Sultanabad Rugs and Antique Khotan Rugs.

rugs at 1stdibs

2011-04-17T10:46:00.000-04:00

Nazmiyal website

New York City, NY

Antique Persian Sultanabad Persian Carpet

Mid Century Moroccan Rug

$7,200

Antique Khotan Rug

$4,800

Antique Khotan Carpet

$27,500

Antique Khotan Carpet

$68,000

Antique Khotan Rug

$6,800

Antique Bakshaish Carpet

$24,000

Antique Agra Carpet

$28,000

Art Deco Carpet

$19,500

Vintage Moroccan Rug

$2,800

Mid Century Moroccan Rug

$4,200

Antique Tabriz Carpet

$28,000

Antique Oushak

$28,000

Antique Tuduc Turkish Rug

$26,000

Mid 19th Century Mongolian Rug

$32,000

Mid Century Moroccan Rug

$5,800

Mid Century Moroccan Rug

$2,600

Mid Century Moroccan Rug

$3,200

Antique Sultanabad Persian Rug

$95,000

Antique Khotan Carpet from East Turkestan

$12,500

Antique Khorassan Rug

$18,500

Antique Khotan Rug

$26,000

Antique Tabriz Rug

$21,000

Antique Mongolian Rug

Angora Oushak Rug

Antique Oriental Persian Mohtasham Kashan Rug / Carpet

$72,000

Antique Bakshaish Carpet

$18,000

Vintage mid Century Moroccan Rug

$7,200

Mid Century Moroccan Rug

$5,400

Mid Century Moroccan Rug

$4,600

Antique Khotan Rug

$24,000

Mid Century Moroccan Rug

$7,900

Antique Oushak Rug

$16,000

Antique Oushak Carpet

$125,000

Vintage Mid-Century Moroccan Rug

$4,900

Mid Century Moroccan

$4,600

2011-04-17T10:41:00.000-04:00

Antique Silk Kashan Persian Rug 45030

Style:	Kashan
Origin:	Persia
Size:	3. ft 07 in x 5. ft 02 in (1.09 m x 1.57 m)

Click for High Resolution Image of Antique Silk Kashan Persian Rug 45030

Antique Kashan, Persia, 1910s - Epitomizing the refined styles of Persia’s great city carpets, this outstanding silk rug from Kashan features a supreme level of detail and a symmetric curvilinear floral pattern woven with a tasteful old-world color palette. Refined floral sprays emerge from the central vase creating a delightful all-over pattern. Elegant burgundy borders feature formal cartouches set among a backdrop of complementary millefleur motifs. Exceptional guardbands decorated with a promenade of ogival cartouches provide a formal frame for the luminous camel-colored field and detailed millefleur background.

Nazmiyal Antique Rugs & Carpets Daily News

2011-04-17T10:30:00.002-04:00

Nazmiyal Antique Rugs & Carpets

31 East 32nd StreetFloor # 2 , Manhattan, NY, 10016

(212) 545-8029 - Venue Website

A New York antique rug dealer since 1980, Nazmiyal has a highly specialized and user-friendly website with an extensive inventory of antique pieces of every type, size, and style. An inventory of this range and quality is based on years of experience and effort in searching out the best pieces from sources all over the world.

Nazmiyal is also a natural magnet that constantly attracts those interested in selling rugs. Even within the bustling New York rug market with its international contacts, Nazmiyal provides a major focal point or nexus, all of which is at the disposal of Nazmiyal's clients, whether they are dealers, interior designers, or private retail customers. If you want an Oriental carpet, New York is the place to be, and within New York itself, the place to be is Nazmiyal.

Visit us online at:

http://nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/

Or experience our collection firsthand in the spacious and relaxed setting of our Manhattan gallery.

Tags:

Venue Type: Gallery / Studio

Neighborhood: Midtown South Central

Hours: M-T 9:00am - 6:00pm F - 9:00am - 5:00pm S - 11:00am - 5:00pm Syndays and after hours by appointment

Accessible to persons with disabilities.

Creator: Omri

:http://events.nydailynews.com/manhattan-ny/venues/show/5046825-nazmiyal-antique-rugs-carpets#ixzz1Jn4mKHta

Angie's Advice: Cleaning prized Oriental rug a specialized process for a pro

2011-02-19T23:40:00.001-05:00

Billi Andrews spent several years searching for just the right company to clean the Oriental rug she "fell in love with" when she bought it in Miami Beach, Fla., more than 30 years ago.
"It's gorgeous," said Andrews, who lives in Mooresville. "It hadn't been cleaned in so many years."
Valuable handmade rugs should be cleaned only as needed, and it's best to have a professional do the job.
"A rug can cost several hundred dollars or tens of thousands of dollars," said Jeff Hendricks, owner of Smith-Mathis, a cleaning services company in Fishers. "Even a rug that's only a few hundred dollars, you don't want to replace it. You want to get good use out of it. It's something you don't want to clean improperly and ruin the value."
Typically made of wool, silk, rayon, cotton or a blend of non-synthetic fibers, Oriental rugs vary widely in the materials and dyes used to make them, so they respond differently to various cleaning methods. Never entrust a high-end rug to just anyone for cleaning. A professional should test the rug to ensure the proper method is used in its cleaning.
"The rugs we get in here are from all over the world," said Scott Simmons, general manager of Heirloom Oriental Rug Cleaning in Indianapolis. "A lot of the rugs we clean are quite old. So significant care has to be taken with how you clean them."
Simmons recalled a situation in which one customer attempted to shampoo an Oriental rug on his own. The colors from the maroon rug faded onto the homeowner's off-white carpet.
"He didn't have the knowledge to clean it to keep that from happening," Simmons said. "We incorporate the right type of chemistry to prevent color run and bleeding."
A professional cleaning can cost between $200 and $600, depending on the type of rug and the work being done. Repairs also can be made to most rugs.
Hendricks offers recommendations for maintaining an Oriental rug, including vacuuming it frequently and rotating it regularly so it wears evenly.
"A rug that's in a high-traffic area needs to be cleaned a lot more than a rug in a room that just gets occasional use," Hendricks said. "A valuable rug probably should not be used close to the entry of the home, because a lot of chemicals -- especially salt or outdoor solvents -- can get on the rug. It's usually good to have a mat under the rug. That keeps it in place, so it doesn't move around a lot. It will last longer."
Simmons said he's tackled about every type of stain, from pet damage to a family's rug collection that was heavily soot-damaged from a fire.
"You can imagine the odor," Simmons said. "The rugs were almost completely black, but we were able to fully restore those."
Though Oriental rugs can range widely in value, it's often the personal attachment the owners have that matters most.
"A lot of the rugs that come in here have a story behind them," Simmons said.
"One customer told me her kids used to use the borders as a racecar track. No two rugs are exactly the same.
"The whole reason we call ourselves 'Heirloom' is because a lot of these rugs have sentimental value or have been passed on and it's important for the customer to know that whoever cleans them is going to take care of them."

Angie Hicks is a Fishers resident and founder of Angie's List, a national provider of ratings in more than 500 categories of service. www.angieslist.com.

Related topics: Oriental Rug Cleaning Austin

LINDA METTEL JOINS THE NAZMIYAL TEAM

2011-02-19T12:01:00.000-05:00

Published on 02-19-2011 04:39 PM

Mettel brings creative energy and a tasteful eye to the Nazmiyal showroom. She comes to us with more than 15 years experience in the antique rug world. Designers are drawn to her honest core, sophisticated style & innate ability to connect with their design needs . Antique rugs are my passion and a source of inspiration that make me smile. They are the foundation to any room which instantly create character, mystery and a bit of the unknown to any setting. I have a modern attitude and encourage my clients to blend antique rugs with contemporary pieces to create timeless moods and spaces. As in the case with wisdom and wine – rugs only get better with age.

By joining Nazmiyal, I see tremendous opportunity to introduce my clients to Jason’s vast collection of exceptional rugs at price points that are unmatched by other galleries. I have known the company since my entry into the rug world and I feel comfortable here. I am sure clients will appreciate the inviting atmosphere which is perfect for sitting back and getting inspired by the beauty of rugs.

Sixteenth century Persian carpets unique in design, colour, quality

2011-02-18T15:10:00.002-05:00

Story removed at Susan Hallett request. Please do not assume the worst about Susan.
Related topics: Oriental Rug Cleaning Austin

Iran carpet exports at $440mn

2011-02-17T09:17:00.000-05:00

Iran carpet exports at $440mn

Tue Feb 15, 2011 4:29PM

Share | Email | Print

Iran's exports volume of hand woven carpets has increased 14 percent in the last 10 months, compared with the same period last year, an official says.

"In the first 10 months of this [Iranian] year, Iran exported hand woven carpet worth USD 440 million to foreign countries," head of Iran's National Carpet Center Faisal Merdasi said on Tuesday.

He also predicted that the exports volume would reach USD 500 million until the end of the current Iranian calendar year on March 20.

"Regarding rising exports rate of carpets, it is expected that the volume reaches its highest rate in the past six years," Merdasi was quoted as saying by IRNA.

Merdasi, who is also the deputy commerce minister, said Iranian carpets are exported to 33 countries, adding that Germany, the US, the UAE, Japan, Italy, and Switzerland are the main importers.

"South Africa, China, Kazakhstan, and Brazil are regarded the new destinations of the Iranian carpets," he explained.

The official also praised trade in old hand woven carpets of Iran, saying many countries are interested in the carpets due to its high value and its design.

Carpet-weaving is one of the most distinguished manifestations of Persian culture and art, dating back to ancient Persia.

There is an estimated population of 1.2 million weavers in Iran who produce carpets for both domestic and international markets.

Prayer Rugs

2011-02-14T13:00:00.000-05:00

Nazmiyal Collection and Nazmiyal Blog

A prayer rug or prayer mat, (in Arabic, سجادة sajjāda or musallah, in Turkish: seccade or namazlık, in Persian: جانماز Jānamāz), is a piece of fabric to keep the worshipper clean and comfortable during the sujud (prostration to God) of salah (prayer). A Muslim must perform wudu (clean himself or herself) before prayer and pray in a clean place. Many new prayer mats are manufactured or made by weavers in a factory. The design of a prayer mat is based on the village it came from and its weaver. When praying, a niche at the top of the mat must be pointed to the Islamic center for prayer, Mecca. All Muslims are required to know what direction Mecca is from their home or where they are.

The prayer mat has a very strong symbolic meaning and traditionally taken care of in a holy manner. It is disrespectful for one to place a prayer mat in a dirty location or throw it around in a disrespectful manner. The prayer mat is traditionally quilted in a rectangle design, within the rectangle one usually finds images of Islamic symbols and architecture. Decorations not only are important but also have a deep sense of value in the design of the prayer rug.

Mosques are examples of the most common architecture used to decorate a prayer mat. Some of the most popular examples include the mosques in Mecca, Medina, and especially Jerusalem. A prayer mat is characterized by a Mosque’s niche, or Mihrab, an arch-shaped design at the front end of the carpet. The Mihrab is used as a directional point to direct the worshipper towards the direction of Mecca. Decorations not only play a role in imagery but serve the worshipper as aids to memory. Some of the examples include a comb and pitcher, which is a reminder for Muslims to wash their hands and for men to comb their hair before performing prayer. Another important use for decorations is to aid newly-converted Muslims by stitching decorative hands on the prayer mat where the hands should be placed when performing prayer.

Prayer rugs are usually made in the towns or villages of the communities who use them and are often named after the origins of those who deal and collect them. The exact pattern will vary greatly by original weavers and the different materials used. Some may have patterns, dyes and materials that are traditional/native to the region in which they were made. Prayer rugs’ patterns generally have a niche at the top, which is turned to face Mecca. During prayer the supplicant kneels at the base of the rug and places his or her hands at either side of the niche at the top of the rug, his or her forehead touching the niche. Typical prayer rug sizes are approximately 3 × 5 ft (0.91 × 1.5 m) – 4 × 6 ft (1.2 × 1.8 m), enough to kneel above the fringe on one end and bend down and place the head on the other.

Mosque

The rug was part of Sotheby’s sale of Arts of the Islamic World that totalled £7.9 million, well in excess of pre-sale expectations. Discussing the rug Edward Gibbs, Head of the Middle East & India Department at Sotheby’s said “The price of £2.7 million (it sold for $4.34 million U.S.) – many multiples of the top estimate – is a testament to the quality and rarity of this stunning piece which was the highlight of our Arts of the Islamic World sale today in London.

Khosrow Sobhe Persian carpet specialist

2011-02-14T10:35:00.000-05:00

Khosrow Sobhe

Persian carpet specialist

While two assistants flipped through a dazzling inventory of hand-made carpets at his Los Angeles shop, Dr. Khosrow Sobhe paused the display on one particular Varamin carpet.

"This is a hand-made reproduction," Sobhe said. "I found the original on an old man who was carrying it and asked if he would sell it to me. The man said 'no.' I said I will pay you whatever you want. The man said 'this carpet has been in my family for 150 years, and it's not for sale.' I said, I'll give you a blank check; fill it in with whatever amount you want right here in front of me; a million Tomans, two million, whatever. He said 'no.' Finally I asked if I could take a couple of pictures so that the rug could be reproduced. The old man was OK with that."

It took three weavers 6 months to reproduce the carpet (shown in photo above), to say nothing of the time and effort of getting the right materials and colors together.

Award winning Persian carpet specialist Dr. Khosrow Sobhe, known also as "Dr. K," is the editor in chief of Farsh Dastbaf Iran, the quarterly magazine of the Iranian Hand-made Carpet Producers and Exporters Association. In this Tehran Bazaar based magazine I looked for articles about the craft of carpet weaving. There was plenty of discussion about arts and crafts, but the quarterly is also a fascinating account of the economics of the carpet trade with in depth discussion of duties, taxes, inflation, government policies and such. The insights in these articles about the carpet trade carry over to other non-oil export production in Iran. Here's a translated excerpt from one of the editorials in the magazine:

"We [carpet industry] did all the work, together hand in hand, with no help from any government...we birthed ourselves. No aid, no support package, no academic courses, no research on our behalf. It was as though they did not see us or take us seriously. Why? Because they had oil and gas and mines. Only when they run into trouble with these God given blessings do they remember that we exist and that in corners, here and there, perhaps a million or so (!), are busy grazing animals, spinning, collecting dye plants and fruit skin, weaving, exporting, and bringing in foreign exchange revenue."

Dr. Sobhe keeps a blog on his Varamin carpet website where he writes about his daily experiences as a rug expert and merchant.

Apigian-Kessel: The Pazyryk Rug

2011-02-11T14:29:00.000-05:00

Apigian-Kessel: The Pazyryk Rug

By: Betty Apigian-Kessel

It was just the four of us experiencing another serene and pleasant late November afternoon sharing friendship, refreshments, and cordial conversation. Expansive glass windows offered views of a beautifully landscaped garden that made you feel at total peace with the world.

Our hosts were Sara and Edgar Hagopian in their lovely contemporary home nestled on a private, nature-filled property in Bloomfield Hills, where deer, fox, black squirrels, birds, and other gifts of nature have found a safe sanctuary, romping freely to the delight of owners and visitors alike. It’s their paradise. As on other occasions, a doe safely wanders into the yard adding to our pleasure.

Soon the man who built a dynasty in the Oriental and broadloom rug industry proved his mettle in a manner that a seasoned boy scout would envy. The logs Edgar Hagopian placed in the fireplace took on a roaring blaze filling the room with bright light and warmth.

Sara refilled our teacups as we sat around a beautiful antique Chinese coffee table telling us of their early years, she coming originally from New York and he from Detroit.

Soon she brought out a book titled The Pazyryk Rug Its Use and Origin, which came to fruition from a paper written by Ulrich Schurmann, read during the Symposium of the Armenian Rugs Society on Sept. 26, 1982 in New York. It was a fascinating topic totally unfamiliar to me.

Little did I know the book would become a gift to my husband Bob and I, something we will treasure for the magnificent history it represents and more so for those that gave it to us, Sara and Edgar Hagopian.

It is safe to say that no one exceeds this husband and wife team of over 50 years when it comes to possessing pride and dedication to their Armenian ethnic origin. That is why the Pazyryk book holds so much significance.

Picture an ice grave in the Altai Mountains of Russia, where it is said the multitude of burial mounds evolved over the centuries from Scythians in the Pazyryk valley. Grave robbers opened the gravesite soon after burial, leaving a hole. Water entered and quickly turned to ice thereby preserving the contents in pristine condition.

Among the perfectly preserved items found buried by archaeologist Sergei Rudenko in 1949 was a 2,500-year-old carpet knotted in such fineness of weave and imagination of design that the idea that the best carpets came to us beginning in the 16^th century was quickly discarded.

Remember, this timeline is from the fifth century before Christ and is the oldest known rug in existence.

The rug is presently in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. It measures 6’ x 6’7 and was knotted with 278 knots per square inch, using hand-carded and hand-spun wool.

The book’s author is emphatic in explaining that the rug “is not nomadic or peasant, but of a highly sophisticated extraordinary piece of art.” Further, “Turkomen tribes would never have the imagination to invent such a carpet design nor to use the small but important nuances.” He says that hundreds of years of development had passed before such a rug of such outstanding design could be produced.

The rug consists of an inner field and a number of borders, with horizontal and vertical rows. The field color is red. (Edgar used the word “madder,” which is a Eurasian herb. The root of the Eurasian madder was used in dying, and produced a moderate to strong red.)

Bucks, griffins, leaves, flowers, and riders are part of the design motif. The Scythians were excellent horsemen, and horses appear prominently on the Pazyryk rug representing power, nobility, and valor.

It is believed the rug was part of the funeral and ceremonial object for Scythian royalty because bucks and griffins were mystical expressions of life passing over to death.

Now comes the interesting part: The author says that after the Kingdom of Urartu dissolved around 590 B.C., the various existing tribes mixed with Scythians, from which emerged the nation of the Armenians.

In 1971, 2,000 bronze plaques were discovered in the area surrounding Lake Van, leading to the conclusion that because of the beauty of these pieces the Pazyryk could only have been made in this same area.

Ulrich Schurmann is convinced that the Pazyryk rug was a funeral accessory and most likely a masterpiece of Armenian workmanship.

Lengthy research, including comparisons of the artistic development of various ethnic groups and cultures of the time, and the author’s conclusion can only add to our immense gratitude to him.

How proud I am to possess this book and with it the knowledge of the creative beauty of the Armenians from as far back as hundreds of years before Christ. Wear this knowledge with pride, knowing that you and I share the blood of these artistic people.

Thank you, Sara and Edgar Hagopian, for your friendship and this very important gift to me, which I share here it with my readers. That is Armenian pride to the fullest extent.

Iranian Carpet expo opens in Tajikistan

2011-02-10T16:27:00.000-05:00

Iranian expo opens in Tajikistan

Sun Nov 14, 2010 2:30AM

Share | Email | Print

Iran's 9th exclusive expo in Tajikistan has gathered Iranian and Tajik businessmen and investors in the capital Dushanbe.

Around 75 Iranian firms from various economic sectors are showcasing their products at the Kakhe Barbad state complex in Dushanbe, where Tajik businessmen and Iranian manufacturers will discuss ways to invest in Tajikistan's economy, the Press TV correspondent in Dushanbe reported.

Hand-woven Persian carpets, health and agricultural products, electrical appliances, textiles, and construction materials are among the products on display at the five-day event, which will wrap up on November 17.

On the sidelines of the opening ceremony, exhibition organizer Mohammad Omrani said that many Iranian provinces, including Tehran, Khorasan Razavi, Fars, Isfahan, and Golestan, have put their products on display at the expo.

In addition, Tajikistan Chamber of Commerce Chairman Saeed Sharif said that Tajikistan is an ideal place for foreign investment.

He added that Iran is one of Tajikistan's major trade partners and the trade volume between Tehran and Dushanbe increased 20 percent last year, reaching $250 million.

An economic expert at the Iranian Embassy in Tajikistan also stated that the trade volume between the two countries has increased by 60 percent in the first six months of 2010 in comparison with the same period in 2009.

Iran and Tajikistan enjoy robust trade relations. The exhibit will help boost trade with Iranian firms while allowing Tajik companies to acquire the expertise they need to develop their own businesses.

Iranian companies are also currently involved in several development projects in the country, including the construction of a dam, a hydroelectric power plant, and a tunnel.

History of Persian Carpet Helsinki Times

2011-02-03T12:10:00.000-05:00

History of Persian Carpet


The Nasir al-Mulk Mosque is a traditional mosque in Shiraz, Iran.

Archaeological discoveries show that mats woven by Roodan region of Iran straws have been frequently used since 4th and 5th millennium, and Kilim weaving has reached a high level of evolution since 1500 BC.

The most ancient handicraft, to which archaeologists have accessed, is a rug that due to its discovery in the frozen tomb of one of Sakai rulers has been named as Pazyryk rug. This rug, which was used as a saddle, is currently preserved in Leningrad Armitage Museum. Experts accredit it to be «Persian» regarding its designs resembling Achaemenian designs and believe that Pazyryk rug is from Madians and Parthians (ancient big Khorasan) handicrafts.

Colours applied in this rug are deep red, yellow, pale green and orange. The resemblance of Iranian cavalries and infantries, as well as winged creatures to Persepolis engravings amplifies expert opinions. Experts also believe that weaving a rug with such properties requires a cultural and artistic support of at least several centuries, indicating that for consecutive centuries – before weaving renowned Pazyryk carpet – this occupation was widely spread in Iranian plateau, decoded by Iranians.

Sayings of historians approve it. As Xenophon, a Greek historian, in his book Cyrus Conduct has written: “Iranians for their beds to be soft, spread rugs beneath them.” This statement indeed shows that carpet weaving was widespread at that time finding a way through daily life as one of necessities. Although no typical type is left from Sassanid era, as evidences show, Persian carpet had a worldwide reputation at that time.

The Chinese Suiy calendar has highlighted the woollen rugs of Iran in Sassanides as goods imported by China. In Farsi literature there is much more talk about the big carpet of “Baharestan” palace belonging to “King Khosrow” showing capabilities of Iranian craftsmen and their pioneering in carpet-weaving artisan.


Experts believe that weaving a rug requires a cultural and artistic support of at least several centuries.

By the appearance of Islam and the overthrow of magnificent Sassanides, this artisan previously supported by nobles, encountered with some stagnation followed by the rise of different governances and political instability which hindered weaving activities. In particular, Arabs cold-shouldered aristocratic way of life in palaces, which was demanding to them who got used to living in deserts under starry skies in tents of mat. The picture of human and animal was abominated and considered as indicator of polytheism and idolatry.

As artists were dispersed in near and far cities, carpet-weaving artisans with no outstanding manifestation continued to exist, but it was not long that following previous kings, Ommiad and Abbassid Caliphs made this artisan bloom by focusing on it. The “History of Beihaghi” description of repeated offers of beautiful rugs by Ali-ibn-Issa from Khorasan to Aaron-Arrasheed in Baghdad and evidences gathered by Islamic historians and geographers from here and there indicate indisputable reason of Iranian developed carpet-weaving culture.

The author of “Hodud-e-Alam” (812 AD) denotes Fars carpet, and a century later, Moghaddasi manifests Qaenat prayer rugs. Yaghut Hemavi (1179 AD, 6th century) informs of Azarbaijan carpet weaving, and Ibn-Batuta, a Maghrebian tourist, narrates that while visiting Izeh, a Bakhtiari region, on his way from Khur Mousa in Persian Gulf to Isfahan, a green carpet was spread in front of him. Farsi literature does not lack these indications either. Khaghani Shervani narrates the reputation of Marandi carpets in the 6th century.

The invasion by Mongolian tribes ruined what was the achievement of previous kings. They were fighters who had conquered the world on horseback, whose wives did not accompany them in war. Rugs, born by women’s hands, not only did not find a way to Iran by their attack, but also small workshops of them were destroyed and designers fled to far and remote places.

Antique Tabriz_Rugs

2011-02-02T15:03:00.000-05:00

Antique Tabriz Rugs from Christie's

2011-02-01T09:42:00.002-05:00

Antique TABRIZ CARPET NORTHWEST PERSIA, CIRCA 1900

Antique FINE TABRIZ CARPET, NORHT-WEST PERSIA EARLY 20TH CENTURY

A tabriz carpet, northwest persia, second half 20th century

Antique TABRIZ CARPET, NORTH-WEST PERSIA CIRCA 1900

A fine tabriz carpet, north-west persia late 20th century

Antique FINE TABRIZ CARPET, NORTH-WEST PERSIA CIRCA 1920

Antique TABRIZ CARPET, NORTH-WEST PERSIA CIRCA 1920

Antique KHOY TABRIZ CARPET, NORTH-WEST PERSIA CIRCA 1930

Antique TABRIZ CARPET, NORTHWEST PERSIA, FIRST QUARTER 20TH CENTURY

A tabriz rug, northwest persia, second quarter 20th century

Antique UNUSUAL TABRIZ CARPET, NORTH-WEST PERSIA CIRCA 1900

Antique FINE TABRIZ CARPET, NORTH-WEST PERSIA CIRCA 1930

Antique Persian Rugs Carpets and Tribal Weaving

2011-02-01T08:40:00.001-05:00

Antique Persian Rugs Carpets and Tribal Weaving

Antique Persian Rugs are one of the world's greatest undervalued art form. A few rugs are from known masters but the vast majority of Antique Persian Rugs are the product of unknown women expressing an art form that is one with their very being. There is not a Persian Rug but rather 10,000 different types woven in cities, towns and villages. The distinctions allow experts to "read" where the rug was woven, the language or dialect of the weaver, and often her religion. Persian Rugs are as multi-faceted as the Persian people themselves.

Persian Rug Links

Vote Down

Oriental Rugs More Notes on Oriental Rugs

Oriental Rug Talk - The Front Page

vBulletin 4.0 Publishing Suite with CMS0 points

Old Oriental Carpets Get A Second Life

2011-02-01T07:39:00.000-05:00

Old Oriental Carpets Get A Second Life

by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.31.11

Design & Architecture

Photos credit Lloyd Alter

A few years ago, everyone at the Interior Design Show in Toronto tried to outdo each other in going green; this year it seems to be off the radar. Among the few obvious picks were these Second Life rugs, and they are not virtual world flying carpets, but old Persian and Turkish rugs. In the middle east, rugs get very hard use and wear out; Toronto's Metrick family, owners of Elte Carpets, buy up what are essentially junk rugs ready for the dump, scrape them down and recolour them with vibrant oil-based dyes.

When the rugs are too far gone in parts to even do this, they cut them up into squares and put together patchwork

Vintage Carpets By The Great Masters

2011-01-29T22:57:00.000-05:00

NYC Gallery Launches Online Exhibition Of Vintage Carpets By The Great Masters

January 26, 2011

Verner Panton Art Deco Rug

NEW YORK, NY (RPRN) 01/26/11 — Nazmiyal Collection is one of the premier antique rug galleries in New York City. Today they launched an online exhibition of rugs that were designed by some of the greatest names in the art world. Some of the works include pieces that were designed by Dali, Kandinsky, Picasso and many more.

The latest collection of carpets from Nazmiyal includes works from international artists and master weavers encompassing a range of styles that eloquently express the versatility and evolution of the carpet as a functional and decorative objet d′art. This unique collection represents a complete historic pictorial from the archetypal Persian carpet to the avant-garde. Nazmiyal’s virtual gallery of artisan carpets includes carpets and rugs from renowned master weavers and exclusive craftspeople who worked in independent studios.

From Persia, the works of Haji Jalili in Tabriz, Aboul Ghasem Kermani in Kerman, and Kashan’s Mohtashem Kashan are featured for their outstanding style and craftsmanship. The skilled weavers who worked for the Ziegler studios also excelled in the production of artisan carpets in the lush Persian style, which earns them a place in the exhibition among the weaving legends who continue to influence carpet

Vintage Scandinavian Hendrik Godefridus Polvliet Art Deco Rug

design.

Designs from Europe and Scandinavia dominated trends in the late 1800s through the pop-art craze of the 1970s. Carpets featured in Nazmiyal’s global collection were produced by innovators, trendsetters and artistic celebrities that have participated in the evolution of design as it is today. These master weavers adapted their styles and flourished as methodologies changed and general philosophies were forged. Industrialization, globalization, war, political influences, music and the other arts contributed to subtle and sometimes not-so-subtle changes in the overall course of design. The transition from the arts and crafts movement to art nouveau, art deco, minimalism and pop-art was a global undertaking that is effectually represented in Nazmiyal’s Collection of Master Artisan Rugs and Carpets.

Scandinavian master weavers and textile designers made a big impression featuring a vast array of art deco textiles at the International Exposition of 1925. Today, their cutting-edge carpets still hold a timeless appeal. Carpets from the famous Märta Måås Fjetterström, who is behind the MMF name, are featured next to pieces from Rakel Callander, Märta Gahn and independent Scandinavian artists that each developed a unique style. Across the ocean, the American weaver John Kachel produced carpets that are intimately associated with the region and equipment of the time. Haute couture designer Pierre Cardin, Pablo Picasso, Wassily Kandinsky and Salvador Dali are among the contemporary artists and designers whose distinct carpets are featured in this online exhibition.

Nazmiyal Acquires Andy Warhol’s Centennial Quilt

2010-12-22T15:52:00.000-05:00

Nazmiyal Acquires Andy Warhol’s Centennial Quilt

December 1, 2010

Download PDF

New York, NY (RPRN) 12/01/10 — Andy Warhol Quilt from Sotheby's 1988 Auction The sudden and untimely death of Andy Warhol in 1987 after routine gall bladder surgery was a shock to the modern art world. His personal collections were auctioned at Sotheby’s, New York, during a ten-day event from April 23 to May 3, 1988. Sotheby experts spent several months inventorying and cataloguing the materia.

The more than 10.000 items from the Warhol estate--the personal effects of his Manhattan home--make a statement about the man and the background of his art. The man who elevated American commercialism and pop iconography to an art form was a consummate collector of not only fine art but artifacts that represented American consumerism from the avant-garde to the ordinary.
This 1876 antique centennial quilt was included in the auction as part of the Americana and folk art collection. The quilt was made to commemorate the one hundred-year anniversary of the United States, just more than a decade after the

conclusion of the American Civil War. Thus it represents not only traditional American textile art, but attests to the endurance of a nation after a bloody and divisive civil war. This hand-sewn quilt is made of 42 squares of nine pieces each, with the exception of one square that contains 12 pieces. This seeming aberration of pattern is actually a tradition followed by quilters to make one block slightly different from the others. Some quilters use this convention as a signature, whether the effort is by an individual or a group.

Nazmiyal Acquires Andy Warhol’s Centennial Quilt Detail

The deceptively simple pattern interplays light and dark, juxtaposing boldly-colored shades of dark brown with lighter tones of taupe, ivory, white and pale blue. The rectangular lines of the pattern are accentuated by the predominance of linear designs in the fabrics, including stripes and checks.

The use of subtly-patterned small prints and polka dots offsets the linearity for a pleasant, balanced effect. The occasional use of light blue in the rectangular cross pieces and the triangular insets enlivens the color palette.The border between the squares features small red and blue stars on a white background. The numbers 1776 and 1876 occur at regular intervals, continuing the red, white and blue color scheme.

Warhol himself experimented with patchwork textile art. In his early years, he made patchwork collages by taking cuttings from clothing by couture designers including Oscar de la Renta, Diane von Furstenberg and Valentino. He then used this exotic fabric to create new garments. This simple exercise exemplifies his genius: highlighting the familiar, bringing it to the attention of the viewer, and transforming the traditional into a contemporary statement.

Art Press

IRAN SEEKING REGISTRATION OF FARS CARPET ART ON UNESCO LIST

2009-12-23T21:01:00.001-05:00

IRAN SEEKING REGISTRATION OF FARS CARPET ART ON UNESCO LIST

Posted using ShareThis

Lecture on 4th December 2009 at RIPPON BOSWELL in WiesbadenFriday, November 27, 2009 10:15 AM

2009-11-27T18:15:00.000-05:00

Dear readers, dear carpet enthusiasts,

Almost at the last minute, we are pleased to announce a presentation by Dr. Georg Butterweck from Vienna, to be held at our premises on Friday, 4th December 2009, at 6 p.m., the eve of our auction on 5th December where the von Bode “Lotto” carpet will be offered for sale.

“Lotto” Designs as Symbols of the Islamic and Chinese Worldviews

Georg Butterweck, a well-known Austrian carpet scholar (“Das Standardwerk des anatolischen Knüpfteppichs – Zentralanatolien”, with Dieter Orasch, 1986), has analysed some 350 “Lotto” field designs to date. At the Volkmann meeting focusing on “Ottoman carpets in Transylvania”, held in Berlin in 2006, Butterweck spoke on a previously undiscovered secret of “Lotto” carpets: an exact design analysis has revealed that animal motifs derived from Chinese designs are concealed between the octagonal and cruciform ornaments of the field ground. Previously, Lotto designs were only analysed and interpreted in terms of the Islamic symbolism and worldview, and the designs in the field ground were neither taken into account nor identified as Chinese symbols.

Moreover, the presentation will discuss the basic concept, aesthetic structure and various styles of this famous carpet family, as well as issues relating to date. It will also establish why lot 173, the “Lotto” carpet formerly owned by art historian and Director of the Berlin Islamic Museum Wilhelm von Bode, is considered a first-rate example of its kind.

With best regards,

Detlef Maltzahn

Publicly appointed and sworn art auctioneer

RIPPON BOSWELL & CO. GmbH
Friedrichstrasse 45
D - 65185 Wiesbaden
Deutschland / Germany
Tel. 0049 611 334430
Fax 0049 611 307369

email: info@rippon-boswell-wiesbaden.de

www.rippon-boswell-wiesbaden.de

LACMA displays the Ardabil and the Coronation Carpets

2009-11-23T09:15:00.000-05:00

A TALE OF TWO PERSIAN CARPETS: Two rare treasures, displayed together. It doesn't happen all the time, but it is happening right now at LACMA, where the Ardabil Carpet -- which was created nearly a half millennium ago -- will be displayed with the Coronation Carpet, another wondrous work. If you're mad for textiles, get to the museum, definitely before January 18th.

Sarkis Kish Oriental Rug Moves

2009-11-17T23:02:00.002-05:00

Friday, November 13, 2009 | Modified: Tuesday, November 17, 2009, 5:59am CST

More small firms want to own

Some find buying more attractive than leasing

Memphis Business Journal - by Andy Ashby

ALAN HOWELL | MBJ

Sarkis and Sarko Kish bought a building for their Oriental rug business and are leasing some of it for income.

View Larger

Related News

In the face of a tough economy, Sarkis Kish Oriental Rug has consolidated its operations by building a new facility while adding additional revenue streams.

It sells middle- to upper-end rugs, which can cost thousands of dollars, depending on size and quality.

The business, which operates in the luxury segment of retail, has faced challenges since Sept. 11, 2001, according to vice president Sarkis Kish Jr., also known as Sarko, and the company has been looking at ways of saving money to maximize profits or invest back in the business.

One way to save money was by spending money.

The business bought a property near its longtime showroom on Sanderlin for $402,000, then spent $800,000 tearing it down and building a new 8,200-square-foot facility at 5179 Wheelis.

“It’s a better investment,” Sarko says. “We’re not paying rent to somebody else; we’re paying rent to ourselves.”

The building also allowed Sarkis Kish Oriental Rug to have its showroom, rug cleaning, rug repair, rug restoration and storage facilities under one roof. The company used to lease three different spaces: one for sales, one for repair and one for cleaning.

Its showroom was in a shopping center only a block away from its current location. The shopping center had better visibility, but the company figured that into its equation for the move.

“We realized people who were shopping for a rug were making a thought-out decision to shop for one,” Sarko says. “They weren’t just going to, because they were driving by or having lunch next door, pop in and get a rug.”

Sarko’s father, Sarkis, wanted to build a facility and subsidize it by renting out bays. In addition to its operations, the company now has two 1,800-square-foot bays for other retailers.

It recently signed Harrington Brown Art Gallery to a lease.

“We got the right tenant,” Sarko says. “We can feed off each other’s businesses because we have the same clientele.”

The company is also looking for a furniture store or interior designer for the second bay.

The Shopping Center Group LLC has handled the listings for the spaces.

Carson Claybrook, a broker with the Shopping Center Group, says having the landlord and tenant in one building creates a better rapport.

“I think this gives them less of a landlord/tenant relationship feel and more of a feel that they are both trying to make this location work together,” Claybrook says.

With both land and building prices dropping due to the economy, retailers that traditionally would not consider owning real estate are now looking for opportunities, particularly when there is upside in leasing excess space to complementary businesses, according to Gary Shanks, a broker at the Shopping Center Group.

“With additional store closings and bankruptcies forthcoming, there will continue to be opportunities for retailers to relocate and/or reposition themselves in the marketplace,” Shanks says. “Retailers are taking full advantage of market conditions in knowing they have the upper hand in negotiations.”

Claybrook and Shanks have seen a rise in leases being signed in the past 90 days.

“Most of these tenants are local mom-and-pop users that have anywhere from one to three locations and are taking advantage of the lower rental rates, and the ability to lock into a good rate for an extended period of time,” Claybrook says. “We also have seen movement in bargain-based retailers such as Big Lots, Family Dollar, Dollar General, that are surviving the storm better than most retailers.”

Sarkis Kish Oriental Rug

Rug sales, cleaning and repairs
President: Sarkis Kish
Address: 5179 Wheelis Drive
Phone: (901) 818-6878
Web site: www.sarkiskish.com

aashby@bizjournals.com | 259-1732

http://memphis.bizjournals.com/memphis/stories/2009/11/16/story4.html?b=1258347600^2434631

Magic Carpet exhibit, lecture, slide show

2009-11-12T08:26:00.000-05:00

Ride The Magic Carpet as you travel from the Gods of the Himalayas to the 2500 year old Scythian Pazyryk Rug of Siberia in search of the ancient symbols that have express cultural values.

Through an exhibit, education lecture and slide show titled: Expressions Through Symbols in Oriental Rugs, the powerful images woven into hand made rugs that have spoken to man since time immortal will be explored.

This unique event is free to the public and will be held

7 p.m. Saturday, at The Magic Carpet Gallery, 408 Broad St., in Nevada City.

For information, call (530) 265-9229

Sir James Mellaart further Discredited

2009-09-10T10:52:00.002-04:00

Sir James Mellaart a British archeologist with a dodgey reputation for playing fast and loose with the truth has been called into further question for his conclusions on the "mother goddess" hypothesis. Jeremy O’Brien who is on placement at The Irish Times as a British Science Association Media Fellow publiehed in the Times an article that casts great doubt on Mellaart's methodology and conclusions. Evidence that supported his hypothesis was retained while artifacts that refuted it were cast into the “spoil heaps”.

Mellaart based his theory on the large number of "goddess" figures but O’Brien writes:

For example Prof Lynn Meskell, also from Stanford University, has been studying the stone and clay figurines discovered at the site.
“The original project probably found less than 200 figurines. Our current project has found close to 2,000.”
“Now we have a very different picture of figurine production at the site,” she explains. “The greatest number out of that 2,000 are certainly animal figurines.

I include the O'Brien article because it shows that as we have seen in the past what Sir James Mellaart published is highly questionable to say the least:

New techniques undermine 'mother goddess' role in ancient community

A collection of the most typical animal figurines found at the archaeological site of Catalhoyuk in central Turkey. Archaeological work in the 1960s focused mainly on human figures but new techniques have unearthed mainly animal figures.

JEREMY O'BRIEN in Guildford

MODERN SCIENTIFIC methods are revealing how the world’s earliest farming communities lived about 9,000 years ago.

Newly discovered human and animal figurines are also overturning some of the previous misconceptions about an archaeological site first opened in the 1960s and a supposed role played by a “mother goddess” for the ancient peoples who lived there.

The evidence is coming from an archaeological site called Çatalhöyük. “This is this amazing site in central Turkey, which is about 9,000 years old and is often talked about as one of the first large settled communities,” explains Prof Ian Hodder from Stanford University. “Çatalhöyük was excavated in the 1960s in a methodical way, but not using the full range of natural science techniques that are available to us today.”

“Sir James Mellaart who excavated the site in the 1960s came up with all sorts of ideas about the way the site was organised and how it was lived in and so on,” he said. “We’ve now started working there since the mid 1990s and come up with very different ideas about the site.”

“One of the most obvious examples of that is that Çatalhöyük is perhaps best known for the idea of the mother goddess. But our work more recently has tended to show that in fact there is very little evidence of a mother goddess and very little evidence of some sort of female-based matriarchy.

“That’s just one of the many myths that the modern scientific work is undermining.”

For example Prof Lynn Meskell, also from Stanford University, has been studying the stone and clay figurines discovered at the site.

“The original project probably found less than 200 figurines. Our current project has found close to 2,000.”

“Now we have a very different picture of figurine production at the site,” she explains. “The greatest number out of that 2,000 are certainly animal figurines.

“There’s certainly less than 5 per cent that could be considered female.” Ironically, they have found many figurines in the “spoil heaps” that the earlier researchers discarded.

Among other finds at the site is the earliest evidence of milk use in human history.

On the role of the site in supporting a mother goddess legend, Prof Simon Hillson of University College London says: “While I’ve been working there since the mid 1990s we’ve had various ‘goddess tours’ – people on bus trips going around Turkey looking for the goddess. For them Çatalhöyük is very important because it is the origin of the mother goddess.”

It seems that the reality may be quite different.

Jeremy O’Brien is on placement at The Irish Times as a British Science Association Media Fellow

William Morris and the Muslims

2009-08-17T14:56:00.001-04:00

William Morris and the Muslims

Play in either Real OR Windows Media players

Journalist Navid Akhtar examines the influence of Islamic design and values in the life of Victorian designer, poet, and craftsman William Morris.

The designs of William Morris are inextricably linked to the curving sinuous arabesques of traditional Islamic Art.

He was inspired by Turkish ceramics and Persian carpets to create a new movement in British design.

For him the Muslim world had managed to preserve the art of the craftsman and avoid the ills of industrial production.

However his admiration went beyond the surface, Morris was influenced by Islamic ideas of what art should be.

His famous advice to "have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful," echoes the Muslim saying in the Koran that "God is beautiful and loves beauty".

Morris's artistic ideas including his love for nature, the use of repetition and symmetry, belief in everyday beautiful objects and emphasis on craft are essential Islamic artistic ideals too.

He espoused the philosophy that art should be affordable and hand-made; this was already a reality in the Islamic world.

Not stopping at arts and crafts, he was a passionate advocate of social utopianism and believed in the rights of the worker.

Today, these ideals have profoundly influenced a new generation of British-born Muslim artists as they rediscover Morris and look to his artistic work and socialist ideas for inspiration.

Navid Akhtar examines Morris's interest in Islamic design and takes us on a journey that has come full circle from the arts and crafts movement to contemporary British Islamic Art.

This documentary was first broadcast on click Radio 4 and first aired on BBC world Service on the 10th of August 2009.

AFGHANISTAN: Carpet Industry Crippled Without Govt Help

2009-08-13T09:39:00.000-04:00

AFGHANISTAN: Carpet Industry Crippled Without Govt Help
By Hashim Qiam*

Profits from carpets go outside Afghanistan

Credit:Najibullah Musafer/Killid Media

KABUL, Aug 13 (IPS) - Carpet weaving has long been a part of Afghanistan's history and culture.

Though it is unclear exactly when Afghans began making carpets, it is believed that long ago, women poured their emotions into the carpets they created, telling stories of hero's and prophets. Since that time, carpets have come to symbolise Afghan national dignity and stand as a testament to the creativity of her people.

Monawar Shah Haqbin, an Afghan historian, says that when kings in Afghanistan wanted to bestow precious gifts on one another, carpets were usually their first choice.

Also, when women wanted to marry, carpets were a crucial part of any dowry. Even today, when Afghan celebrities or public officials make an appearance during times of national celebration, they often do so on a red carpet, weaved by Afghan craftsmen.

Now, carpet weaving has an even more vital role as one of the few viable industries left in Afghanistan.

It is easy to set up a loom in the home and the materials for getting started are inexpensive and easily obtainable. Women can pick up the skill and make money for their families without having to leave the home and children.

While the northern part of Afghanistan has traditionally been the carpet-production epicentre of the country, since the Taliban came to power in the 1990's, the importance of Kabul to carpet production has grown. Women who could no longer go to school or work because of Taliban restrictions, could still make money by weaving carpets.

After the regime was toppled, the new government undertook many initiatives to train and monetise carpet production by Afghan women.

But still, the lack of large-scale resources to cut, wash and finish these carpets has crippled Afghanistan's ability to fully capitalise on one of its most valuable commodities. Experts say that until the government provides resources for start-to-finish production of Afghan carpets, the profit from these products will continue to go to those outside Afghanistan's borders.

Pakistan, Afghanistan's southern neighbour, has taken advantage of its proximity to the highest quality carpets in the world. The government of that country has made the carpet business easy for manufacturers and exporters.

Mohammad Esau, a former Afghan warlord who owns a carpet shop in the Pakistani town of Atak, says that Afghans in the area are currently operating hundreds of carpet factories. He adds that Pakistan's government has even offered him and other weavers citizenship, enticing them to make permanent homes on that side of the border.

A significant number of native Pakistanis are also involved in the carpet production business, but they tend to work in the finishing stages of production unavailable in Afghanistan, while the Afghans are responsible for the weaving and looming.

Pakistan's government has also made it easier for carpet producers to do business. They lend as much as 80 percent of initial investment capital to producers and give 13 percent tax credits on each shipping container full of carpets exported out of the country.

By comparison, the Afghan government's attempts to prop up the carpet industry are woefully inadequate.

In August 2007, the Afghan government held an inaugural carpet exhibition, called 'Let's Cover The World', in Kabul. Solyman Fatemi, former executive director of the Association of Promotion of Afghan Exports and Ahmad Zia Massoud, vice president of the Economic Committee in Government, pledged that "by opening a bridge of friendship between Afghanistan and Tajikistan, Afghan handicrafts and carpet exports will be increased."

The officials promised help with marketing and other promotional assistance, and also land-grants for carpet producers to build factories. But like so many promises from the government, Barik Andish says, no marketing was ever done and the land grants never materialised.

Mollem Salman Taj, who exports carpets from Pakistan to the wider world, says that while Afghan carpets have a superb reputation as the finest available, three decades of war have caused a rift between international carpet dealers and Afghan producers.

Taj says that marketing is the key for Afghanistan to re-establish its dominance of the carpet market. This would both help Afghanistan as an international brand, and perhaps entice Afghan carpet weavers who have fled to Pakistan or Iran to come back home.

There are still many native Afghans who have chosen to stay here and ply their craft. Sareqi, Gul-e-Barjaste, Zaher Shahi, Mashvani, Turkmani, Khal Mohammadi, Gul-Muri are the names of just a few of the 173 traditional Afghan carpet styles that are still produced almost exclusively in this country.

But exclusively is different from entirely. While these carpets are fabricated here, they are "finished" that is, cut, washed and completed in Pakistan. After the rugs are completed, they are affixed with a 'Made in Pakistan' label and shipped to buyers in Italy, France and Germany.

Part of the reason that the entire production process can't take place in Afghanistan is due to a lack of resources. Noor Ghori, who makes carpets in Afghanistan, says that cutting and dying of the carpets takes equipment and materials that Afghan producers can't afford.

As a result, the world loses a traditional Afghan product, and Afghans lose the full profit of their hard work and craftsmanship.

(*This is the second of a two-part investigative series on Afghanistan's famed carpet industry by Killid Weekly. IPS and Killid Media, an independent Afghan group, have been partners since 2004.) (END/2009)

A Renowned Rug Cleaning Company, Right in West Philly

2009-08-02T13:50:00.001-04:00

Posted: Saturday, 01 August 2009 4:29AM

A Renowned Rug Cleaning Company, Right in West Philly

by KYW's Lauren Lipton
People from all over the country look to Philadelphia for many things. And believe it or not, rug cleaning has become one of them.
"People are sending us rugs from all over the place -- as far away as Washington State -- and many come from Florida."
That's Robert Zakian (above), owner of Zakian Bros. Oriental Rug Cleaning Specialists.
(Zakian:) "Back in the the '20s, my grandfather [far right] was going door to door. They would wash the rugs in our basement and then hang them on lines outside."
Now, through the magic of UPS and the Internet, they're going state to state as people from all over the country join people here in the Delaware Valley in sending their rugs to West Philadelphia to get them cleaned.
(Zakian:) "It's different than cleaning someone's pants or suit. People really have a love for their rugs."
And it's quite a process.
(Worker:) "It was in a flood, so it really needs to be thoroughly cleaned."
(Zakian:) "Check-in time is kind of the fun time. I pick up runs all day long, and I'll always hear on the PA system, they're paging Ali to come to the back. Ali's my head repair guy."
(Ali:) "There was water damage. It sat there for a long time. We're going to eliminate this, then re-seam it by hand."
(Zakian:) "A woman sent this in. It was her grandmother's, and it's dry-rotted badly. She really wants us to save it -- and we're going to."
This family-owned business has remained in Philadelphia all these years because they love it here. And it's a good thing, because the equipment is not going anywhere easily.
(Zakian:) "Just the rollers are probably about three tons each. And then there are steel rollers under that. You could land an aircraft carrier on top of it."
For more information, including tips on how to care for your own rugs, go to www.zakianrugs.com.
That's Positively Philadelphia!

Related topics: Oriental Rug Cleaning Austin

Pektus of Aga John Oriental Rugs buys house

2009-07-04T14:48:00.000-04:00

Auto Web site exec buys in Highland Park

by Ernie Larson, published Jul 03, 2009 · ShareThis

385 N. Deere Park Dr. E

Mr. Pektus

Geoffrey Petkus and Arpie Petkus bought a four-bedroom, three-bath home at 385 N. Deere Park Dr. E in Highland Park from Susan Strulowitz and Michael H. Braverman for $775,000 on May 28.

The 6,564-square-foot house in Deere Park subdivision was built in 1929.

Mr. Pektus is director for product development at Edmunds.com, an automotive Web site providing new and used car reviews, specifications and pricing information. He also has been the director of e-mail marketing.

He received his B.F.A. in graphic design/multimedia from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.

Ms. Pektus is showroom sales and product developement manager at Aga John Oriental Rugs.

She previously was a design and project manager at Residential Real Estate Investment and Development. She also was a showroom manager at Tufenkian Carpets.

She received his bachelor's degree in fine and applied arts from University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.

There were 276 sales in Highland Park in 2008, with a median sales price of $464,000.

Kristen Rockwell: O'Bannon Oriental Carpets in Lawrenceville

2009-07-01T09:49:00.000-04:00

Store owner weaves a life in the carpet trade

Saturday, June 13, 2009

By Patricia Sheridan, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Andy Starnes/Post-Gazette

This Turkish carpet was made with pieces left over from other rugs.

From coloring with crayons as a child to negotiating in the twisting maze of Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, it's been a magic carpet ride for Kristen Rockwell, who is celebrating her 10th anniversary as owner and proprietor of O'Bannon Oriental Carpets in Lawrenceville.

The transplanted New Englander and weaver said she has always had color and design in her life.

"I remember my sister and I coloring in our coloring books. It brought us pleasure and calmed us down when we were upset," she says.

She graduated from crayons to weaving designs in nonconformist materials. "I was using chicken wire and paper ribbon.... They were horrible, but they were the stepping stone."

Upon moving to Pittsburgh, she happened to walk into O'Bannon, then in Squirrel Hill. She was working as a weaver but needed a steady job in retail. Owner Pat Forbes, who had bought the shop from George O'Bannon, did not need any help, but the two became friends.

"I liked to hang out there whenever I could because it just made me feel better being there with the colors and patterns," Ms. Rockwell says.

A pattern became clear to Ms. Forbes, who after 12 years finally offered Ms. Rockwell a job. Three years later, she sold her the store. Several years ago, Ms. Rockwell relocated to the site of an old grocery store at 3803 Butler St., where she has more room and natural light to display her treasured inventory.

The shop features all sizes and styles of hand-loomed Orientals from tiny prayer-like rugs to contemporary, primitive and traditional designs to rare pieces best suited for wall hangings. Ms. Rockwell prefers the terms "tribal" and "classical" to primitive and traditional. Prices range from hundreds to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

On her first buying trips in the United States, Ms. Rockwell began learning the difference between chemical and vegetable dyes. In the late 1970s and early '80s, a company called Woven Legends from Turkey created more awareness of traditional looming methods and "greener" vegetable dyes.

These dyes are more expensive because they take longer to make.

"Madder root, which gives you red, takes six years to mature," Ms. Rockwell says.

Handmade wool carpets -- the only kind O'Bannon sells -- are also more expensive than machine-spun wool. With a bachelor's degree in fiber art from Carnegie Mellon University, Ms. Rockwell has a strong appreciation for the time and labor that go into handlooming Oriental rugs.

"It's all women who do the work, and yes, young girls do learn at their mother's side, which is different than actually making the rug," she says.

Ms. Rockwell says there has been a crackdown on child labor in the Middle East but abuses continue, which is why she is very particular about which producers she works with.

She made her first trip to Istanbul, Turkey, in 1999. Her husband, who understands some Turkish, is invaluable on such trips.

"It is a very different world to walk into as a woman and a business person," she admits.

Ms. Rockwell often finds herself in back rooms, crawling over obstacles to see the best pieces. When it comes to price, she often relies on her gut response to a carpet.

"I know a fantastic piece when I see it," she says, adding that there are many levels of fantastic and many variations on the traditional Oriental rug.

"Over the course of 12 years of doing this, I can be really fast moving through a place, picking rugs. But then there are certain families of rugs that could take me days because of the beauty and intricacy."

Gabbeh rugs from Iran are one type that has grown in popularity, she says. Considered a contemporary style, these carpets feature traditional elements that the weavers have interpreted in new ways. The women have artistic freedom.

"They are using traditional elements in a very primitive sense," Ms. Rockwell says.

One unusual piece in the store shows a camel caravan. "There is a lot of symbolism. The camels are sort of your life blood. They represent power as well. The designs represent things that are about wealth to them and things that bring them pleasure," she notes.

"There has been a growing interest in Gabbehs as people become aware of these contemporary pieces and see them in person. I'll see a wave of sales of only traditional pieces, then a wave of contemporary. Then there's the household coming in to mix it up with both styles together."

Ms. Rockwell is also intrigued by Turkish fish carpets, which are made with wool left over from other rugs.

"They collect all the different wools and can be so creative after being so restricted. I know what they are thinking when they are weaving these. They are having fun and thinking color."

The fish carpets have sold well.

"People seem to love them because they are getting a real Oriental but with an unconventional pattern," she says.

O'Bannon Oriental Carpets, 3803 Butler St., Lawrenceville, can be reached at 412-621-0700 or http://www.obannonrugs.com.

Correction/Clarification: (Published June 18, 2009) This story as originally published June 13, 2009 about Kristen Rockwell and O'Bannon Oriental Carpets gave an incorrect name for a supplier, Woven Legends.

Jewish American Rug Dealer in Iran

2009-06-29T18:24:00.000-04:00

In Iran, Entrepreneur Witnesses the Elections

June 18, 2009

Lisa Hostein
Jewish Exponent Staff Writer

Jerry Sorkin has never shied away from the hot spots of the world. Which is why it was not surprising to find the former local rug dealer in Iran this week, with a front-row seat for the Islamic nation's elections and its tumultuous aftermath.

For years, Sorkin sought his wares in the remotest corners of the world, traveling throughout the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

Several years ago, he closed down his Wayne-based Oriental-rug dealership to focus on his new passion -- promoting tourism to Muslim lands little traveled by Americans. He opened a travel company, focusing mainly on Tunisia and Turkey. Some of the trips he orga- nizes also included visiting Jewish sites of interest.

JERRY SORKIN

Now, he is seeking to help open Iran to American tourism. It won't be easy, he conceded, noting that he had difficulty attaining a visa for his exploratory trip.

But "when you get away from the rhetoric" emanating from Iran's political leaders, ordinary people are "very pro-American," Sorkin said in a phone interview Monday from his hotel room in Tehran.

Nor did he encounter any problems when his Jewishness came out, he said.

In the days leading up to the June 12 election, Sorkin said he was surprised to find such excitement among many Iranians.

"People were sensing a change, pushing the envelope," he said, noting that most people he spoke to had supported Mir Hussein Moussavi, the main candidate who had opposed President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Sorkin said he has found a consensus that "you can't put the genie back in the bottle."

After experiencing what he called an "amazingly open" election campaign, filled with rallies and debates, Sorkin detected what many analysts are predicting as well: The Iranian people "aren't going to be quiet after the tremendous sense of freedom they felt prior to the elections."

'The World Is Watching'
With unrest mounting over official claims of Ahmadinejad's re-election, some American Jewish organizational leaders are calling for more U.S. support for the protesters and more international action to stop the Islamic Republic's nuclear program, reported the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

As the first signs of a violent crackdown on street demonstrators came Monday -- at least seven people were killed -- JTA reported that some Jewish communal officials said that the United States should be doing more to show solidarity with the demonstrators.

Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, said that he understood why the United States "doesn't want to become a factor" in the process, but added, "When do the young people feel they've been abandoned" by the West?

Talking to reporters Monday, Obama said that "it is up to Iranians to make decisions about who Iran's leaders will be," and the United States wants to avoid "being the issue inside of Iran."

Addressing "those people who put so much hope and energy and optimism into the political process," Obama added, "I would say to them that the world is watching and inspired by their participation, regardless of what the ultimate outcome of the election was."

On the ground in the country, Sorkin noted that Iranians in general are sensing a positive a change with the new American leader.

Whatever ultimately happens with the election, he predicted, "there will be a new openness to the West."

M. Abraham Importer Oriental Rugs Expands

2009-06-22T12:36:00.000-04:00

June 20
Store to expand into Lowe’s bar and restaurant

Former W-B eatery site sold for $235,000

By Jerry Lynott jlynott@timesleader.com
Business Writer

WILKES-BARRE – The closing of Lowe’s bar and restaurant opened the door for Ali Kazimi to expand his downtown floor covering business.

Read more Good News articles

click image to enlarge

The front of M. Abraham Importer and Lowe’s bar and restaurant on West Market Street in Wilkes-Barre as seen in January of 2008. The owner of M. Abraham Importer, Ali Kazimi, bought the property that housed the now-closed Lowe’s and will expand his floor covering business. Kazimi will now have approximately 2,200 extra square feet to display his Oriental rugs in a street-level showroom. The store’s other floor covering choices of carpeting, tile, hardwoods and laminates will be in the basement of the former Lowe’s building. The second and third floors will be converted into apartments.

Times Leader file photo/fred adams

Select images available for purchase in the
Times Leader Photo Store

Kazimi, owner of M. Abraham Importer on West Market, bought the adjacent property for $235,000 and has begun renovations.

“I’m hoping within the next 30 days everything will be done,” Kazimi said Friday.

Tom Williams, owner of Lowe’s, confirmed the sale. “I think he’s going to do great things,” Williams said of Kazimi.

The acquisition will add approximately 2,200 square feet for Kazimi to display his Oriental rugs in a street-level showroom. Customers will access the added space through an interior opening between the two buildings.

The basement of the former Lowe’s building will contain the store’s other floor covering selections of hardwoods, tile, carpeting and laminates. The second and third floors will be converted into apartments.

The purchase is proof he is committed to the city, he said. He acknowledged that he had some trouble over the sale of a parking lot next to the former Hotel Sterling, but he has moved on from that issue. The city was going to exercise eminent domain over the lot, but in 2007, after three years of negotiations, Sterling developer CityVest agreed to pay $650,000 for the lot, lower than Kazimi’s original asking price of $700,000.

“I still believe in Wilkes-Barre and the success of Wilkes-Barre. That’s why I did the investment,” Kazimi said.

He has been in the business since 1974, but it has been in his family much longer. Kazimi’s great uncle Mohamed Abraham started it in 1927 and operated it until his passing in 1975. Abraham’s nephew, David Abraham, took over and Kazimi purchased the business in 1989.

“I am third generation,” Kazimi, 55, said. A fourth generation, Kazimi’s 28-year-old son Hussein, just joined the business.

“Wyoming Valley has been very nice to the Kazimi family. That is why we’re sticking around,” Kazimi said.

Jerry Lynott, a Times Leader staff writer, can be contacted at 570 829-7237.

Encyclopedia on Persian Carpet under Compilation

2009-06-09T11:44:00.001-04:00

Encyclopedia on Persian Carpet under Compilation

TEHRAN (FNA)- An encyclopedia on Persian carpet will be published by the Persian Encyclopedia Foundation by March 2009.

According to a report by Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, some 630 entries of the encyclopedia have been compiled, evaluation of which will begin from summer.

The contract to that effect was concluded in 2007 and its duration is 22 months and is extendable.

Following a call by the encyclopedia council, 20 researchers in the field announced their readiness to participate in the project, the Islamic republic news agency reported.

Compiling the encyclopedia aims to present a better understanding of Persian carpet as well as a comprehensive view about the industry.

The encyclopedia which deals with different aspects of Persian carpet will serve as a reliable reference source for researchers in the field.

owner of Zaki Oriental Rugs Receives National Award

2009-06-05T07:49:00.000-04:00

Zaki Receives National Award

Triad -

Zaki Khalifa will be awarded one of our nation’s highest honors as a top Asian business leader in America at a special awards gala. A well known and respected leader in High Point, North Carolina, and owner of Zaki Oriental Rugs, Zaki will receive the award in New York City from the Asian American Business Development Center (AABDC).

“Zaki Khalifa is truly one of our country’s outstanding Asian business leaders and he is most deserving of this recognition”, stated John Wang, President of AABDC. “Our organization has presented this award since 2001, but with the economic crisis around the world, our recipients this year represent leadership at its highest level.”

The award is the “Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business” and Zaki is one of only four Pakistanis to receive this honor. He is also the only person from North Carolina ever to be honored by this prestigious award.

“The impact of his leadership reaches not only throughout America but the far concerns of the world.”, noted Tom Dayvault, President and CEO of the High Point Chamber of Commerce. “Our chamber and our community are very aware of Zaki’s benevolence and leadership…now the entire country is aware of his vision and humble spirit.”

Hailed as the Asian American business community’s most distinguished award program, the outstanding 50 is the largest, all-encompassing Asian American business award program in the nation. The award program honors individuals with outstanding leadership, vision and accomplishments who have distinguished themselves within their community. The presentation will take place at the Hilton New York on June 10 with over 600 people from government, business and civic leaders in attendance.

In characteristic style, Zaki noted, “There are many others more deserving of this award. I am humbled and honored.”

“Zaki provides an example for all of us to emulate,” stated Mayor Rebecca Smothers, Mayor of the City of High Point. “Our community, our state and our nation are blessed to have him as a leader.”

Posted on:
Thursday, May 28, 2009 10:05 PM

Laurel Kozeradsky, Ethan Orley Wed

2009-06-05T07:43:00.001-04:00

Laurel Kozeradsky, Ethan Orley

Published: May 30, 2009

Laurel Kozeradsky and Ethan Shane Orley were married Saturday evening at Steiner Studios, a party space in Brooklyn. Rabbi Suri Krieger officiated.

Skip to next paragraph

Mrs. Orley, 29, works in Manhattan as an associate director of strategic planning at Mindshare, a media buying unit of WPP Group, the British advertising company. She graduated from the University of Delaware.

She is the daughter of Nancy Miller Kozeradsky and Michael Kozeradsky of Cresskill, N.J. Her father is a consultant in Lodi, N.J., who specializes in the sale and maintenance of seafood display equipment for grocery and fish stores. Her mother is a lawyer in Tenafly, N.J.

Until September, Mr. Orley, 28, was a vice president of DBP Capital, a distressed debt investment firm in Manhattan; he researched potential deals. He graduated from the University of Michigan and received a master’s in real estate finance from New York University.

He is a son of Klara Orley of Karkur, Israel, and Geoffrey A. Orley of Manhattan. His father is an owner and founder of Orley & Shabahang, a retailer of antique and contemporary Persian carpets and also a manufacturer, with stores in Manhattan, Palm Beach, Fla., and Whitefish Bay, Wis.

We’re loving...rug trade

2009-06-03T09:02:00.001-04:00

We’re loving...rug trade

Taking a leaf from the Government’s book the upmarket department store Liberty will now part-exchange any old rug when you purchase one of theirs. Customers who buy one of Liberty’s carpets or rugs, which include fine examples from Iran, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Morocco, China and Nepal, will receive a discount £100 off any rug costing more than £500. There are between four and five thousand rugs to choose from, and they cost from £75 to more than £150,000. See www.liberty.co.uk for details.

Related topics: Oriental Rug Cleaning Austin

The Orientalist,Leading Opens in Dubai

2009-06-02T14:12:00.000-04:00

The Orientalist,Leading Name in Knotted Carpets Opens in Dubai
Posted on: Tuesday June 2 , 2009 5:01:08 PM (GMT+4) Submit Press Release

The Orientalist Woven Art LLC, which has carved a niche for itself with a world-class collection of hand knotted carpets from around the globe, is set to take centre stage in the UAE with the opening of its spacious new gallery in Dubai.

The new gallery is located at Al Wasl Road and will complement an existing outlet located on Jumeirah Beach Road. The opening of the new gallery is a strategic growth step for the company, which has made a mark for itself internationally, including South East Asia, where it operates one of the world’s largest carpet galleries in Singapore.

Abi Bagheri, Managing Director of The Orientalist Woven Art, said: “For over 50 years we have been building tightly-knit tight relationships with master weavers and renowned workshops not just in Persia but throughout every major carpet region in the world. As a result we are able to extend unquestionable authenticity, value for money and unrivalled choice of products and services. The Orientalist Woven Art will continue building on our reputation, not only as purveyors of fine hand knotted carpets, but as ambassadors of the carpet world.”

The new gallery in Dubai will offer The Orientalist’s entire collection of carpets, which includes Antiques & Collectables, City Master Weave, Contemporary, Customized, Kilim, Oversize, Renaissance, Rounds, Runners, Silk and Tribal. These carpets originate from all over the world such as, Iran, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Afghanistan etc. “The Orientalist has been supplying the finest hand knotted carpets and rugs for some of the most prestigious addresses across Middle East and Asia, including celebrity homes, leading institutions and premier heads of state. Through our new outlet in Dubai, we aim to further enhance our product and service offering in the region,” said Bagheri.

The Orientalist also offers unique personalised designs, giving clients, interior designers and developers the opportunity to create their own unique pieces for distinguished homes, offices and institutions. With over 1,800 colours to choose from, the Orientalist works closely with their clients to ensure that these custom-made carpets perfectly reflect the desired style and ambience of the living and working environment.

The company also provides a vast array of unrivalled services, including Professional Carpet Cleaning – providing specialist washing and cleaning for every type of handmade carpet; Repairs – whether it’s wear or tear, from age or accident; Restoration – commissioning a master weaver for expert restoration; Customized carpets – designing your own masterpiece carpets; and Consultation – advising on all practicalities and aesthetics of choosing a carpet.

Among the other services offered by The Orientalist Dubai are: Classes – conducting fun master classes to help unravel the mysteries of hand-woven carpets and rugs; Searching – finding the perfect rug or carpet to match the customers’ needs; and Guarantee–certifying that every carpet is of unquestionable authenticity

Robbery Foiled at Oscar Isberian Rugs

2009-05-26T23:27:00.000-04:00

Posted: Tuesday, 26 May 2009 9:13PM

Carpets stolen worth $250,000

Four men caught with $250K in stolen carpets
May 26, 2009

(HIGHLAND PARK) Four men were arrested last week in connection with the theft of rugs worth $250,000 from a north suburban business.

Neb Lazovic, 47, Louis Sokolovis, 58, and Srecko Zdravkovic, 45, all of 8213 N. Oconto in Chicago; and Aldijan Salkic, 23, of 2717 Atlantic in Franklin Park were arrested May 18 and charged with burglary, theft and possession of burglary tools, all felonies.

A detective in an unmarked Highland Park police vehicle was conducting surveillance of businesses in the Skokie Valley Road corridor when he noticed a red Ford van and a black Mercedes enter the parking lot of Oscar Isberian Rugs at 3300 Skokie Valley Rd. just before 10 p.m.

Working together with Northbrook, Wilmette and Winnetka police, officers witnessed the men force their way into the west entrance of the store and load rugs into the van. The men were stopped and officers found seven rugs in the van worth a total of about $250,000.

Highland Park Police Cmdr. Gerald Cameron said that the rugs were handmade Persians, some made of silk. The fact that only the seven were taken leads police to suspect the men had been in the store prior to the burglary attempt.

“It’s our belief that they went into the rug store prior to that and targeted several rugs they knew were of great value,” Cameron said.

Bond for each of the four was set at $500,000 and they were required to surrender their passports. Police said the investigation is continuing and court dates are pending.

Persian Carpets Gardens of Delight

2009-05-15T08:35:00.001-04:00

Persian Carpets Gardens of Delight

Persian Carpets Gardens of Delight [Photo]

Persian Carpet Tehran, May 15, 2009: Ancient Persia was known for its hand-woven carpets and rugs. The use of carpets in religious rituals and other ceremonies dates back to the time of pharaohs in Ancient Egypt. The priests of Heiliopolis used them in religious ceremonies. Pazyrik is the oldest evidence of Persian rug that dates back to 500 BC. It is named after Pazyryk Valley in the frosted mountains of Altai in Siberia. According to the ECO Heritage publication, the carpet was excavated from under the ice that protected it for almost 25 centuries. Post-Islamic Rugs, Carpets Since rugs and carpets are made of fine material that perish in the course of time, extant material evidence is rare and scarcely exceeds 300 years. Therefore, to find the evidence of post-Islamic rugs and carpets in Iran, one should rely on written sources. These sources reveal that during 8th century AD, Azarbaijan was a major center for production of carpets and coarse carpets (Ziloo) in post-Islamic Persia. There is a considerable body of textual evidence attesting to at least 12 centuries of rug production in the region, both flat woven and piled. The earliest material evidence of Persian carpet in the post-Islamic period dates back to the Safavid era (1502-1629), known as the famous Ardebil Carpet. Today this priceless carpet is preserved in Victoria and Albert Museum in London (formerly known as South Kensington Museum which was a foundation for collecting Persian arts and crafts). Under the Safavids, the art of carpet-making reached its peak and the degree of refinement and ornamentation in the carpet of Safavid era rightfully earned it the title of “the golden age of rugs and carpets“. The products of court workshop in Safavid period have an exceptional quality in terms of style, materials, patterns and ornamentation. The products of court workshops of Ardebil, Tabriz and Isfahan are dominated by leaf and flower motifs. In the 16th century, human and animal forms began to appear in these carpets. Certain motifs such as the cloud-band unmistakably indicate the Mongolian influence. Nevertheless, the earliest designs used by nomads have survived even to the present day. Abbasid Treasures The earliest reference to Persian carpets is made in the official inventory of Abbasid Caliph Haroun’s treasury recorded in 809 AD following his death. The production of prayer rugs and small carpets also dates back to this period, as historical records mention that along with taxes, 600 carpets were sent to the Baghdad caliphs, including small prayer carpets. These were produced in the province of Tabarestan (Mazandaran), another region in north Persia. It is believed that during this time, the main export item from the region was carpets. The carpets of Khorasan, Sistan and Bukhara were in high demand due to their attractive designs and diversity of motifs. During the reigns of Seljuk and Ilkhanid dynasties, many workshops in different cities were involved in the production and sale of carpets. Fars Carpet Historical texts refer to a magnificent mosque built by Ghazan Khan, the great Ilkhan (died 1304) in Tabriz, which was covered by fine precious carpets of excellent quality. Perhaps the most striking and instructive reference is the historic royal decree of Ghazan Khan, which reveals that carpets, befitting metropolitan royal palaces, were being produced in sizable numbers in Fars as early as the 13th century. Fars remained one of the great centers of carpet production, perhaps the most important, for Ghazan Khan had most of the carpets for a whole group of buildings at Shams Garden in Tabriz (his capital) made at Fars. Timurid artisans combined the art of Persian miniatures with carpet-weaving and reproduced various scenes of Persian miniatures (which had been originally derived from Persian literary texts). Weavers and Weaving Different tribes in Fars province produce rugs and carpets. In fact, the ethnographic map of Fars is so colorful that it is hardly comparable to any other Iranian province or any other carpet-making region in the world. Lors, Turks, Arabs, Kurd-Lor and other ethnicities scattered in the area, which have not been adequately identified. Of the seven major tribes that have maintained their unity up to the present day (Ainalu, Arab nomad, Baharlu, Basseri, Lor, Nafar and Qashqai), only Lors and Arabs (and perhaps some Basseri elements) inhabited the region in the 10th century. Turkic immigrants, comprising Qashqai, Baharlu, Ainalu and some Nafar tribes do not appear in this ethnographic map earlier than the late 13th century. The first Turkic tribal group may have descended from a 300-strong Mughal cavalry dispatched to Fars in 1281. Commercial Aspects During the Safavid era, export quality carpets and rugs were produced. In 1722, the French consul in Shiraz provided 18 carpets to an agent of a company. Because of uninterrupted production, it can be surmised that all or a large part of these rugs were produced locally. During 18th and 19th century, under the Zand and Qajar dynasties, the pace of carpet and rug exports increased. Nassereddin Shah also sent Persian rugs to the Vienna Exhibition in 1891, where they were appreciated by a public fascinated by things Oriental. Carpets, furniture and decorative objects, as well as paintings by European Orientalist painters, were all reminders of the East, and evocative of exotic of distant lands. Toward the end of the 19th century, however, investment and capitalization by local and foreign firms in the country spurred the development of a new Persian carpet industry, the fame of which was to become legendary. Income from the sale of commercial-style carpets soon supplanted the revenues earlier derived from the export of raw silk, fine textiles and luxury carpetsÑand even today; carpets remain modern Iran’s most important non-oil export. Symbolism The richness in international designs rests mostly on the enormous wealth of symbols, myths, icons, occultist ideographs and objects of totemism. Talking about the symbolism of Persian rugs, one cannot ignore the evolution of their patterns and designs, which probably originated in Mesopotamia. Passed on through generations, the designs and motifs of Persian rugs and carpets have basically remained intact. While the continuity of designs and motifs has been preserved, the evolution in form and ornamentation can be identified in the numerous themes and motifs of rugs and carpets. At times, these symbols predate the history of carpet-making itself, as a number of these motifs are related to the patterns and motifs found on the potteries dating back to 4th-3rd millennium BC. They provide us with a vast treasure of prehistoric archetypes used by ancient tribes. These motifs relate to the mythological belief and symbolic iconography of those early times. Later, these forms drew heavily from Achaemenid and Sassanid visual traditions and subsequently from the early Islamic ornamentation. Liberty of Weaver Like words in a language, there are ’motif-words’ that remain unchanged or little changed for generations, while others become obsolete or lose their meaning, original worth and function. Like a language, the traditional weaver cannot change the meaning, spelling and phonetics of the words, but has the liberty of employing them at will, making new phrases. The individual liberty of the weaver has no lesser or greater scope than the liberty enjoyed by a writer or a poet. The incredible wealth of motifs, designs and ornamentation in Persian rugs and carpets has led scholars to believe that these are being invented by individual weavers. Behind the creation of a Persian rug or carpet are weavers (particularly in case of Fars rugs and carpets, most of the weavers are women from tribal or semi-tribal communities) loyal to the traditions passed down to them from their ancestors. Therefore, they cannot easily be separated from these traditions and their common artistic consciousness, yet they are free to create their own versions of the old traditional designs. In other words, this conformity and unity, while forbidding inventions of unfamiliar and non-traditional designs, does not lead to the production of stereotyped rugs and carpets, rather it gives rise to highly personalized creations marked by a uniqueness that makes it difficult to pair rugs and carpets that are identical in design and color. The tribal weaver carries her pattern in her mind. Generally speaking, she has worked on predetermined patterns and designs all her life, and has learned that any deviation from it, changes in coloring, irregularities deliberately introduced and other slight alternations are the unconscious attunement of her mental attitude to her daily environment. Then, of course, the use of birds, animals, flowers, plants and celestial objects in carpet designs have their own symbolism and are governed by regional preferences. These are beyond the scope of this article. Thus you’ll find the Persian weaver whose family bereavement, say, would find unconscious expression in the free use of white in her pattern, a marriage might give cause for a preponderant employment of brilliant red, a misfortune might be shown by a descending eagle, while hunting scenes in her work with hounds and leopards and cheetahs would indicate the fame, valor and honor of someone deserving allegiance or affection.

Carpets Linked with Islamic Art

2009-05-15T08:27:00.001-04:00

Carpets Linked with Islamic Art

Carpets Linked with Islamic Art [Photo]
Carpets Linked with Islamic Art Tehran, May 15, 2009: An exhibition on the impact of Islamic art on Persian carpets will be held on May 19 at Tehran+s Carpet Museum concurrent with the World Museum Day. Announcing this, director of Carpet Museum, Parviz Eskandarpour, told CHTN that carpets from across the country, which depict architecture and monuments, will be presented at the exhibition. “Carpets from Kashan, Tabriz, Kerman and Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari provinces, which feature architecture from ancient times up to the present, will be displayed at the event, “he said. Eskandarpour noted that Persian carpets and Islamic architecture are linked. “We can clearly see vaulted buildings as well as minarets and tileworks in Persian carpets, “he said. He referred to Mehrab (the prayer niche) as an inseparable part of Iranian religious buildings, particularly mosques, and added that carpet weavers have always been inspired by religious architecture. “Iranian carpet weavers have always taken religious architecture into consideration, “he said. Eskandarpour concluded that veteran carpet weavers and exemplary museum employees will be honored on May 20 in Tehran+s Carpet Museum.

Silicon Carpet Invisibility Cloak

2009-05-08T12:18:00.000-04:00

Tiny Invisibility Cloak Constructed

Featured Author:

DailyTech

DailyTech is a leading online magazine for a well-educated, tech audience. Its readers enjoy hard-hitting and up to the minute CE, PC, IT and information technology news. DailyTech’s fast-moving content also reaches out via news syndications, public portals, and forums.

Felt at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum

2009-05-01T07:21:00.002-04:00

Art Review | 'Fashioning Felt'

Humble Fabric Takes Center Stage

By ROBERTA SMITH

Published: April 30, 2009

Felt is the feel-good fabric of all time. Sturdy, cosseting, beautiful, shape-shifting, dye-friendly, it serves many purposes and offers countless pleasures. Some but certainly not all of its latest uses are outlined in “Fashioning Felt,” an illuminating exhibition of around 70 items — mostly furnishings and garments — at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum. Felt’s purely artistic possibilities are also being explored in scattered shows at New York galleries.

Skip to next paragraph

Enlarge This Image

James Estrin/The New York Times

Felt art now on display in Manhattan includes the multiheaded “Bold as Love,” by Adam Parker Smith, at Broadway Windows at Broadway and East 10th Street. More Photos »

Multimedia

Slide Show

Felt on Display

Though you may never have thought much about felt, there’s a lot more to it than you’d expect. One of the first manmade textiles, it requires almost no special tools, certainly not a loom. It began to be made 8,000 years ago, a millennium before the earliest forms of weaving. Its fairly unadulterated natural ingredients were and remain animal wool, soap and water mashed into a kind of pulp (initially by bare feet), then dried under pressure and made into everything from caps to rugs and capes to yurts.

On the scale of material culture, felt’s elemental longevity places it somewhere between wine-making (the stomping) and ceramics (the malleable natural material rendered useful by drying or baking). Like the smooth surfaces and glazes of ceramics, felt’s wet-dry process and variety of colors encouraged the human yen for decoration. Among the Cooper-Hewitt show’s half dozen 19th- and early 20th-century precursors to contemporary felt is a Mongolian tea ceremony rug whose salmon-pink field is dotted with pinwheels of circles in red, green and white pinwheel (tie-dyed), and an Iranian carpet whose familiar Persian patterns, freed from the loom, have a wonderful drizzled, drifting effect. In contrast, an Uzbek carpet from the same time magnifies such motifs into big, flat silhouettes.

We probably all have felt-related memories, and maybe even some felt phobia. Mine include poodle skirts, varsity letters, blackboard erasers, pool tables and the undersides of lamps and heavy ashtrays that I was told to handle carefully. That felt’s edges were all, in essence, selvage — no hems required! — attracted people like me who don’t sew. Though I think that the closest I came to actually wearing felt was a yurtlike bathrobe with large red, cut-out and flocked tomatoes on its enormous pockets — a Christmas gift from my mother at the onset of my adolescence.

During my first years as a New York pedestrian, I gained a new appreciation of felt’s wondrous warmth and density through a simple pair of innersoles that winterized and then outlasted some reliable rain boots. Several of my favorite garments have been made of boiled wool, felt’s second cousin, including sweaters that I downsized (not always on purpose) in the washer or dryer. Then there’s my sizable collection of yard-sale afghans. Its pride is a blue-checked survivor of a previous owner’s washer-dryer experimentation. At first I thought it was a rug. I snapped it up for $10 and hope to be buried with it. And did I mention the felt-covered couch in my living room? It is seasonal, used only during the cooler months.

The Cooper-Hewitt show dwells largely in the gap between art and functional objects. Aside from room dividers by Scofidio & Diller and Janice Arnold, a neat hanging cradle by Soren Ulrick Petersen and a beautiful large rug in bands of Rothko red by Stephanie Odegard, there is remarkably little here that I can imagine living with or looking at for extended periods of time. It would have been nice to have had some slightly more down-to-earth applications that weren’t at least 100 years old, rather than the parade of exotic garments, weirdly shaped furniture and wall hangings.

There are extremes in size, from a felt necklace by Birgit Daamen embedded with coral beads to a giant red-brown installation by Claudy Jongstra that demonstrates degrees of feltness, raw to cooked, through different textures and wools, straight to curly. It reaches a height of about eight feet, resembles the maw of a whale and invites but doesn’t accommodate physical contact. Add seats and it could be a pair of booths in a fancy restaurant — say, the Siberian Tearoom. Just a thought.

There are also extremes in frivolity and function, some from the same source, as with Kathryn Walter, a designer whose family has been in the textile business for four generations. Ms. Walter’s gray felt molding bulkily mimics the fluted and floral relief designs of traditional ceiling molding, which seems hard enough to keep dusted as it is. But her “Striations” wall, made of leftover felt scraps built up in horizontal chips like shale, is a sound-proofing solution, and it recycles.

Among the show’s most interesting themes is hybridization: the increasing practice of combining felt with other materials, whether fabric, plastic or even light-emitting diode lights (a rug designed by Yvonne Laurysen and Erik Mantel). Jorie Johnson and Clifton Montieth collaborate; she makes felt vessels; he lines them with lacquer. Their works have a striking contrast of matte and shiny and hard and soft, although their practical applications are hard to gauge. Janice Arnold has draped the museum’s conservatory with “Palace Yurt,” an imposing installation of white-on-white wall hangings, each combining felt with silk, linen, mohair or Tercel in different patterns and motifs. The same principle is found on a smaller scale in the fashion designs of Christine Birkle and Françoise Hoffmann. And the felt-covered stones of Stephanie Forsythe and Todd MacAllen are an unusually compact combination. They come in gray, green and white and seem the perfect thing to lie down on if one’s back is tight. They must be better than tennis balls. These are not to be confused with Pernelle Fagerlund’s “Textile Stones” cushions, which are made entirely of felt.

Felt has a history in postwar art, starting with Josephs Beuys’s use of it in his performances, abstract sculptures and his dour felt suit pieces. And few things say Process Art like Robert Morris’s elephantine, industrial-strength felt wall pieces and Barry LeVa’s scattered floor pieces of felt scraps, with or without shattered glass.

The less dour aesthetic possibilities of felt hit me several years ago via an unforgettable cluster of little felt reliefs hanging in a hallway of an art building at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va. Nothing special, just an assignment from a textiles class, but the variety of color, textures and forms seemed like a remarkably fresh way to merge painting and sculpture. Wow. Major in that.

At the moment, the New York galleries showcasing felt include David Zwirner, at 525 West 19th Street, where Adel Abdessemed has used expanses of beautiful white felt to stretch three small airplanes into extended snakelike bodies. I also recommend two new sculptures by Ronnie Fisher on view in “Old Dogs, New Tricks,” at K.S. Art at 72 Walker Street in TriBeCa, along with impressive sculptures by John Newman and paintings by Hermine Ford. Mr. Fisher, who is best known for making aggressively utilitarian fountains and lamps from found, mostly metal objects, seems to have been shaken to his roots by some kind of SpongeBob SquarePants epiphany. His new sculptures are soft stuffed forms sewn from felt and other hardy fabrics like vinyl imitation leather; they achieve an unlikely stasis between the sexual and the toylike, not to mention abstraction and representation.

Then there is “Bold as Love,” a show of the work of the young artist Adam Parker Smith that can be seen around the clock at Broadway Windows, a display-only curatorial space in the windows of a New York University building at Broadway and East 10th Street in Greenwich Village. Inspired by Goya (and the Chapman brothers), Mr. Smith is showing three dozen life-size severed heads, mounted on spikes, and more comedic than gory because they are made entirely of felt. The heads echo too closely the work of Tom Friedman and Ryan Johnson, but they are vivacious and various and make good use of felt’s colors, mutability and hem-free edges. In a way, their main subject is the wonder of the material itself.

“Fashioning Felt” continues through Sept. 7 at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, 2 East 91st Street; (212) 849-8400, cooperhewitt.org.

TEXTILE MUSEUM CURATORS PROMOTED

2009-04-29T08:52:00.000-04:00

TEXTILE MUSEUM CURATORS PROMOTED

April 27, 2009, Washington, D.C. — The Textile Museum announced today that Sumru Belger Krody has been promoted to curator, Eastern Hemisphere Collections and Lee Talbot has been promoted to associate curator, Eastern Hemisphere Collections. Krody will continue to head the department and to pursue curatorial work in her area of expertise, including researching and cataloguing the museum’s collection of Islamic and Late Antique textiles, developing exhibitions, producing scholarly materials and interpreting the Museum’s collection through educational programs, and chairing the Museum’s staff Research, Publication, Library and Education task force. Talbot will continue to chair the Museum’s internal Exhibitions Task Force, acting as a liaison to the Board of Trustees, and to pursue curatorial work focused on the Museum’s collection of textiles from Korea, China and Japan through exhibitions, publications and programs. Krody previously held the position of associate curator, Eastern Hemisphere Collections, and Talbot previously held the position of assistant curator, Eastern Hemisphere Collections.

“We are pleased to recognize the outstanding work of these two curators, who foster The Textile Museum’s role as a leader in the scholarship and presentation of textiles from around the world,” said Maryclaire Ramsey, the museum’s CEO. “These individuals have built on The TM’s international reputation and paved the way for an exciting series of upcoming exhibitions, on topics ranging from Central Asian ikats to Chinese interiors.”

About Sumru Belger Krody

Krody has been with The Textile Museum for 15 years. She began as curatorial assistant, Eastern Hemisphere Collections, and has served as head of the department since 2001. Her previous exhibitions include Flowers of Silk & Gold: Four Centuries of Ottoman Embroidery (2004-5); Floral Perspectives in Carpet Design (2006); Harpies, Mermaids and Tulips: Embroidery of the Greek Islands and Epirus Region (2006); and Ahead of His Time: The Collecting Vision of George Hewitt Myers (2007-8). Flowers of Silk & Gold and Harpies, Mermaids and Tulips were both accompanied by fully illustrated catalogues resulting from Krody’s field research in Turkey, Greece and England. In addition to these original exhibitions, she has co-curated or coordinated numerous other shows during her tenure. Most recently Krody adapted the Textile Museum exhibition Timbuktu to Tibet: Rugs and Textiles of the Hajji Babas, on view October 18, 2008 through March 8, 2009, from the exhibition Woven Splendor from Timbuktu to Tibet: Exotic Rugs and Textiles from New York Collectors, shown at the New York Historical Society.

Beyond her exhibition experience, Krody has served as managing editor of The Textile Museum Journal since 1997 and contributed scholarly articles to HALI, Piecework, Shuttle, Spindle & Dyepot and other publications. She has given many presentations at The Textile Museum and at symposia and conferences across the United States and in Europe. Her professional affiliations include serving on the boards of the Textile Society of America and on the council of the Association of Art Museum Curators. Krody holds a B.A. from Istanbul University and a M.A. from the University of Pennsylvania. A native Turkish speaker, she is fluent in English and is proficient in German, Latin and ancient Greek.

About Lee Talbot

Lee Talbot joined The Textile Museum staff in April 2007 and the following year was co-curator of the acclaimed exhibition BLUE, which explored the historical and current use of indigo dye in textiles around the world. Prior to arriving at The Textile Museum, Talbot served three years as curator and lecturer at the Chung Young Yang Embroidery Museum at Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul, Korea. From 2001 to 2003 he was a lecturer and teaching assistant at the Bard Graduate Center, after two years as the center’s public programs coordinator. His experience also includes work at the Brooklyn Museum of Art and Sotheby’s in New York, and at the Korea Foundation and Royal Asiatic Society in Seoul, Korea.

Talbot has published extensively, with articles in Arirang, HALI, and Studies in the Decorative Arts, as well as contributions to two exhibition catalogues at the Chung Young Yang Museum. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. from the Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts, Design and Culture. During his studies, he has been recognized with the Bard Graduate Center Ph.D. Fellowship, the Bonne Cashin Fund Fellowship and the Pittsburgh Foundation Walter Read Hovey Memorial Fund Fellowship. Talbot’s dissertation topic is “Women, Textiles and Upper-class Domestic Environments in Late Joseon Dynasty Korea.”

Lee Talbot holds degrees from the Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts, Design and Culture (M.A.), the Thunderbird School of Global Management (M.B.A.), and Rhodes College (B.A.). He completed four semesters of Korean language study at Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul, Korea as well as three academic years of Mandarin Chinese at the Taipei Language Institute. He is proficient in Mandarin Chinese, Korean and Spanish.

###

About The Textile Museum

Established in 1925 by George Hewitt Myers, The Textile Museum is an international center for the exhibition, study, collection and preservation of the textile arts. The Museum explores the role that textiles play in the daily and ceremonial life of individuals the world over. Special attention is given to textiles of the Near East, Asia, Africa and the indigenous cultures of the Americas. The Museum also presents exhibitions of historical and contemporary quilts, and fiber art. With a collection of more than 18,000 textiles and rugs, The Textile Museum is a unique and valuable resource for people locally, nationally and internationally.

The Textile Museum is located at 2320 ‘S’ Street, NW in Washington, D.C. The Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 1 pm to 5 pm. Admission is free with a suggested donation of $5 for non-members. For more information, call (202) 667-0441 or visit www.textilemuseum.org.

Ervin-Cevik Imports, Mooresville, Va

2009-04-25T08:37:00.001-04:00

Unique friendship blooms within Mooresville store

By Melinda Skutnick | Mooresville Tribune

Published: April 24, 2009

To business partners Rick Ervin and Vedat Cevik, their Mooresville rug store is more than a retail outlet; it's the reflection of a friendship that brought the two men together.

Although the doors to Ervin-Cevik Imports – specializing in both handmade and reproduced Turkish rugs and carpets –opened in November 2008, the story that brought both men to downtown Mooresville began years earlier in western Iraq.

Vedat Cevik, a native of Adana, Turkey, was running a rug store on a United States military base at Al Asad in Iraq when Rick Ervin, a Troutman native, wandered in.

Cevik was 17 and a fourth generation rug maker and salesman, carrying on the trade from his father. Ervin was a 54-year-old American contractor, working in Iraq with a strong interest in Oriental rugs.

The two met by chance.

In Turkey, said both Cevik and Ervin, a rug store is more than a retailer; it's a comfortable environment where people relax for hours at a time, sharing stories over cigars and cups of tea.

"I started hanging out at the rug store," said Ervin. "Even bought a rug or two."

Cevik jokingly responded, "I gave him a good deal."

Gradually, the two men formed a friendship over mutual interests.

Since his first Oriental rug purchase in 1983, Ervin said he'd always had a unique love for the handmade rugs and carpets created far from his American home. And Cevik – a man who grew up next to an American air force base in Turkey – said he dreamt of living in the United States, always yearning to relocate his life to a place he'd only seen in the movies.

In 2006, with a strong friendship as the backbone of their business-partner relationship, Ervin began helping Cevik obtain a work visa to come to the U.S. Two years later, in November 2008, the Turkish man finally made his journey to Mooresville and Ervin-Cevik Imports opened for business.

Individually, said Ervin, the men bring different qualities to their new business.

"He's got the expertise and the drive," said Ervin. "I just love rugs. I've learned a lot from him."

But Cevik, now 21, said he's experiencing his dream of living in the United States, even if he's yet to venture beyond the Mooresville region.

"I like Mooresville," Cevik said. "I'm going to stay here. I'm not going back to Turkey."

Ervin said his family – which includes his wife Margo, a daughter and granddaughter – practically "adopted" Cevik the moment he arrived, welcoming him into their home.

Currently Cevik is regularly taking English language courses at Mitchell Community College to obtain his GED. After that, he wants to pursue a degree at MCC.

"I hope to stay here for a long time," he said.

As for their store, business has been slow thus far, but as word continues to spread throughout the community, Ervin said he hopes the rug retailer flourishes.

"We knew going into this it was going to take a year," he said, noting that the men find it more important to create a welcoming, relaxing environment within their store, similar to the rug outlets in Turkey.

Added Ervin, "We try to make it a warm, inviting place."

Regularly welcoming passersby into their store for a cup of apple tea, Cevik said they don't really "sell" rugs and carpets. "The carpet chooses you," he said. "I just show you."

Cevik and Ervin offer a variety of handmade and machine-made replicas of Turkish and other Oriental rugs, carpets, scarves, tablecloths and pillowcases. Their rugs cost from $200 to $9,000.

Also, on the second Friday of each month, the store offers a "rug-buying class" at 6 p.m. where guests can learn about "what to look for when you're buying a rug."

Ervin-Cevik Imports, 240 N. Main St., is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and by appointment each Sunday.

For more information, contact them at 704-660-1100 or Ervin-CevikImports@hotmail.com

Textile Museum Elects Paul N. Schwartz to Board of Trustees

2009-04-23T15:21:00.000-04:00

The Textile Museum Elects Paul N. Schwartz to Board of Trustees

April 23, 2009, Washington, D.C. — The Textile Museum announced today that Paul N. Schwartz was elected to the Museum’s Board of Trustees at their April 3, 2009 meeting. On accepting his appointment to the Board, Schwartz said “I am pleased to join The Textile Museum’s unique and far-reaching community as a member of the Board of Trustees. I believe the Museum fulfills a singular role in the field and is well positioned in today’s economy with a balanced budget and a committed core constituency.” He serves on the board’s Budget and Finance, Development and Audit Committees.

Schwartz brings extensive business management experience to The Textile Museum’s Board of Trustees. In April 2006 he retired from the position of president and chief financial officer for MAXXAM Inc., a holding company for timber products, real estate and other interests, after 26 years with the organization. From 1973 to 1980, he served as senior vice president of finance for the Student Loan Marketing Association (“Sallie Mae”). Schwartz has also served on the boards of corporate and not-for-profit organizations, including Plainfield Direct Inc., a privately held business development company (2007-present), the Houston Symphony (2002–2006), United Financial Group (1988-1999) and SLM Funding Corporation (1995-1998), a subsidiary of Sallie Mae.

“Paul Schwartz offers the Museum strong financial experience and a keen business sense,” said Bruce P. Baganz, president of the Museum’s Board of Trustees. “We are pleased to welcome him to the board and anticipate his new ideas and fresh perspective.”

Schwartz is a graduate of New York University (B.A.) and Columbia University (M.B.A.). He resides with his wife Barbara in Houston, Texas.

###

About The Textile Museum

Established in 1925 by George Hewitt Myers, The Textile Museum is an international center for the exhibition, study, collection and preservation of the textile arts. The Museum explores the role that textiles play in the daily and ceremonial life of individuals the world over. Special attention is given to textiles of the Near East, Asia, Africa and the indigenous cultures of the Americas. The Museum also presents exhibitions of historical and contemporary quilts, and fiber art. With a collection of more than 18,000 textiles and rugs and an unparalleled library, The Textile Museum is a unique and valuable resource for people locally, nationally and internationally.

The Textile Museum Announces Director’s Resignation

2009-03-29T00:31:00.000-04:00

The Textile Museum Announces Director’s Resignation
March 25, 2009, Washington, D.C. — The Textile Museum announced today that Director Daniel
Walker has resigned, effective March 23, 2009. Walker has served as director since May 2005.

In his letter of resignation to the Board of Trustees, Walker wrote, “Given the economic climate, this is a difficult time for museums large and small. Therefore, the Board and I have come to a mutual agreement that this is the right moment for me to assist in the transition to a new director. I am eager to return to various research, writing and exhibition projects that have been set aside over the last four years. My devotion to The Textile Museum and its collection is unwavering, and I look forward to providing advice and assistance to the Museum beyond the official conclusion of my tenure.”

Walker’s letter of resignation was reluctantly accepted by Board President Bruce P. Baganz. In response, Baganz said, “The Textile Museum’s Board of Trustees is grateful for Daniel Walker’s leadership over the past four years. His extensive museum experience and thorough knowledge of textiles has helped to reinforce the Museum’s reputation as a world leader in the study and presentation of the textile arts.”

During Walker’s tenure, The Textile Museum presented 16 diverse and highly acclaimed exhibitions, including three curated by the director himself: Seldom Seen: Director’s Choice from the Museum’s Collections (February 10 – July 30, 2006), Pieces of a Puzzle: Classical Persian Carpet Fragments (September 1, 2006 – January 7, 2007), and Recent Acquisitions (March 6, 2009 – January 3, 2010).

Baganz commented, “We anticipate an exciting schedule of diverse exhibitions in the years ahead which will bear Daniel Walker’s artistic mark, including this spring’s Constructed Color: Amish Quilts and the upcoming exhibitions, Contemporary Japanese Fashion: The Mary Baskett Collection, Designing Women of Postwar Britain, and Colors of the Oasis: Central Asian Ikats.”

“On behalf of the entire Museum community, we wish Dan all the best in his future endeavors and look forward to an ongoing friendship,” Baganz said.

Danny Shaffer Slams Sotheby's Auction in the FT.com

2009-03-27T23:09:00.001-04:00

The art market: High hopes floored by a carpet

By Georgina Adam

Published: March 28 2009 01:07 | Last updated: March 28 2009 01:07

There has been much coverage of the $5.5m paid for the lavish “Pearl carpet of Baroda” (pictured right) which Sotheby’s sold on March 19 in its new Doha, Qatar location. Predictions were that it could make $20m (£13.6m), but in the event it only just made its $5m estimate. What is more, specialists contest Sotheby’s claims that it sets a new world record for a carpet. “It is no more a carpet than is the glass mosaic Kazak rug that embellishes the grave of the ballet dancer Rudolph Nureyev, outside Paris,” says Danny Shaffer of the specialist antique rugs magazine Hali.

Carpets are generally defined as woven textiles that you can walk on without damaging them or your feet: the elaborate 19th-century Baroda piece (originally from the family of the Maharaja of Baroda, possibly commissioned for the tomb of the Prophet in Medina) has millions of seed pearls, semi-precious stones and coloured glass beads; Shaffer describes it as “costume jewellery gone mad”.

Sotheby’s said it had never appeared at auction before, which was true, but it has been knocking around the trade for decades, and was reportedly offered at an art fair for $1m about 15 years ago.

Prophet was Pearl Carpet's saviour

2009-03-21T11:34:00.001-04:00

Prophet was Pearl Carpet's saviour

Devanshi Joshi

Friday, March 20, 2009 12:32 IST

Text

Vadodara: The world's costliest rug, the Pearl Carpet, commissioned by the erstwhile Maharaja of Baroda, Khander Rao Gaekwad, was expected to fetch more than $5 million at an auction in Doha, on Thursday.

In an exclusive interview with DNA, Jeetendra Singh Gaekwad, the great grandnephew of Maharaja Sayaji Rao Gaekwad who was adopted by the Gaekwad family, gave an account of the carpet's intriguing history.

Khander Rao had apparently intended to offer the carpet at Prophet Mohammed's mausoleum in Medina. Even in the princely era, artefacts such as the Pearl Carpet were considered to be investments. Jeetendra Singh said that Khander Rao's decision to make an offering of the carpet was governed by his desire to prevent it from being stolen during wars. Singh said that even in the chaos of conflict, nobody dared to touch anything that had any religious significance.

"Khander Rao was fond of grand architecture," Singh said. "He also had a keen interest in the arts and in high culture. The Pearl Carpet of Baroda exemplifies that passion."
Singh said that Khander Rao wanted Indian artisans to learn the craft that had been perfected by their Persian peers, as that would have opened profitable opportunities for them in India.

As for the Pearl Carpet, it flew between several owners before landing at Sotheby's. Sita Devi, who became the second wife of another maharaja of Baroda, late Sir Pratap Singh Gaekwad, took the carpet with her to southern Europe after her divorce from Sir Pratap. It is believed that after her death, the carpet first became the property of a Parsi man and then of an Arab sheikh. The carpet is said to have changed hands a few more times.

"After Independence, the government never tried keenly enough to bring the carpet home," Singh said. "Heavy import duties levied on such objects could have deterred those who wanted to restore the carpet to India."

Singh said that the current government should reclaim the carpet. "It should be displayed at the Baroda museum because it has an emotional value for the city," he said.
According to sources apprised of the royal family's affairs, Mumbai-based Sangram Singh Gaekwad, the grandson of maharaja Sayaji Rao Gaekwad, was keen to get the carpet back to the country. But apparently his enthusiasm was not shared by other royals.

Carpet Exhibition Opens In Northern Afghanistan

2009-03-20T17:41:00.000-04:00

Carpet Exhibition Opens In Northern Afghanistan

Women weaving carpets in Afghanistan

March 20, 2009

MAZAR-E SHARIF, Afghanistan (RFERL) -- An international carpet exhibition has opened in Afghanistan's northern Balkh Province, RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan (RFA) reports.

The exhibition, held in the provincial capital Mazar-e Sharif, is financed by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and its goal is to promote Afghan carpets on the world market.

Afghanistan's northern regions are well known for their ancient tradition of carpet making. Among the carpets on show at the two-day exhibition are some designs that have won international prizes in previous years.

Noria Azizi, the head of a women's business association, told RFA that the United States is a major market for Afghan carpets.

Pearl Carpet of Baroda Sells for Record $5.5 Million

2009-03-19T20:22:00.001-04:00

Pearl Carpet of Baroda Sells for Record $5.5 Million

By Scott Reyburn

March 19 (Bloomberg) -- An Indian carpet made of pearls and gems today fetched a record $5.5 million at the first series of auctions held by Sotheby’s in the Gulf state of Qatar.

The 5-foot-8-inch by 8-foot-8-inch Pearl Carpet of Baroda had been commissioned in 1865 by the Maharajah of the former Indian state of Baroda, possibly as a gift for the tomb of the prophet Mohammed at Medina, said Sotheby’s.

The carpet, with more than 1 million natural Basra seed pearls, had never been offered before at auction and was expected to fetch at least $5 million, said Sotheby’s. The sale price included fees. The New York-based auction house would not reveal the identity or nationality of the seller in Doha and said it was sold to an anonymous telephone buyer.

Its price beat the previous highest amount paid for a carpet or rug: $4.5 million in June, 2008 at Christie’s International, New York, for a 17th-century Persian silk Isfahan rug that had belonged to the U.S. collector Doris Duke.

During the Qatar sale, an early-17th century Persian velvet panel, showing elegantly-dressed women walking in a garden, sold for $3.4 million, 10 times the upper estimate. The recently- discovered Safavid court textile measured 3-foot-3-inches-wide. It had been in a European private collection for nearly a century and would now be returning to another, said Sotheby’s.

In October 2008, Sotheby’s announced that it would be holding a “major international series of auctions” in Doha in early 2009. The following month, the oil-rich Gulf state opened a new Museum of Islamic Art, designed by I.M. Pei.

Inaugural Sale

Sellers entered just 18 lots -- plus the carpet, which had its own catalog -- into Sotheby’s inaugural Arts of the Islamic World auction. Only five of the 18 managed to sell. They totaled $4 million with fees. The estimate was $4 million at hammer prices.

Islamic works of art are one of many auction markets that have been affected by the economic slump. Last year, Sotheby’s April 9 Islamic art sale in London fetched a record 21.5 million pounds ($31.1 million). Six months later, on Oct. 8, following the collapse of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. and as crude oil fell to its lowest in 10 months, the equivalent Islamic sale at Sotheby’s took 9.3 million pounds.

Yesterday evening, Sotheby’s first auction of international, Arab and Iranian contemporary art in Doha took $4.3 million. This was less than half of the presale estimate of $13.8 million to $19.7 million. Fifty-five percent of the 51 offered lots sold. The top price was the low estimate $974,500 paid for a purple-colored Anish Kapoor stainless-steel mirror sculpture, dated 2003.

“While the contemporary art market is thriving at adjusted levels as we saw in our sales of contemporary art in London in February, tonight’s sale was not supported by the international market place to the extent we had hoped,” Cheyenne Westphal, Sotheby’s chairman of contemporary art for Europe, said in an e-mailed statement after the auction.

(Scott Reyburn writes about the art market for Bloomberg News. Opinions expressed are his own.)

To contact the writer on the story: Scott Reyburn in London at sreyburn@hotmail.com.

Last Updated: March 19, 2009 17:22 EDT

Gem of a carpet is set to break world record

2009-03-15T21:37:00.000-04:00

Gem of a carpet is set to break world record

MANAMA

A HISTORIC carpet containing Bahraini pearls is set to break records when it goes to auction with a starting bid of $5 million (BD1.89m) in Qatar on Thursday. The Pearl Carpet of Baroda will form the centrepiece of Sotheby's inaugural series of sales in Doha and will be sold alongside other objects in the Arts of the Islamic World auction.

It will set a record if it sells at the price, beating the $4.45m (BD1.68m) paid for a silk Persian rug in New York, at Christie's last year.

However, it is expected to fetch up to $20m (BD7.5m) when it goes under the hammer, according to auctioneers.

It is embroidered with one and a half million Basra pearls, which were harvested in the southern Gulf region and along the coasts of Bahrain and Qatar, says Sotheby's.

It is also embellished with diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and rubies.

"Named after its patron, it was commissioned circa 1865 by Gaekwar Khande Rao, the Maharaja of Baroda; reputedly originally intended as a gift for the tomb of (Prophet) Mohammed at Medina," it said.

The intended gift was never delivered as the maharaja died before he made the donation and the carpet remained in his family.

"It is fitting that a historic object as magnificent and unique as the Pearl Carpet of Baroda is a major highlight of our inaugural series of auctions in Doha," said Sotheby's rugs and carpets worldwide director Mary Jo Otsea.

"The carpet has never appeared at auction before and the sale therefore represents an unparalleled opportunity to acquire an extraordinarily significant work of art. I am delighted that Middle Eastern collectors will be able to view this stunning work."

Exhibited in 1902 as a highlight of the Delhi Exhibition displaying the wealth of the maharajas, it was later moved to Monaco with Maharani Sita Devi, who took the carpet along with her jewellery collection when she moved to the Mediterranean.

For the first time in over 80 years, the carpet was once again showcased in the 1985 landmark exhibition India at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.