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