| What exactly is an Oriental rug? | | | | creates all the ranges of blue, even preserves the |
| This is always a good place to start if one is | | | | wool. Usually with vegetable dyes one will see a slight |
| considering a purchase as just this information alone | | | | or not so slight (depending on the skill of the dyer) |
| will give one clarification and insight into what one is | | | | variation in the color itself. |
| seeking. As the countries in the East have always | | | | Also affecting this is the consideration of the wool |
| been considered the Orient, a hand woven rug, made | | | | being used. Handspun wool, being less perfectly spun |
| from wool, silk or cotton, from this part of the world is | | | | will accept the colors of the dyes at different depths |
| the genuine article. A little further delineation could be | | | | of the same shade and will show more variation in |
| made if one also added in Western Europe, Northern | | | | color than machine spun wool. Deeply saturated wool |
| Africa and Russia. I have seen beautiful handmade | | | | will also show less color variation which will only |
| rugs from Romania, Uzbekistan and Egypt as well as | | | | appear after the rug begins to age. This variation of |
| the Caucasus region between the Black Sea and the | | | | color is termed "abrash" and adds a certain artistic |
| Caspian Sea above Iran. The most famous rug | | | | quality and charm if not too pronounced. |
| weaving countries are Iran, Afghanistan, China, | | | | More recently, new production using vegetable dyes |
| Pakistan, India and Turkey. This is a tradition that dates | | | | and hand-spun wool has begun to appear in various |
| back thousands of years. | | | | areas. Started in Turkey in the 1980's by a government |
| The oldest complete rug found in recent times was | | | | sponsored program, Iran quickly followed and now |
| discovered in 1949 in a burial site of a Prince in the | | | | there are a number or areas where these great dyes, |
| Pazarik Valley of the Altai Mountains in Siberia. It was | | | | excellent quality hand-spun wool and traditional designs |
| frozen in permafrost for over 2500 years! The Pazyrk | | | | are being used to create new rugs or more precisely, |
| Carpet is permanently on display at the Hermitage | | | | new works of art! |
| Museum in St. Petersburg. You will find it depicted in | | | | These rugs could easily be the "antiques" of tomorrow |
| the front of almost any rug book in living color. The rug | | | | as the weavers creativity and skill is beautifully brought |
| scholars are still arguing as to where it was woven but | | | | to fruition. |
| the exact same weaving techniques are still in use | | | | Additionally, there is another weaving technique, which |
| today. | | | | is similar to a Navajo rug called a kelim. This rug is |
| Oriental rugs are not made in the Unites States | | | | virtually all warps and wefts as there is no pile. This |
| although we do produce many machine made copies. | | | | also is an Oriental rug but not as time consuming to |
| These would be classified as "Oriental design" rugs. | | | | weave. The patterns on kelims are normally geometric |
| An average 9 x 12 hand woven rug takes a minimum | | | | based designs using large areas of color. These rugs |
| of 3000 hours of weaving, to say nothing of the time | | | | work quite well in contemporary interiors and are often |
| spent on the design, dye preparation, spinning of the | | | | used as wall hangings. Many are quite unique and |
| wool and the setting up of the loom. | | | | beautiful although not as hard wearing as a knotted |
| A Persian rug is an Oriental rug but specifically woven | | | | rug. In the past most of these kelims were woven for |
| in the country of Iran or if an antique (100 years old or | | | | the weaver's own use and have only recently |
| more) woven in the former Persian Empire. | | | | become more common in the marketplace. |
| All Persian rugs ARE Oriental rugs but not all Oriental | | | | What is important in evaluating an Oriental Rug? After |
| rugs are Persian rugs. Hopefully, that makes sense. | | | | my many hundreds of hours spent purchasing rugs for |
| Probably the reason for this classification is the fact | | | | my retail business I have come up with the following |
| that the Persian weavers of the past were always | | | | basics. One of the most important factors in a rug are |
| leaders in design and quality. Proof of this can be | | | | the colors used and their combinations. Following this |
| found in any major museum in the world and is | | | | would be the actual design elements and how they |
| evidenced most thoroughly by the fact that the | | | | are put together. Are they pleasing to the eye? Does |
| majority of designs even today, were originated by | | | | the rug improve as one looks at it? Is there a sense of |
| Persian weavers. | | | | balance and depth? |
| Lets talk about basics. All Oriental rugs are woven on | | | | Another important factor is the quality of the wool. |
| a loom by hand. If made in a small village the loom is | | | | What one wants to avoid is "dead wool" taken off an |
| usually constructed of wood and not perfectly straight | | | | already butchered sheep with a caustic lye type |
| but if made in a professional workshop the loom would | | | | substance. This wool is very dry to the touch, has a |
| most likely be metal and more exactly designed. | | | | dull cast and very inexpensive for the weavers to |
| The loom is strung with vertical threads, which would | | | | purchase. Rugs woven with this type of wool do not |
| be the starting point of any rug. These threads are | | | | wear well and are often sold for next to nothing which |
| called warps and can be of cotton, wool or silk. Tying | | | | is exactly what they are worth. A rug woven with |
| loops around a pair of the warps creates the design | | | | excellent wool can easily survive 50 years or more |
| of the rug. Each knot is tied and individually cut by hand. | | | | with very little wear if cared for properly. |
| One by one, variously colored strands of wool are | | | | Good quality wool will actually improve the more it is |
| used to create the design, one row at a time. After | | | | walked on and will developed an antique patina or |
| one row of knots have been completed, the weft is | | | | sheen that is highly sought after by rug collectors. The |
| then inserted between the just completed row and the | | | | moral of the story is to touch the wool, rub the palm of |
| next one to be done. The wefts function to secure the | | | | your hand across the face of the rugs. Compare it to |
| knots in place and hold the rug together. Some | | | | another rug. It should not feel overly dry or stiff. Pick |
| weavers insert only one row of wefts between the | | | | the rug up by the edge and see how much it weighs! |
| rows of knots, others 2, 3, 4 and more. | | | | A hard wearing rug will have some "body" to it. This of |
| Most weavers are taught to weave at an early age | | | | course, would not apply to silk as the weight of a silk |
| by a family member and the choice of how many | | | | rug is much lighter. Silk will feel cold to the touch and |
| wefts or what type of knot to tie is influenced mainly | | | | will have a distinctive shine! Examine the rug carefully |
| by heritage and location of the weavers. Although | | | | by walking around it and viewing it from every possible |
| many of the former nomadic (pastoral) weavers now | | | | angle. |
| reside in villages their rugs are more often than not a | | | | Glossy wool often reflects light and sometimes on |
| reflection of patterns woven for many generations in | | | | rugs woven with handspun wool you will have a dark |
| their area, each design motif being committed to | | | | and a light side. If the rug is old, one would look for any |
| memory. | | | | signs of moth damage where the pile has been eaten |
| In the professional rug workshops the choice of design | | | | away. With moth eggs on the backside of the rug one |
| styles is normally dictated by the demands of the | | | | will see little white lines. This is not good as the wool on |
| market, either overseas or locally. The warps and | | | | the back may have been eaten so that when one |
| wefts are nearly always cotton or silk and the knot | | | | vacuums the front of the rug, the wool comes out! If |
| count is usually higher than that of village production. In | | | | the rug is new, moth damage would be most unusual |
| rug workshops the weaving is carefully supervised by | | | | and is not a concern. |
| a master weaver who is responsible for every loom | | | | On older rugs one would also look for signs of repairs, |
| under his watchful eye. In these workshops the | | | | such as a patch sewn in to replace a worn area or |
| weavers are following an exact design drawn out on | | | | holes. Also, inspect the rug in the best possible light to |
| graph paper with all color choices predetermined. Tribal | | | | ensure the pile is full as some lazy restorers just paint |
| or village rugs are often woven in the home with many | | | | in the color on worn areas and the rug will have very |
| of the design elements committed to memory. The | | | | little life left in it. If the rug is a great deal and these |
| opportunity for creativity in this arena is much greater. | | | | facts have been indicated beforehand, then fine, but if |
| Tribal rugs often are woven on a wool or cotton | | | | discovered by your own inspection and not indicated, |
| foundation. The "foundation" being another term for the | | | | simply pass on the purchase. |
| warps and the wefts. There are of course exceptions | | | | These beautiful works of art never completely reveal |
| to these general rules but basically these concepts | | | | themselves on first glance but just like the most |
| hold true. | | | | fascinating and unique person you've had the pleasure |
| Prior to the mid 19th century, many of the weaver's | | | | to meet, a good rug will spark your interest and |
| color choices were dictated by the availability of | | | | demand your attention. The longer you gaze upon it, |
| certain plants in their region or what could be obtained | | | | the more it's beauty and many nuances will be |
| by trade. Before the seminal year of 1860, when | | | | revealed. Always take your time when making a |
| chemicle based dyes first appeared on the scene, | | | | purchase and if possible it is usually best to try the rug |
| these plant based dyes were all that were available. | | | | in your home for a day or two. This is called taking the |
| These dyes are called vegetable dyes and have a | | | | rug on approval and any dealer of merit will easily |
| distinct look about them. They age beautifully, work | | | | agree to this in home trial period. |
| harmoniously together and the indigo dye, which | | | | |