ORGANIC RUGS
Sheep are the first stage in carpet making. We call this our Organic Line because from sheep to rug, all the processes are organic and natural. The sheep are hand sheared and the wool is separated initially by colour into beiges, creams, taupes and various shades of brown. Natural washing with water, repeated over and over, removes the accumulated detritus of small sticks, leaves and other material picked up by the sheep while grazing. This process is repeated until the wool is soft, clean and pliable. All the wool yarn in our organic line is handspun by locals, both for
Less is More
Less is More Originally attributed to the German architect Mies van der Rohe, and now much overused, this general notion surely applies to contempo carpets. But what does it really say? The idea is based in a separation of form from embellishment. Suppose we get rid of these distractions and focus on what a carpet should do and how much we like it. We want it to be warm, inviting, something to put our feet upon when we alight from bed. What does a pattern have to do with this? Warm and fluffy is the essence, the colors are just
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions Q1: What qualifies an oriental rug to be an antique? Answer: Antique: 100 years and older. Semi-Antique: 75 to 100 years old. Old: 50 to 75 years old. Semi-Old: 25 to 50 years old. Used: 1 to 25 years old. Q2: How can you tell if a rug is hand-made? Answer: When viewed from the front, hand-made and machine-made rugs can look similar. To get a more in-depth look at how the rug was constructed, look at the back side and fringes. Hand-Made Rugs: The overall design of the rug will be clearly seen on the back
What is meant when a rug is described as ‘antique’?
What is meant when a rug is described as ‘antique’? Technically, it refers to the carpet being at least 100 years old. A rug bearing an authentic date prior to l915 is clearly antique in 2015. Dates are sometimes altered, forged, inserted or otherwise hanky-pankied, and rugs with dates not in accordance with accepted stylistic or typological evolution must be scrutinized. What about carpets not bearing dates or other chronologically definitive inscriptions (i.e., a patron’s or artist’s name whose dates can be independently established)? We must fall back upon general, accumulated knowledge/ trade wisdom. Long experience tells an expert how
Is a Carpet Blog Needed?
Is a carpet blog needed? To inform, To promote. To get a conversation going. To provoke. To question. Taste. Style. Fashion. Overlapping terms, yet different in connotation. Taste is something that can be acquired, not necessarily bought, but gotten through acquisition, exposure, conversation, comparison. Taste can be improved, changed, transferred, expanded. Everybody can have taste, with a little effort. Taste is the mark of a civilized person. Style is different. Not to be confused with in style, see fashion. Style is innate, in born, part of a person’s makeup. You have it or you don’t. You can ‘t buy it,
Sustainability
“Sustainability” is currently a vogue word. A product, process, activity or style is vaunted as sustainable. But what does this mean, especially as it relates to carpets? A product or process is sustainable if it can be repeated into the future without producing cumulative ill effects on the environment, economy or peoples’ lives. So, how and to what degree are oriental rugs a sustainable good? Let us first look at what goes into a rug. There are foundation materials, pile materials and processes involved in putting them all together. The more sustainable the individual components are, the more sustainable is
Things to Know About Rug Repair, Cleaning and Conservation
Rug Repair, Cleaning and Conservation Repair, cleaning and conservation any hand-made rug is a specialized job which requires knowledge of the item and an understanding of the restoration process as to what can and cannot be achieved. Lida Lavender brings her wide knowledge of the subject to this field. For cleaning, she has an excellent team of cleaners for specialized cleaning and stain-removal. During the process of the repair, depending on the extent, Lida will keep a close eye on the progress. Her eye for detail will undoubtedly ensure a first-class result. We will give you an estimate and the
Rugs for Intellectuals
There are so many markets for decorative carpets. One can sort by geography, social class, travel experience, ethnographic background or occupation. But rugs for intellectuals, people who make their livings with their minds rather than their hands. Who are they? Where are they? And what kind of rugs are these? It has been suggested that people of the medical, legal, professorial and political classes, centered in Washington, D.C. and Boston, are the intended market. And the carpets are Heriz in type. Ask a dealer in these places and they will tell you that Heriz, Serapi, Bakshayesh and Goravan carpets do
Spotlight On The Special
Brussels Late 17th Century Tapstry, “Asia” from a Four Continents Series 9ft 4in X 18ft Designed by Lodowijk van Schoor Woven in the Workshop of J. van der Borcht I Wool, Silk and Metal Thread Pattern Wefts This extremely colorful and attractive late Baroque Flemish Tapestry with a popular iconography is the product of two important figures in seventeenth century Brussels weaving. J. van der Borcht I (c.1650 – 1713) was a master weaver and tapestry entrepreneur who established a most distinguished family tapestry firm and was followed by J. van der Borcht II, Jasper van der
Oriental Carpets and Absolutely Current, Up-to-the-minute design trends
Nothing says “traditional” (or almost) as an oriental carpet. Traditional rooms are always visually busy and all too often clutter is the next stage. There is a constant combat, a look at me first, of the furniture and objects. This centrifugal effect needs to be reversed. Nothing unifies better than a room sized carpet. In a recent House Beautiful spread of a suburban Maryland dwelling, we find a living room perfectly integrated by a softly toned late 19th century Tabriz in a huge semi-repeating medallion design in hues of rust, navy, pistachio and beige. The carpet fills the room and
