P-I features Thea Sands and Emmanuel's Rug & Upholstery Cleaners of Seatle

Retail Notebook: Rug cleaner's roots run deep
By CRAIG HARRIS P-I REPORTER
Try as she might, Thea Sand just couldn't get away from the family business.
Now, she has no intention of leaving.
The president of Emmanuel's Rug & Upholstery Cleaners is the fourth generation to operate the venerable Seattle-based company, which has been in business for a century.
"I thought my parents were going to sell it, retire and be like normal people," Sand said with a laugh.
The sale, however, never occurred, and Sand was asked to come back in 2002 -- after being away from the business for more than two decades -- to help run things after her mother became ill. Five years later, Sand said she loves her job and plans to stay involved for two decades more before turning over the company to her son, 21-year-old Ryan, and daughter, 24-year-old Trista, who both work for her.
"In rug terms, I become semi-antique this year when I turn 50 in May," Sand said. "I can see myself doing this for another 20 years."
Sand said the company, headquartered at 1105 Rainer Ave. S., has 13 employees and revenue between $800,000 and $900,000 annually. Along with cleaning Oriental rugs by hand at the shop, Emmanuel's has three on-location carpet cleaning trucks and restores antique rugs.
The company also sells imported rugs and has an upholstery cleaning operation.
Emmanuel's primarily serves greater King and southern Snohomish counties, but Sand said carpets are shipped from Florida, Alaska and Canada to be cleaned.
Tom Hill, executive administrator for the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification, said Emmanuel's has one of the best reputations in the Northwest.
He also said it's unique for Sand to be running Emmanuel's because very few women operate rug cleaning businesses.
Hill did not have precise ownership figures by gender, but the Restoration Industry Association, a Maryland-based trade group for cleaning and restoration, estimates the figure for female ownership is less than 10 percent.
"It's always been thought of as a male business, but it's changing over time," said Hill, whose non-profit certification organization is based in Vancouver, Wash.
Barry Weir, Emmanuel's plant manager who will have worked 30 years for the company in September, believes the business has been around so long because of the focus on customers.
"We want our clients to come back, so we treat them like family," Weir said. "Our best advertising is word of mouth."
Weir said the company has had some distinguished clients, including the Seattle Sonics, who had their 1977-78 Western Conference Champions banner cleaned, and Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates, who had a dining room rug altered.
A 1963 newspaper story noted that other customers included William Boeing, founder of the famous aircraft company, and D.E. Frederick, one of the co-founders of the Frederick & Nelson department store chain.
John Emmanuel, an Armenian immigrant from Constantinople -- now Istanbul, Turkey -- founded the company after coming to the U.S. in the early 1900s.

Thea Sand's great-grandfather opened Emmanuel's Rug & Upholstery Cleaners in downtown Seattle.
Three years after he arrived at Ellis Island, where immigration officials shortened his last name from Emmanuelian, he brought his wife and two boys to Seattle.
In 1907, Emmanuel began selling rugs door to door from a streetcar, and then he got a $1,000 unsecured loan from a client to open a showroom. He later opened a cleaning plant, and the business was handed down to his son Bob who hired a 16-year-old named Gene Sand to clean carpets.
After serving in the Army in Korea, Gene came back to Seattle and married Bob's daughter, Joyce, who had served in the Marine Corps.
The business was passed on to Gene and Joyce, who returned to Seattle around 1975 after moving to Reno, Nev., where they had a different carpet cleaning business.
Thea Sand had worked for her parents in Nevada, but she went off to the University of Nevada when her folks came back to the Northwest.
Sand then married, moved to California, had children, divorced and remarried.
Five years ago, while living in Oakland, Calif., with her second husband, Jeffrey Reich, Sand was asked to come to Seattle, where she had lived as a young child.
She said there are no regrets, although she still commutes back to Oakland, where her husband lives.
"I love it. Every day is different, and you meet some of the most fascinating people," Sand said. "And you see some amazing rugs and textiles. ... How could you go wrong?"
IF YOU GO
Emmanuel's Rug & Upholstery Cleaners
Address: 1105 Rainier Ave. S., Seattle
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Closed Sunday
Phone: 206-322-2200
Web site: emmanuelsrug.com
P-I reporter Craig Harris can be reached at 206-448-8138 or craigharris@seattlepi.com.

Boycot "300"

A note from the great rug scholar Dr. Khosrow Sobhe:

Hope all is well with you. I believe we should foster love and friendship, not hostility and hatred at this difficult time when the world needs peace. Below, please visit the link for a movie called "300".

Best regards,
Khosrow Sobhe

To all Iranians and all those who know and respect ancient Persian history and culture:

A new movie called “300” is opening on March 9th in theatres all over the United States , sponsored and made by Warner Brothers Pictures.

It is based on a graphic novel by Frank Miller, which portrays the battle of Thermopylae in which King Leonidas and 300 Spartans fight against Xerxes and his Persian army.
Upon seeing the previews of this movie, it immediately becomes clear that apart from the actual names used in it, the entire depiction of this battle is based on fantasy.
Xerxes and his army are shown as monster-like men, with attire and attitudes that can only be seen among demons.

Please take a moment to sign the following petition to boycott this insulting and inaccurate movie, in the hope that our voices may be heard.: http://www.petitiononline.com/BTM3/petition.html


You may also wish to post messages to various “movie” boards like Yahoo Movies at http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809262865/info
And please don’t hesitate to circulate it among as many people as possible!

Iran’s Carpet Museum Faces Storage Crisis

Carpet Storage Facilities Inadequate
Director of Iran’s Carpet Museum has expressed concern about the conditions in which carpet are stored in the museum’s repository.Parviz Eskandarpour Khorrami told ISNA that poor storage facilities, including restricted space, will damage the carpets in the long run.“Present storage area of the museum is so limited that even nine carpets are stacked on top of each other. This will eventually damages the rugs,“ he said, calling for allocating more space for storing valuable carpets in the museum.He added that some carpets that have been maintained in limited storage places more than the normal period are being damaged by humidity. Referring to the transfer of carpets, he said that they are transported several times a year to international expositions and this has also speeded up the destruction process.Asked whether international politics have an impact on cultural relations, the official said although political relations can negatively influence cultural ties, international carpet expositions can serve as the best means to forge links among nations.Commenting on exhibiting carpets in the museum, he said that some old carpets should be carefully preserved. “Lighting system for carpets is appropriate. While advanced technologies are presented to market every year, our old Persian carpets are strong enough to resist lighting and not lose their luminosity and transparency,“ he said.

Madadpour Attacks Iranian Carpet Export Association in Press

IDs Proposed For Persian Carpets

Production has decreased to five million square meters from the previous 7.5 million square meters. TEHRAN, March 6--Managing director of the Company for Export Development and Carpet Evaluation said that the export potential of Iranian carpets is not higher than the present capacity. Speaking to ISNA, Soleiman Madadpour called for issuing IDS for carpets and said, according to the latest figures, carpet production has decreased to five million square meters from the previous 7.5 million square meters as a result of which more than 900,000 employees have been laid off. Commenting on the national coding system for hand-woven carpets, Madadpour pointed out that national coding is done by National Center for Coding Goods and has nothing to do with issuing IDs for carpets. Asked about the reason for the decline in carpet export, he noted that Iranian hand-woven carpet lacks specific identity in international carpets where fake carpets are abundant. Criticizing the performance of the National Carpet Center in holding exhibitions, Madadpour noted that holding hand-woven carpet exhibitions by the association of carpet exporters is tantamount to granting special privileges to certain people which they use against their rivals in international markets.

Asked about bringing carpet export out of the prevailing stalemate, he said that Persian carpets should be provided with IDs after undergoing quality control.

FINE ESTATES AUCTION At Foster’s Auction Gallery

http://www.maineantiquedigest.com/gallery/fos0324.htm
FINE ESTATES AUCTION
Saturday March 24, 2007 at 10:00 a.m.
At Foster’s Auction Gallery, Rt. 1, Newcastle, Me.

Visit our website at www.fosterauctions.com for color pics. & listing.

Preview Friday, March 23, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. & morning of sale 8:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.
Note: An auction of fine antiques from coastal Maine homes & estates. Don't miss this sale.

ORIENTAL RUGS: Tabrez 9'10x13'6, Pers. Mashad 9'7x13'3, Pers. inc.: (6'9x9'7, 3'8x9'4, 4'3x6'4, 3'7x6'7), Kashan 10'3x12'5, Pers. Tabrez 8'6x12'1, 6'9x11', Bee bee Kahbad 9'x11'10, Serapi 4'3x6'5, Pers. tribal 5'4x9'6 & 5'x10', Mir 3'11x6'3 & 3'10x6'8, Pers. Mir 3'10x10'6 & 3'6x10'9, Baluchi 3'6x6'5 & 3'9x6'5, N.W. Pers. 3'7x12'2, Pers. Hamadans: (4'9x7'4, 4'x6'11, 4'x6'10, 3'7x6'7), Ant. Kazak 3'5x10'11, Pers. Malayer 4'3x7'9, Serapi 3'5x9'6, Herez 4'5x7'9, Shirvan 3'6x9'3 etc. OTHER RUGS: Hooked rugs inc. fireplace w/cat & sgn. "Lang County Penna.".

Iran : Persian carpet production shrinksMarch

Iran : Persian carpet production shrinks
March 7, 2007
According to the Soleiman Madadpour, the Managing Director of the Company for Export Development and Carpet Evaluation revealed that the carpet production in Persia has decreased a lot. The latest figures of the carpet production shows that it has decreased to five million square meters from the earlier 7.5 million square meters which resulted into the redundancy of 900,000 employees.One of the reasons for this decline is that the Iranian hand-woven carpet lacks specific identity in international carpets where fake carpets are found in plenty.Madadpour proposed that Persian carpets should be provided with IDs after undergoing quality control and National Carpet Center should hold exhibitions in order to pull up the carpet export out of the existing impasse.

Ball chairwoman Melissa Keshishian raises $500,000 For the Corcoran

Ballgoers outshine Corcoran, but just barely
By Jennifer Crier Johnston
SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON TIMES
March 5, 2007
Abreath of spring blew into Washington at the stately Corcoran Gallery of Art Friday night. Of Washington's many social events, the annual Corcoran Ball is surely the most visually spectacular. Despite limited gallery space due to preparations for the "Modernism" show opening on March 17, guests marveled at the always astonishing scene created by noted floral designer Jack Lucky with the help of the Corcoran Women's Committee. Ballgoers were bombarded by the modernism theme as soon as they entered. Pale turquoise hues dominated in the Atrium, with the main staircase lined with reproductions of a 1918 Gerrit Rietveld chair. There was pussy willow galore and white flowers to die for -- white amaryllis without the long stalks (who would have guessed?) -- with Plexiglas chairs surrounding the organza-bedecked tables as an especially appropriate touch. Brushed aluminum walls -- also in keeping with the modernist theme -- served as a spectacular background for black and white tablecloths laid under polished pewter chargers with glasses set on a diagonal plane (which had a few guests wondering if they'd had one too many). Centerpieces were conversation-friendly pedestals with red tulips and roses. In the Salon D'Ore, stacked masterpieces by Reynolds, Turner, Gainsborough and Constable provided a jaw-dropping backdrop for mimosa trees, roses and orchids topping the tables. Ditto in the Mantel Room, where Gobelin tapestries complemented rust covered chairs, flowered tablecloths and multicolored rust roses. Yet another gallery boasted "jungle" decor with palms, pineapples, bromeliads and rattan chairs. The splendor proved a trifle overwhelming for a few of the guests up on the Bridge, where Everett "Kip" Johnson was spotted jauntily relocating banks of forsythia from the purple damasked tables in order to chin-wag with VIP journo David Gregory. The Otto Ruesch Conference Room, dedicated to the late Corcoran board chairman (and husband of current chair Jeanne Ruesch), was the site of the pre-dinner reception for top donors. In his adjoining office, Corcoran Director Paul Greenhalgh was spotted proudly showing off a few favorite works by Corot and David Smith and a small, circa 440 B.C., Greek statue. Taking time to discuss the Elgin Marbles with collector/arts attorney Richard Newman and his wife, Janice, Mr. Greenhalgh was heard expounding on the gallery's renovation plans (some of the columns have already been cleaned and gold leaf repainted above the rotunda) and the upcoming modernism exhibit -- the largest ever staged in the United States, if not the world. Following a delicious crab and green tomato napoleon and filet so mignon it could be cut with a fork, longtime Corcoran benefactor Evelyn Nef was first on the dance floor, followed by Corinne Bensahel (in glittering white Dominique Sirop couture) dancing with Dr. Thome Nicocelli. Guests, a healthy mix of the Washington social and business glitterati and their offspring, got it right fashion-wise, although a few short frocks and velvet slacks were in evidence at one of the few remaining black-tie events where long dresses are de rigueur. Seated at one especially glamorous table were Aniko Gaal Schott in a brown tulle by Roberto Cavalli, Sedi Flugelman in Christian Lacroix, Nini Ferguson in Hermes, and Junita Duggan in Evelina Galli. Among the younger set, model Katie Rost stood out in her perfect black and white printed high-waisted chiffon strapless Marchese, as did Samantha Waterman in BCBG, Lindsay Angerholzer in Vera Wang and Margaret Pickron in Carolina Herrera.
Ball chairwoman Melissa Keshishian said she expected the event to raise $500,000 from the 1,000-plus who attended, with proceeds benefiting both the gallery and its College of Art and Design. The honorary patrons, British Ambassador Sir David and Lady Manning, were unable to attend, although the guests comprised an eclectic mix of old and new arts supporters, including Russian Ambassador Yuri Ushakov and wife Svetlana (seen sipping Dom Perignon with Judith Terra, resplendent in a silvery Christian La Croix), Argentine Ambassador Jose Octavio Bordon, developer John T. "Til" Hazel, Bernard and Jane Carl, Bitsey Folger, Albert and Madzy Beveridge, Lolo Sarnoff, Philip and Nina Pillsbury, Franco Nuschese, Vicki and Roger Sant, Philip and Melanne Verveer, Jim Kimsey, D.C. council member David Catania and Women's Committee Chairman Laura Coughlin.