,libraries47          ,,the ,,oriental  
,,rug     ,illustration3    ,,plate ,i4 
,,antique ,,ladik   ,prayer ,rug        
,,from ,,the ,,collection ,,of ,,mr4    
,,george ,h4 ,,ellwanger   ,size3 #c4aj 
x #f       ,,the ,,oriental ,,rug    ,a 
,,monograph ,,on   ,,eastern ,,rugs     
,,and ,,carpets1   ,,saddle-,,bags1     
,,mats  ,,pillows4   ,,with ,a          
,,consideration ,,of ,,kinds   ,,and    
,,classes1 ,,types1 ,,borders1          
,,figures1 ,,dyes1 ,,symbols ,,etc4     
,,together ,,with ,,some ,,practical    
,,advice ,,to ,,collectors4     ,,by ,w4
 ,d4 ,,ellwanger    ,author of   ,a     
,summer ,snowflake     ,,new ,,york3    
,,dodd1 ,,mead  ,,company4   #aiji      
,copyright1 #aijc   ,,by ,,dodd1 ,,mead 
,,and ,,company   ,published ,september1
 #aijc     ,,preface   ,that ,oriental  
rugs are works of art in the highest    
sense of the term1 and that fine antique
 specimens1 of even modest size1 have a 
financial value of ten1 fifteen1 or     
thirty-eight thousand dollars1 has been 

recently determined at public auction4  
,at this auction1 several nations had a 
representative voice in the bidding1 and
 the standard of price was fairly       
established4 ,the value of rugs may have
 been imaginary and sentimental         
heretofore2 it is now a definite fact1  
with figures apparently at the minimum4 
,what the maximum may prove1 remains to 
be seen4  ,choice old rugs1 therefore1  
to-day come into the same class with    
genuine paintings of the old ,dutch     
,school2 with canvases of ,teniers1     
,ruysdael1 ,cuyp1 ,ostade1 or whatever  
similar artist's work may have escaped  
the museums4 ,they vie in prestige with 
the finest examples of ,corot1 ,diaz1   
,troyon1 or ,daubigny2 and in monetary  
supremacy they overtop the rarest and   
grandest of ,chinese porcelains4  ,and  
yet the ,oriental rug1 as against such  
competitors for the wealthy collectors' 
favour1 has hardly a history1 and is    
practically without a name or a         
pedigree4 ,experts will tell you at a   

glance whether or not your ,wouverman is
 genuine1 or inform you where every true
 ,corot was owned or whence it was      
bartered or stolen4 ,in ,chinese        
porcelains1 the knowing dealer will     
easily prove to you not only under what 
dynasty but in what decade or year a    
particular piece was produced4  ,the    
painting has descent1 signature1 or the 
brush mark of a school to father it4    
,the ,chinese vase1 bowl1 or jar has its
 marks1 cyphers1 stamps and dates1 and  
an undoubted genealogy to vouch for its 
authenticity4 ,the rug must speak for   
itself and go upon its intrinsic merits4
 ,it is its own guarantee and           
certificate of artistic and financial   
value4  ,the study of ,oriental rugs1   
therefore1 can never lead to an exact   
science or approximate dogmatic         
knowledge4 ,whoever is interested in    
them must needs rely upon his personal  
judgment or the seller's advice4 ,there 
is practically only one current book    
authority in the premises4  ,a new      

volume on the subject would thus seem to
 be well justified4 ,it is the hope of  
the author that this book may prove     
itself sound and practical1 and that it 
may help to make more clear and simple  
the right appreciation of a valuable    
rug4   ,w4 ,d4 ,,ellwanger  ,,rochester1
 ,n4,y41 #aijc     ,,contents           
,chapter                                
,page       ,i4 ,,the ,,mystery ,,of    
,,the ,,rug                             
#c      ,,ii4 ,,general ,,classification
                              #ac       
,,iii4 ,,of ,,the ,,making1 ,,and ,,of  
,,designs1 ,,borders1 ,,etc4        #ba 
,,iv4 ,,of ,,the ,,dyeing               
#ce       ,v4 ,,of ,,persian ,,rugs1    
,,specifically                       #dc
      ,,vi4 ,,caucasian ,,rugs1         
,,daghestan ,,and ,,russian ,,types     
#fa     ,,vii4 ,,of ,,turkish           
,,varieties                             
#fi    ,,viii4 ,,turkoman ,,or          
,,turkestan ,,rugs                      
#gi      ,,ix4 ,,of ,,oriental          

,,carpets1 ,,saddle-,,bags1 ,,pillows1  
,,etc4     #ic       ,x4 ,,auctions1    
,,auctioneers1 ,,and ,,dealers          
#ajg      ,,xi4 ,,inscriptions ,,and    
,,dates                             #aba
     ,,xii4 ,,general ,,observations    
,,and ,,particular ,,advice         #aca
     ,,list ,,of ,,plates     ,,plate   
,i4 ,,ladik              ,frontispiece  
,,ii4 ,,koniah           ,facing page   
#bb     ,,iii4 ,,kazak                  
#cf      ,,iv4 ,,sehna                  
#dd       ,v4 ,,chichi                  
#ej      ,,vi4 ,,kabistan               
#fb     ,,vii4 ,,gheordez               
#gj    ,,viii4 ,,koulah                 
#gb      ,,ix4 ,,melez                  
#gd       ,x4 ,,beluchistan             
#hj      ,,xi4 ,,anatolian ,,pillows    
#id     ,,xii4 ,,bergama                
#abd     ,the ,oriental ,rug            
,,chapter ,i  ,,the ,,mystery ,,of ,,the
 ,,rug   ,to judge of an ,oriental rug  
rightly1 it must be looked at from      
several points of view1 or1 at least1   

from two aspects2 against the light and 
with the light4 ,from the first         
standpoint1 against the light of        
knowledge1 speaking figuratively1 there 
may be seen only a number of rude and   
awkward figures in crude colours        
scattered erratically on a dark or      
dingy-looking background1 a fringe of   
coarse and ragged strings at either end1
 and rough frays of yarn at the sides4  
,this is what is accepted by many people
 as an ,oriental rug4 ,and indeed this  
is what most rugs are4  ,if1 on the     
other hand1 we view our rugs with the   
light of a better wisdom and happier    
experience1 we will see the richest and 
softest of colours1 the most harmonious 
shadings and blendings1 medallions      
brilliant as jewels1 or geometrical     
designs beautiful as the rose windows of
 a cathedral2 or1 again1 graceful       
combinations of charmingly              
conventionalized flowers and delicate   
traceries and arabesques1--all these    
displaying new glories of ever changing 

and never tiring beauty4 ,each woven    
picture1 too1 is as soft to tread upon  
as a closely mown lawn1 and caresses the
 feet that sink into its pile4 ,these   
are ,oriental rugs as their admirers    
know and love them4  ,perhaps the chief 
charm of all such beautiful rugs is in  
their mystery4 ,their designs are odd   
and strange and full of hidden meanings1
 and their effects are often evolved    
from the crudest and clumsiest figures1 
hooks and squares and angles2 they owe  
their wealth of colour to simple        
vegetable dyes from the woods and fields
 and gardens1 and yet the secret of many
 of these dyes is still a secret1 or has
 long ago been lost4 ,the places whence 
the rugs come1 the people who make them 
and those who sell them1 all are        
mysterious and hard to know and         
understand4  ,moreover1 broadly         
speaking1 there are no experts on the   
subject1 no authorities1 no literature4 
,he who would know them must learn them 
by experience4 ,the rug dealers1 for the

 most part1 seem to treat their wares   
merely as so much merchandise1 and what 
knowledge concerning them they are      
willing to impart is so contradictory as
 to be almost valueless4 ,few of them   
would agree upon the name of an example 
which might be out of the ordinary1 or  
be able to tell where it was made4 ,ask 
of them what a ,mecca is1 and they will 
stammer in their varying answers4 ,and  
yet the ,armenians who handle most of   
the rugs in this country are often      
highly educated1 and fully appreciate   
the beauty of their wares4 ,their taste1
 however1 is not always our taste1 and  
all the ,orientalists seem to retain    
their barbaric fondness for crude and   
startling colours4 ,when we would turn  
to books for information in the matter  
we find that the authorities are not    
many4 ,they might be numbered on your   
fingers and thumbs4 ,these few books1   
moreover1 have been published only in   
limited editions at high prices1 and are
 not easily obtainable4 ,one of the most

 important of such works is the         
sumptuously illustrated1 elephantine    
folio1 issued in ,vienna in #ahib by the
 ,imperial and ,royal ,austrian and     
,commercial ,museum4 ,and1 elaborate as 
this authority is1 the modest editor1 by
 way of apology1 says in the preface    
that no pretensions are made toward     
perfection owing to the little          
information that we can fall back upon4 
,a recent authority on the subject is   
,john ,kimberly ,mumford1 and his volume
 on ,oriental ,rugs1 published in #aijj1
 has thrown much light on the subject4  
,too great praise cannot be given to    
this work and to his later studies in   
the same field4  ,still1 no one knows it
 all1 and the mystery of ,oriental rugs 
only deepens as we try to learn4 ,the   
little that any one may really know of  
them through experience1 through        
questioning and elusive answers1 through
 conversations with obliging and polite 
vendors1 and through foreign travel     
even1 is1 when all is said1 only a      

patchwork of knowledge4 ,consider how   
stupendous and hopeless would be the    
task of one who would dare endeavour to 
analyze1 criticise1 classify1 and       
co-ordinate the paintings of the past   
five centuries1 were no names signed to 
them or no appreciable number of        
pictures painted by the same known      
artist4  ,he who would write of rugs has
 a like condition to face4  ,and alas6  
also1 whoever would write on this       
subject must now treat of it principally
 as history4 ,the characteristic rugs1  
the antique rugs1 the rare specimens1   
are seldom to be bought4 ,they are in   
museums1 or in the hands of collectors  
who hold them in even a tighter fist4   
,twenty years ago the warning was given 
that the choice old rugs were growing   
scarce2 the years following found fewer 
still upon the market4 ,two or three    
years ago one of the largest wholesale  
houses in ,new ,york1 carrying a stock  
of half a million or a million dollars1 
had no antiques to show4 ,in the autumn 

of #aijb1 another large ,new ,york      
importer who had just returned from     
,persia1 ,tiflis1 and ,constantinople   
admitted that he had not brought back   
one valuable antique piece4             
,nevertheless1 the true enthusiast need 
not be discouraged4 ,from wandering     
dealers1 in odd corners1 at the         
unexpected or by chance1 one may happen 
on a choice specimen4  ,the very word   
,persian is a synonym for opulence1     
splendour1 gorgeousness2 and ,oriental  
means beauty and wonder and the magic of
 the ,arabian ,nights4 ,from the        
,aladdin's cave of the mystical ,east1  
therefore1 we may still hope to gather  
treasure and spoil4     ,,chapter ,,ii  
,,general ,,classification   ,most of   
the rugs of commerce in this country    
come from ,persia1 ,turkey1 ,asia       
,minor1 ,turkestan1 the southern part of
 ,russia1 ,afghanistan1 and             
,beluchistan2 a few also from ,india4   
,the rugs are named from the provinces  
or cities where they are woven1 and to  

the uninitiated1 the names seem to have 
been as fearfully and wonderfully made  
as the rugs themselves4 ,they are       
spelled one way on the maps and every   
other way in catalogues and             
advertisements4 ,in enumerating the most
 familiar ones it may be well to write  
their names as nearly phonetically and  
conventionally as possible4 ,a few rugs 
have trade appellations only1 without   
regard to topography2 and1 often1       
unknown towns are called into           
requisition for fanciful titles to      
please the purchaser4  ,of course the   
names of rugs may mean nothing to your  
man-of-all-work1 whose duty it is to    
chastise them upon the lawn4 ,but there 
is poetry in the names of the roses1 and
 you cannot half enjoy their beauty     
unless you know a ,mabel ,morrison from 
the ,baroness ,rothschild2 ,cecile      
,brunner from the ,earl of ,dufferin2 or
 can give the proper rank and title to  
,captain ,christy1 ,general             
,jacqueminot1 and ,marechal ,niel4 ,and 

who would dare to talk of laces that    
could not give a ,french or ,dutch or   
,irish name to them8 ,or1 when painted  
pictures instead of woven ones were     
under discussion1 who would venture to  
admit that he had heard for the first   
time the names of some of the ,old      
,masters1 or did not know any of the    
,flemish ,school1 or could not at least 
touch his hat to a ,gainsborough or a   
,romney8 ,there were old masters in wool
 as well as on canvas1 as the ,gheordez 
rugs most particularly prove1 and though
 the artists' signatures are missing or 
meaningless1 their classification is    
important4 ,once learned1 and then      
difficult to remember withal1 rugs      
answer to their names like old and      
familiar friends4 ,if ,homer catalogued 
the ships1 surely the masterpieces of   
the ,eastern loom are worthy of brief   
nomenclature4  ,the ,persians come      
first1 and perhaps in the following     
order of excellence3 ,kirman1 ,sehna1   
,kurdistan1 ,khorassan1 ,serabend1      

,youraghan1 ,joshghan 7,tjoshghan71     
,feraghan1 ,shiraz1 ,gulistan1 ,mousul1 
etc4 ,the rug dealers frequently speak  
of a ,persian ,iran1 but as ,iran is the
 native expression for ,persia1 the name
 is as tautological as are the dealer's 
laudatory adjectives4 ,so far as the    
term ,iran can be differentiated1 it is 
now applied with some propriety to rare 
old ,persian rugs of fine weave only1   
whose proper name may be in doubt4      
,among the ,turkish rugs1 which are     
mainly those from ,asia ,minor1 the     
,yourdez 7or ,gheordez71 the ,koulahs1  
,koniahs1 and ,ladiks are by far the    
finest1 and then come the ,bergamas1    
vying often for like high honour1 the   
,melez1 and many others which are       
vaguely classed as ,anatolians4  ,from  
,turkestan come the numerous ,bokharas  
and the more uncommon ,samarkands2 from 
,afghanistan1 the ,afghans and the      
,khiva1 and ,yamoud-,bokharas4 ,but the 
two rugs last named seem to have a      
doubtful paternity1 and should perhaps  

be classed with the other ,bokharas4    
,beluchistan sends but one type1 which  
is generally unmistakable1 although     
,afghans1 ,bokharas1 and ,beluchistans  
all have a family likeness4  ,to        
,caucasia in ,russia are credited the   
,kabistans1 ,shirvans1 ,chichis         
7,tzi-tzis71 ,darbends1 ,karabaghs1     
,kazaks1 and ,gengias1 also the         
,soumacs1 or so-called ,cashmeres4 ,the 
first four of these are somewhat similar
 in character1 and not many years ago   
were generally sold in this country     
under the indiscriminate title of       
,daghestans4 ,we are more specific in   
our knowledge now1 and can classify and 
differentiate an old ,baku rug1 or a    
,kuba1 which is a ,kubistan1 and        
therefore what we used to call an       
antique ,kabistan4  ,india provides us  
only with some fine large carpets mostly
 of modern make1 and also with many     
imitations of ,persian rugs1 made in    
part by machinery like the current      
substitute for a ,turkish towel4        

,,chapter ,,iii  ,,of ,,the ,,making1   
,,of ,,designs1 ,,borders1 ,,etc4       
,illustration  ,illustration3 ,serabend 
,border   ,in order to appreciate the   
beauty of rugs1 it is well to remember  
how they are made1 and with what        
infinite patience the bits of wool are  
knotted onto the warp one after another1
 knot upon knot and tie after tie1 until
 the perfect piece is finished4 ,yet1   
no6 ,finished it may be1 but never      
perfect4 ,deliberately1 if necessary1 it
 must show some defect1 in proof that   
,allah alone is perfect4 ,such at least 
is the poetical version of a crooked rug
 as the seller tells it4 ,yet never was 
a vendor but will expatiate fluently on 
the merits of a rug which lies true and 
straight and flat upon the floor1 as a  
good rug should4 ,it is a common sight  
nowadays in shop windows to see some    
wandering artisan plying his trade for  
the edification of the passer-by4 ,in   
his own home it is generally a woman who
 does the weaving1 and very commonly the

 whole family take part in it4 ,more    
often still the rugs were woven by an   
,oriental maid for her prospective      
dowry1 and the practice yet obtains4 ,a 
specimen of her handicraft in textile   
art was a bride's portion and marriage  
gift2 it was considered as essential to 
the proceedings as the modern trousseau4
 ,this offering was a work of love and  
often a work of years4 ,it is but       
natural1 under such circumstances1 with 
dreams1 hopes1 and fancies for          
inspiration1 and the stimulus of        
rivalry1 too1 that masterpieces should  
result4 ,these ,eastern marriage        
portions correspond to the linen chest  
of our ancestral ,puritan ,priscillas2  
and similar customs now survive in many 
countries4 ,except that the             
accomplishment of the ,oriental maiden  
is so much more important1 it might also
 be compared to the beadwork so         
diligently done by our grandmothers4 ,if
 the ,persian bride gave infinite toil  
and pains to innumerable knots and ties1

 our belles of the last century were    
also unwearying in their tasks1 and     
strung more and smaller beads than any  
would care to count or finger now4 ,the 
designs on these bead-bags were mostly  
crude and homely1 and their art was very
 simple4 ,but though the handiwork of   
the ,orientals was expended in a better 
cause with worthier skill1 both linen   
and wool1 and even beads1 bespoke a     
labour of love in such employments2     
which1 alas6 is out of date to-day4     
,rugs of this character1 gathered from  
house to house1 together with some few  
stolen from mosque or palace1 were the  
first ripe spoils of twenty years ago4  
,of course the supply was soon          
exhausted4 ,it is an interesting        
question whether it might not be        
possible1 in the ,east1 to revive this  
high class of work among the girls4     
,instead of establishing great factories
 for machine-made products from set     
designs1 could not the most skilful of  
the girls be induced by good prices to  

create original pieces and rejuvenate   
the old art8   ,illustration3    ,,plate
 ,,ii4   ,,antique ,,koniah   ,prayer   
,rug   ,,from ,,the ,,collection ,,of   
,,mr4 ,,george ,h4 ,,ellwanger   ,size3 
#c4e x #d4g  ,illustration3 ,persian1   
,caucasian  ,illustration3 ,feraghan    
,leaf ,design  ,illustration3 ,rhodian  
or ,lily ,border   ,the method of       
weaving is most simple4 ,the warp is    
stretched on a rude wooden frame1 and   
this warp is either wool1 linen1 or     
cotton4 ,the knotting is begun at the   
bottom and worked from right to left4 ,a
 bit of woollen yarn about two inches   
long is deftly twisted between the      
strands of the warp1 then tied in a     
secure knot1 and the ends left as they  
are4 ,this knot of yarn is then secured 
in place by one or more twists of the   
end of the warp1 and then another knot  
of yarn is tied and the process repeated
 ad infinitum until the bottom row is   
finished and another row begun4 ,not    
till the rug is all made are the ends of

 the knots cut1 according to the length 
of nap desired4 ,such1 at least1 was the
 original method1 although the various  
knots are all a mystery to any but the  
initiated1 by whom they are generally   
classified as two only4 ,when one square
 inch of rug is completed1 according to 
the quality of the rug and the          
coarseness or fineness of the yarn1     
there have been thus laboriously tied   
from one hundred to five hundred knots1 
not uncommonly a thousand and more in   
some museum pieces4 ,and all this while 
the weaver is working with his brains as
 well as with his fingers and keeping   
true to the design and colour scheme    
which he carries only in his head4      
,except in the few intentioned copies1  
specially made1 they had formerly no    
patterns to follow4 ,each particular    
weaver1 however1 was wont to keep to the
 general design and colouring which     
distinguished his particular locality4  
,illustration3 ,koniah ,field           
,illustration3 ,koulah ,border   ,of    

designs it may be said1 generally1 that 
they were originally individual         
trademarks1 and1 of themselves1 stamped 
the locality of their weavers4 ,later1  
as knowledge and civilization spread and
 tribe grew to communicate with tribe   
and nation with nation1 local designs   
came to be used indiscriminately4 ,for  
example1 you will find in the           
semi-antique ,feraghans or ,shiraz1 or  
,kiz-,killims as well1 the distinctive  
and unmistakable ,sehna models4 ,on the 
other hand1 certain definite1 primal1   
and unchanged designs1 both in the field
 and border1 mark some rugs absolutely  
and exclusively2 as the ,bokharas and   
,afghans4 ,in many1 their classification
 is fixed1 or at least approximated1    
rather by their borders than by the     
figuring of their fields4 ,there are    
many border designs surely determining  
their origin and the region to which    
they properly belong4 ,these borders may
 have been borrowed or stolen1 or may   
have naturally spread to other regions1 

even in the old time2 and they may be   
adapted to various other makes to-day4  
,their evident individuality of design  
tells its own history just the same4    
,it is not difficult to master the      
characteristic features of the borders  
of many types2 and1 once known1 they    
make a fair foundation of knowledge for 
the collector4 ,they are often truer and
 safer guides to classification than are
 the designs of centre or field4        
,indeed1 the study of borders1 inner1   
middle1 and outer borders1 and borders  
characteristic1 modified1 or exceptional
 would make a book of wondrous artistic 
interest and beauty of design4 ,even the
 item of selvedge1 particularly in the  
,beluchistans1 shows great skill in     
colouring and pattern4   ,illustration3 
,turtle ,border   ,the consideration of 
characteristic patterns in field and    
border is so involved with verbal       
description and specification in the    
various classes of rugs that an attempt 
at complete pictorial illustration of   

such figures in their proper place is   
practically impossible4 ,a few          
reproductions are shown in this chapter 
which may serve as examples4 ,some of   
them are more particularly considered   
elsewhere in the text1 as reference may 
show4   ,illustration3 ,crab ,border    
,illustration   ,the ,serabend border is
 referred to on p4 #ej1 and is quite    
unmistakable2 and the ,persian border   
7p4 #bc7 is familiar to every one1 and  
appears frequently on ,caucasian rugs of
 every quality and every age4 ,the      
,feraghan leaf design is noticed on p4  
#eb1 and wherever used in the drawing1  
determines its class as absolutely as   
any figure may4 ,the ,rhodian border is 
referred to more particularly on p4 #gb1
 and the ,koniah design and ,koulah     
border are described in their proper    
place1 p4 #gb4 ,other ,persian borders  
are most interesting1 although they may 
not particularize any class or locality4
 ,such are the turtle and crab borders  
7pp4 #bh and #bi71 and the lobster      

design1 at the head of this page4 ,the  
origin of these strange forms of        
ornament as applied to carpet-weaving   
adds only another mystery to the        
subject4 ,but dyes were derived not only
 from leaves and roots1 but also from   
insects1 molluscs1 and crustaceans4 ,it 
must be that the origin of the colour   
originally suggested these symbols of   
marine or insect life for decorative    
effect4 ,the more they were used1       
however1 the more conventionalized and  
meaningless they appear1 recent weavers 
not appreciating what they represented4 
,old pieces show more clearly the       
evident model4 ,but old pieces also     
often show original creations in border 
and design1 far more artistic than the  
usual types4 ,the ,kazak border of the  
titlepage is an example4 ,the           
discriminating collector1 when a choice 
offers1 will do well to avoid the       
commonplace4   ,illustration            
,,chapter ,,iv  ,,of ,,the ,,dyeing     
,the dye1 the tone1 the richness1 and   

colour value of a rug was1 and still is1
 an essential characteristic of the     
weaving of each class and region2 and it
 was formerly not only essential but    
exclusive1 the dyes being often trade   
secrets or1 more truly said1 tribe      
secrets4  ,of course every one knows    
that the colouring of the yarn of the   
best ,oriental rugs is derived only from
 vegetable or animal dyes1 and to this  
is due their beauty and durability4 ,it 
may be noted also1 in parenthesis1 that 
it is the yarn and not the wool that is 
dyed4 ,alas1 that modern weavers1       
,oriental and ,occidental1 have learned 
to substitute mineral or aniline dyes6  
,these not only destroy the wool and    
fade badly1 but when the fabric is      
cleaned or wet by any chance the colours
 run1 and leave their stains and        
blemishes4 ,of course1 too1 they fail to
 give the richness1 depth1 and lustre of
 the good old method4 ,generally1 their 
manifest crudity bespeaks the poor      
quality and coarseness of their make4   

,some vegetable dyes also fade1 but they
 fade only into softer and more pleasing
 shades1 and more delicate and          
harmonious blendings1 as witness1 in    
many antiques1 the soft and beautiful   
tones of pink1 salmon1 and fawn which   
come from raw magentas1 as the back of  
the rug will prove4 ,but that magenta   
dye was of the old school4 ,modern      
magentas seem never to fade away        
gracefully and becomingly4 ,it must be  
noted1 however1 while speaking of the   
dyes used in the fine old rugs and in   
the best rugs of to-day1 that for one or
 two colours resort was1 and is1 had to 
mineral dyes4 ,many of the best old     
,turkish specimens have thus suffered in
 their blacks and browns1 and many a    
museum exhibit is eaten to the warp     
where these colours occur4 ,it may be   
well to remember this1 as some varieties
 of ,mousul and of ,turkish weave1 thus 
worn to the warp in spots1 leaving the  
other figures raised and in relief1 are 
palmed off on the innocent purchaser as 

rare1 embossed pieces4 ,iron pyrites is 
the mineral from which these black dyes 
are made1 and some ,turkish weavers seem
 to know no vegetable black or brown4   
,in some of the best ,persians1         
,serabends particularly1 the green which
 is used in the borders has the same    
fault as the ,turkish blacks and browns2
 and if it does not fade away suddenly  
like the grass1 at least it leaves the  
nap cut down1 dried up1 and withered4   
,illustration3    ,,plate ,,iii4        
,,antique ,,kazak   ,,from ,,the        
,,collection ,,of ,,mr4 ,,erickson      
,,perkins   ,size3 #e4i x #g4b   ,the   
subject of the various dyes might be    
extended to a separate monograph1 for   
really the whole history of rug making  
depends upon the dyes used4 ,the day    
that the aniline1 petroleum dyes came   
into use doomed the perfect making of   
carpet or rug2 and not all the strictest
 laws of the ,medes and ,persians--which
 is to say1 the ,shah of ,persia--have  
availed to prevent the use of the       

mineral dyes1 and the complete          
demoralization of modern weaving4 ,you  
may find even in choice1 closely woven1 
artistic ,shirvans and ,kabistans of    
fifteen and twenty years ago some few   
figures in certain colours which are    
clearly and manifestly aniline4 ,they   
are the strong reds and especially the  
bright orange4 ,and in some modern      
,kurdistans1 which should be free from  
guile1 a few figures betray the same    
telltale glaring media4 ,used with a    
sparing hand1 as they are1 they do not  
ruin a rug1 but they are none the less a
 blotch upon its fair repute4 ,the      
theory is1 so far as concerns the new   
,kurdistans1 for instance1 that these   
few mineral dyes are bought by the      
weavers from some traveller or agent by 
chance and inadvertently1 and without   
knowledge of their character4 ,otherwise
 they would hardly be used for a few    
figures in a finely woven piece1 where  
all the other dyes are vegetable4  ,one 
expert ,armenian has a sure test for    

mineral dyes in his tongue4 ,when in    
doubt he cuts a bit of wool from the    
rug1 nibbles it a minute or so1 and then
 pronounces his sure verdict4 ,but the  
test is a delicate one1 and the fruit of
 knowledge is1 presumably1 bitter4      
,again1 in speaking of colours and      
shadings1 it may be interesting to know 
why solid colours so often come in      
streaks1 changing abruptly1 for         
instance1 from dark blue to light blue1 
or dark red to light red4 ,you may have 
any of several explanations3 that the   
weaver1 dipping his wool into the dye1  
stopped1 for any trivial word or        
interruption1 and the wool took on a    
stronger hue2 or1 that another hand or  
one of the women or children took up the
 work2 or1 again1 that the plant1 from  
which he bruised that particular hue1   
gave out in his back garden4 ,any of    
these reasons may be right4 ,but the    
more credible one is to believe that the
 artistic weaver knew how effective is  
this change of colour1 and what a       

pleasing1 changing1 varying light and   
shade it gives to his masterpiece4      
,,chapter ,v  ,,of ,,persian ,,rugs1    
,,specifically   ,to describe in detail 
the characteristics of all the classes  
of rugs and carpets that have been      
mentioned would be hardly possible1 even
 with a hundred object lessons4 ,the    
peculiar features of some of them1      
however1 may be noted4 ,but first be it 
observed that the term antique as       
applied to rugs is generally sadly      
abused4 ,a rug is not beautiful simply  
because it is old4 ,it must have been   
fine when new1 it must have been        
carefully preserved1 and it must rejoice
 in a ripe old age4 ,time must have     
dealt kindly with it1 and only softened 
and mellowed its original beauties4 ,let
 the antiques which are but rags and    
tatters1 however valuable for their     
design1 hang in the museums1 where they 
belong6 ,the only merit of one of these 
genuine remnants of three or four       
centuries ago is in their originality of

 design4 ,they were creations and not   
imitations1 and made by true artists and
 not merely skilled weavers4 ,choose    
you1 instead1 a more modern rug of fine 
quality which will improve from year to 
year as long as you may live to enjoy   
it4  ,it may also be premised that the  
sizes of rugs run from about three feet 
to six feet wide by four to ten feet    
long4 ,few rugs approach squareness1 and
 rugs wider than seven or eight feet are
 classed as carpets4  ,some of the most 
beautiful pieces used to come1 and still
 do1 in the form of strips1 hall rugs1  
or stair rugs1 according to trade       
parlance4 ,they are worthy of a better  
name1 which is their ,persian term1     
,kinari4 ,they were made in pairs to    
complete the carpeting of a ,persian    
room1 being placed on either side of a  
centre rug1 with two shorter strips at  
the top and bottom4 ,more fine specimens
 of these long strips are now to be     
found than of smaller sizes1 and they   
should not be neglected by the          

collector4 ,by artistic arrangement and 
device they will accommodate themselves 
to almost any house1 somewhere1 and few 
choicer prizes can be bought to-day4    
,illustration3    ,,plate ,,iv4         
,,antique ,,sehna   ,,from ,,the        
,,collection ,,of ,,the ,,author        
,size3 #b4d x #c4a  ,this is apparently 
one side of a pillow4 ,the other side1  
which is also in the possession of the  
author1 is exactly similar1 except that 
the colours are reversed1 the medallion 
being red and the corners blue4 ,this   
mat has #cc to #cf knots to the running 
inch1 making over #a1jjj to the square  
inch1 or more than a million knots in   
the small piece4   ,the ,persians are   
eminently the best rugs to buy4 ,they   
are usually finer and more closely woven
 than the others1 and more graceful in  
design1 and seem to show a more refined 
and aristocratic art4 ,the ,kirmans     
would be the first choice1 and are to   
the rug dealer what diamonds are to the 
jeweller1 a staple article which he must

 keep in stock1 and which finds a ready 
sale4 ,but even were it possible to buy 
a true diamond ,kirman1 the very        
catholicity of taste to which diamonds  
and ,kirmans appeal detract from their  
merit in the eyes of those who seek for 
more individuality4 ,for the new        
,kirmans1 fine1 soft1 and clean as they 
look1 are all very much alike1 and      
mostly copies or variations of a few    
particular antique forms1 with a        
floriated medallion in the centre1 or a 
full floriated panel1 and floriated     
corners4 ,a familiar design is a vase of
 flowers in graceful spread1 with birds 
perching on the sprays4 ,or1 again1 they
 show some adaptation of the tree of    
life4 ,this symbolical figure appears in
 many forms1 now denuded of its leaves  
like the barren fig tree1 and covering  
the whole rug1 and now in smaller form  
as the cypress tree1 or the sacred      
cocos1 three or more to each rug1 in    
full foliage and looking for all the    
world like certain wooden fir trees4 ,it

 needs only the combination of these    
trees with the stiff wooden animals1 far
 more wonderful than ,noah ever knew1   
and tiny human figures1 which might be  
,shem1 ,ham1 and ,japhet1 all of which  
adorn these rugs1 to remind one of the  
,noah's ark of childhood4               
,representations of birds1 men1 and     
animals never appear on ,turkish rugs1  
the explanation being that the ,turks1  
as ,sunna ,mohammedans1 the orthodox    
sect1 are opposed to them on religious  
grounds2 while the ,shiites1 the        
prevailing sect in ,persia1 have no such
 scruples4  ,but before leaving the     
subject of the ,kirmans1 be it well     
understood1 by the wise and prudent1    
that not one out of a thousand1 or      
indeed ten thousand1 of those on the    
market to-day 7and they are as common as
 door-mats7 has any pretence to         
genuineness4 ,they are faked in every   
way4 ,they are washed with chemicals to 
give them their soft colourings1 they   
are made by wholesale and1 it is said1  

in part by machinery1 and they are no   
more an ,oriental rug than is a roll of 
,brussels carpet or an admitted ,new    
,jersey product4 ,to the credit of whom 
it may concern1 it must be stated that  
the dipping1 washing1 and artificial    
aging of these commercial pieces is     
mostly done by cunning adepts in ,persia
 before their works of art are exported4
 ,only an expert's advice should be     
relied on in buying a ,kirman1 to-day1  
and even that should have a good        
endorser4 ,the distinction between      
,kirmans and ,kirmanshahs was founded in
 fact and was important4 ,but the latter
 term as now used in the trade is only  
poetical4 ,it is the same new ,kirman   
euphemized4 ,no other rugs except silk  
rugs1 which come under the same ban1    
have proved such a profitable swindle to
 unscrupulous and ignorant vendors1 and 
have given a bad name to the dealers who
 try to be honest in their calling4     
,the ,sehnas are highly prized by the   
,orientals and ,occidentals4 ,old       

examples are uncommon and are very      
choice4 ,their fabric gives to the touch
 the sense of frosted velvet4 ,they     
reveal the ,meissoniers of ,oriental    
art1 says a writer on the subject4 ,some
 of these come in very small sizes1 like
 mats1 two feet by three4 ,they have a  
diamond design1 the centre being a      
graceful floriated medallion on a       
background of cream1 yellow1 red1 or    
green1 with floriation at the corners1  
making the diamond4 ,they are the most  
exquisite of ,persian gems1 and are     
further considered in another chapter4  
,the ,sehnas have the nap cut very      
close1 wellnigh to the warp1 and are    
therefore often too thin for utility4   
,they do not lie well on the floor1 and 
by reason of their short nap look cold  
and lack richness and lustre4 ,if you   
can find a choice one1 however1 and if1 
happily1 as sometimes occurs1 it may    
have a little depth of nap1 you will own
 a pearl of great price4  ,the          
,khorassans are very soft and thick4    

,they generally show the palm-leaf or   
loop design in their borders1 and are   
altogether desirable4 ,their colouring  
almost always inclines to magenta1 but  
time subdues this to a delicate rose4   
,time has also subdued most of the      
specimens offered1 to the sad detriment 
of their edges and ends4 ,the ends are  
very seldom perfect1 and age seems to   
bite into the borders of the ,khorassans
 with a strange and voracious appetite4 
,it is well to consider these defects in
 your choosing4  ,the ,serabends and    
their class have one border peculiar to 
themselves and a centre of double1      
triple1 or multiple diamonds in outline1
 in which are scattered irregular rows  
of small figures1 generally palm leaves1
 so called4 ,this peculiar figure has   
three or four different names1 the palm 
leaf1 the pear1 the loop1 etc4 ,it was  
originally worked into the fabric of the
 finest ,cashmere shawls1 and represents
 the loop which the river ,indus makes  
on the vast plain in upper ,cashmere1 as

 seen from the mosque there1 to which   
thousands made their pilgrimage4 ,it was
 thus intended as a most sacred symbol  
and reminder4 ,the ,serabends are firm  
in texture1 lie well1 and are most      
satisfactory4 ,sometimes1 however1 the  
green in them shows the faults of an    
aniline dye4 ,their designs are peculiar
 to themselves1 but never become        
monotonous4 ,the palm-leaf pattern is of
 course common to many kinds of rugs4   
,but the varieties in the form and size 
of it are infinite4    ,illustration3   
,,plate ,v4   ,,chichi   ,about forty   
years old   ,,from ,,the ,,collection   
,,of ,,the ,,author   ,size3 #c4f x     
#e4aj   ,the ,shiraz rugs are warm in   
colour1 lustrous1 but rather loosely    
woven4 ,many of them show the shawl     
pattern1 small horizontal or diagonal   
stripes4 ,these striped rugs1 however1  
are always wavering and irregular in    
design and soon tire the eye4 ,they are 
well passed by4 ,reproductions of the   
old ,shiraz designs with the centre     

field filled with innumerable odd1 small
 figures used to be common a few years  
ago4 ,they were very rich and handsome4 
,almost all of them1 however1 have the  
great defect of being crooked4 ,they    
will puff up here or there1 and1 pat1   
pull1 or pet them as you may1 it is     
hopeless to try to straighten them4     
,they are frequently called ,mecca rugs1
 on the generally accepted statement    
that these are the rugs usually chosen  
to make the pilgrimage to that shrine4  
,the ,youraghans and ,joshghans         
7,tjoshghans7 possess the general       
excellences of the best ,persians1 but  
they are not commonly seen4 ,the        
,joshghans will show in their field a   
light lattice-work design with          
conventionalized roses1 or graceful     
diaperings and patternings1 of the      
four-petalled or six-petalled rose4 ,the
 ,persian rose is single1 of course1 and
 appears in many simple forms4 ,the     
,joshghans might be the prototypes of   
some of the old ,kubas or ,kabistans1   

except that floriation was replaced by  
tiling and mosaic work in the ,daghestan
 region4  ,the ,feraghans are not as    
finely woven as the ,serabends1 and on  
that account1 primarily1 yield to them  
in excellence4 ,but old ,feraghans often
 come in smaller sizes than the         
,serabends and in more desirable        
proportions4 ,on the other hand1 while  
,feraghans are generally of a firmer    
quality1 there are also antique         
,serabends heavy and silky4 ,between the
 two it would be little more than to    
choose the better specimen4 ,while the  
,feraghans have no accepted border to   
distinguish them1 they have a most      
marked characteristic in the decoration 
of the field4 ,it is a figure like a    
crescent1 toothed inside2 it might be a 
segment of a melon4 ,but more than      
likely it was originally a curled-up    
rose leaf2 for the rose1 variously      
conventionalized1 is most common to this
 class4 ,there is generally an          
indication of a trellis1 on which the   

roses are formally spread4 ,but the     
curled leaf is almost always in         
evidence1 however varied or angular it  
may be drawn4  ,the ,persian ,mousuls   
are perhaps the best rugs now to be had 
for moderate prices4 ,the region where  
they are made1 being partly ,turkish and
 partly ,persian1 gives them some of the
 characteristics of each nation4 ,but   
the choice ones are always offered as   
,persian2 and the designs of most of    
them are distinctively of that country1 
with frequent use of ,serabend borders1 
,feraghan figures1 etc4 ,their centre   
field sometimes contains bold           
medallions1 but generally it is filled  
with palm-leaf or similar small designs1
 which in themselves are quite          
monotonous1 except as they are          
diversified and made beautiful by       
graduated changes of colour in both the 
figures and background4 ,sometimes these
 streaks of varying colour make too     
strong a contrast1 but generally they   
shade into each other most harmoniously1

 and1 the nap being heavy and the wool  
fine1 these rugs are eminently lustrous 
and silky4 ,they have no rivals in this 
regard except among the ,beluchistans   
and treasured ,kazaks4 ,as you walk     
around them they glow in lights and     
shades like a ,cabochon emerald4 ,one of
 their distinguishing designs is a very 
conventionalized cluster of four roses1 
the whole figure being about the bigness
 of a small hand4 ,there is a rose at   
top and bottom and one on either side1  
with conventionalized leaves to give    
grace4 ,the design is recognizable at a 
glance1 and is wellnigh as old as       
,persia4 ,for the rose is conceded to be
 ,oriental in origin1 and if it is not  
primarily a ,persian flower1 it belongs 
surely to her by virtue of first        
adoption4#a  ,the designation of certain
 rugs as ,kurdish or ,kurdistan has been
 used indiscriminately1 yet they are by 
no means the same1 and between the two  
classes is a well-marked distinction    
which should be recognized4 ,kurdistan  

is a large province in northern ,persia1
 with a protectorate government both    
,turkish and ,persian1 and with the     
,turkish inhabitants in the ratio of    
about two to one1 according to the      
geographers4 ,the ,kurds constitute only
 a small but most important part of the 
population4 ,they are generally spoken  
of as a nomadic tribe1 or more          
frequently as that band of robbers1 the 
,kurds4 ,regardless1 however1 of their  
morals or habits1 by them are made      
characteristic1 coarse1 strong1 and     
often superb rugs which are properly    
called ,kurdish4 ,on the other hand1 the
 ,persians in ,kurdistan make a finer   
class of rugs and carpets1 which are    
known as ,kurdistans4 ,these latter have
 been praised by an eminent authority as
 the best rugs now made in ,persia and  
perhaps in the ,east4 ,they are         
certainly bold and splendid in design1  
beautiful in colouring1 and of great    
strength and durability4  ,the          
,gulistans are thick1 heavy1 and        

handsome1 with striking designs1        
frequently like the flukes of an anchor1
 on a light ground4 ,they are not common
 now even in modern weaving4  ,there are
 many other ,persian rugs which might be
 further specialized and considered4    
,but such old commercial names as       
,teheran1 ,ispahan1 etc41 can in fact   
only be differentiated by an expert2 and
 when experts disagree1 as will         
frequently occur1 and when they are at a
 loss to decide whether an important    
specimen is an ,ispahan or a ,joshghan1 
classification becomes obscure to the   
layman and even to the collector2 and he
 will wisely avoid the complexities of  
such discussion4 ,so1 also1 ,sarak rugs 
are rarely seen now save in modern      
reproductions1 and must be passed by    
with the same criticisms as apply to the
 new-made ,tabriz4     ,,chapter ,,vi   
,,caucasian ,,rugs1 ,,daghestan ,,and   
,,russian ,,types   ,the ,daghestan rugs
 of ,caucasia are only second in        
importance to those from ,persian looms4

 ,an opinion is reserved1 nevertheless1 
regarding antique ,turkish weaves1 which
 are hereinafter considered4  ,if       
history does not satisfactorily prove   
that the ,caucasus was originally the   
northern part of ,persia 7as may have   
been1 under ,cyrus71 ,persian dominance 
and influence may be demonstrated1 in   
textile art1 by rug borders1 patterns1  
and designs4 ,the ,shirvans1 ,kabistans1
 ,chichis1 ,darbends1 ,karabaghs1 all   
exhibit pronounced ,persian             
characteristics1 and show the           
educational power of the mother country 
of this handicraft4 ,fineness of weave1 
delicacy of hue1 and chaste simplicity  
of design are distinguishing features of
 this group4 ,but1 as contrasted with   
the ,persian patterns1 the ,persians use
 for their detail roses1 flowers1 palm  
leaves1 etc41 while the ,caucasians gain
 similar effects from geometrical       
figures1 angles1 stars1 squares1 and    
hexagons1 with small tilings1 mosaics1  
and trellisings4 ,the true and the      

beautiful was never better demonstrated 
by ,euclid through angle1 square1 or    
hypothenuse4 ,an old ,chichi rug1 like a
 drawing of ,tenniel's1 will prove what 
grace may come without a curve and by   
angles only4  ,it is unfortunate that   
the best rugs of the ,caucasus come from
 the large province of ,daghestan1 and  
that that general term is applied to    
them indiscriminately4 ,twenty or more  
years ago most of the ,oriental rugs    
which were sold here to an uneducated   
and unappreciative public came by way of
 ,tiflis1 and for lack of knowledge were
 all branded with the common name of    
,daghestan4 ,thousands of beautiful     
,kabistans1 ,shirvans1 ,bakus1 etc41    
were then sold for a song under the one 
arbitrary title4 ,they would be         
priceless to-day1 and yet the former    
commercial1 vulgar use of the name      
leaves it in undeserved disrepute4 ,as  
used in this chapter1 it is intended to 
mark a distinction between certain of   
the ,caucasian types1 which it properly 

represents1 and the ,russian types from 
the same region1 which are illustrated  
in the ,kazaks and ,yourucks4           
,illustration3    ,,plate ,,vi4         
,,kabistan   ,thirty or forty years old 
,,from ,,the ,,collection ,,of ,,the    
,,author   ,size3 #d4e x #e4f   ,what   
may have become of all the fine         
,kabistans1 which were forced upon the  
market years ago1 is a question4 ,are   
they all worn to rags and lost to the   
world8 ,or do they still turn up at     
chance household auctions8 ,many fine   
specimens may be so discovered1 dirty1  
disguised1 and disreputable1 but easily 
reclaimable and made anew by washing4   
,there is a theory1 also1 that many     
choice pieces came to ,san ,francisco in
 the 'seventies and 'eighties1 and are  
lost to sight and memory somewhere in   
,california4 ,a collector might well    
explore this home field4  ,too great    
praise cannot be given to the old       
,shirvans1 with their palace or sunburst
 pattern2 to the ,chichis1 with their   

mosaic work1 worthy of ,saint ,mark's   
,cathedral2 to the ,karabaghs1 with     
their flaming reds2 or to the           
,kabistans1 with their soft1 light tones
 of colour1 made softer still in        
contrast with ivory and creamy white4   
,these are the despised ,daghestans     
which were1 and for which the collector 
may now vainly search abroad4  ,it is   
not always easy to distinguish between  
an old--or middle-aged1 may we          
say8--,shirvan or ,kabistan4 ,many of   
their designs are common property1 and  
it is the cleverer weaver who executes  
them the better4 ,this broad statement  
may be made by way of a test3 the best  
of the ,shirvans are rather loosely     
woven and thin4 ,the ,kabistans are of  
finer weave1 are firmer and heavier1 and
 lie truer on the floor4  ,two classes  
of rugs from the ,caucasus have been    
referred to as ,russian1 the ,yourucks  
and ,kazaks4 ,there is no authority for 
the distinction except in the rugs      
themselves4 ,they prove their case from 

their thickness and iron durability1    
from their sombre or strong red         
colouring1 and from their daring crude  
and simple designs4 ,in their utility   
they bespeak an article of warmth and   
weight1 and in their art they represent 
a barbaric simplicity like a ,navajo    
blanket4 ,kazak and ,cossack are almost 
synonymous terms2 and the ,cossacks1 the
 ,kurds1 and the ,indians have something
 of kinship in weaving1 at least4 ,but  
the ,kazak rugs are not all crude1 by   
any manner of means4 ,if strength is    
their first characteristic and strong   
primitive pigments in rare greens1 reds1
 and blues2 and if their patterns are   
simple and angular2--none the less1 in  
antique specimens1 much originality was 
shown in the drawing of their borders1  
and soft browns and yellows with ivory  
white appeared in their colouring4  ,of 
the ,shirvans1 ,chichis1 etc41          
ordinarily offered1 there is nothing to 
be said4 ,they are cheaply and roughly  
woven1 and made only to sell4 ,they are 

disposed of by the thousands at         
auctions1 and piles and piles of them   
fill the carpet and department stores4  
,be it said to their credit that they   
will outwear any machine-made floor     
covering2 that they are good to hide a  
hole in an old carpet2 that they help to
 furnish the bedrooms of a summer       
cottage2 that they are most useful in   
the back hall2 and1 in fine1 that they  
are better than no rugs at all4 ,yet1 on
 the other hand1 be it well understood  
that they are not1 as frequently        
advertised1 exquisite examples of       
textile art1 and that fine ,oriental    
rugs are not to be bought at #f4ih      
apiece4     ,,chapter ,,vii  ,,of       
,,turkish ,,varieties   ,babylon or     
,egypt may have woven the first carpets 
or floor coverings1 and ,china of course
 worked early in the same field4 ,but   
,persia acquired the art quite          
independent of ,china1 and well in the  
beginning of the long ago4 ,indeed1 the 
,chinese industry practically ceased to 

exist many centuries back1 and was      
transferred to northern ,persia1 where  
the history of this handicraft has its  
true beginning4 ,from ,persia all other 
countries have drawn their knowledge and
 inspiration1 and however much they may 
have endeavoured to create and to evolve
 new figures and new designs1 even the  
oldest examples of their art must       
concede something to ,persian influence4
  ,the ,turks1 above all others1 have   
shown themselves the most apt scholars1 
and indeed in many lines have improved  
upon their teachers4 ,the choicest      
specimens of ,turkish weave are as      
rubies to the other precious stones1    
rarer1 more brilliant1 and more costly  
than diamonds4 ,though not so closely   
woven as some of the ,persians1 they are
 wonderfully beautiful in artistic      
picturing and in their own ,oriental    
splendour of colour and design4 ,such in
 particular are the antique ,gheordez1  
as splendid in rich floods of light as  
the stained-glass windows of a          

cathedral4 ,they are the finest woven   
and have the shortest nap of their      
class4  ,here is the description of one 
taken from a catalogue of twenty-five   
years ago3 ,antique ,gheordez ,prayer   
,rug4 ,mosque design1 with columns and  
pendant floral lamp relieved on solid   
ground of rare ,egyptian red1 surmounted
 by arabesques in white upon dark       
turquoise1 framed in lovely contrasting 
borders4   ,illustration3    ,,plate    
,,vii4   ,,antique ,,gheordez   ,prayer 
,rug   ,,from ,,the ,,collection ,,of   
,,mr4 ,,george ,h4 ,,ellwanger   ,size3 
#d4f x #e4aa   ,another is pictured as3 
,a flake of solid sapphire1 crested by  
charming floral designs in ruby on      
ground of white opal4 ,the mosaics and  
blossom borders are toned to perfect    
harmony4  ,these word pictures are in no
 way exaggerated1 and only help to      
portray the glories of the old          
,gheordez1 with their graceful hanging  
lamps1 as wonderful as ,aladdin's1 in a 
vista between pillars of chalcedony or  

onyx4 ,they came in the form of prayer  
rugs generally1 and a pronounced feature
 of those more commonly seen is a       
multiplicity of small dotted borders4   
,the older and finer examples show      
borderings of far more graceful and     
artistic drawing4  ,the antique ,koulahs
 and ,koniahs1 though not so finely     
woven1 have mostly the same superb      
centres or panels of solid colour as the
 ,gheordez1 and vie with the latter in  
the splendour of their hues1 if not in  
the delicacy and intricacy of their     
designs outside the central field4 ,the 
,koulahs may generally be recognized by 
a narrow border1 which is peculiar to   
themselves and is almost invariably     
found on them4 ,this consists of a      
broken line of little tendrils or       
spirals quite ,chinese in character1 and
 looking much like a row of             
conventionalized chips and shavings4 ,it
 is so odd and distinctive that once    
seen it can never be mistaken4 ,the     
,koniahs also have little figures which 

are quite their own1 and which usually  
appear somewhere in the central design4 
,they are small flowers each on a single
 stem1 and the flower has commonly three
 triangular petals1 like an oxalis or   
shamrock leaf4 ,it is quite unlike the  
blossoms which besprinkle other rugs4   
,with this1 often come crude figures of 
lamps like miniature tea-pots4 ,the     
,ladiks display all the colours of an   
,october wood1 and complete the group of
 ,turkish old masters4 ,not a few of    
them have also a unique border in the   
form of a small lily blossom4 ,experts  
speak of it familiarly as the ,rhodian  
border1 but its origin is altogether    
obscure4   ,illustration3    ,,plate    
,,viii4   ,,antique ,,koulah   ,prayer  
,rug   ,,from ,,the ,,collection ,,of   
,,mr4 ,,george ,h4 ,,ellwanger   ,size3 
#c4aa x #e4f   ,these words in testimony
 to the beauties of ,turkish rugs may be
 offered simply by way of guide-posts to
 lead to some museum4 ,a few battered   
and torn war-flags of ,gheordez or      

,ladiks are occasionally offered on the 
market1 but the best of them lack all   
character and colour1 and show only the 
bold design and holes and strings and   
naked warp4  ,just which particular     
,turkish rugs are properly classed as   
,anatolians it is hard to say1 ,anatolia
 being so large a province4 ,the term as
 commercially used is only as           
comprehensive and expressive as ,iran   
applied to the ,persians4 ,it is        
generally misapplied to an uncertain    
class of old1 worn1 and tarnished       
remnants or new coarse prayer rugs1     
ruinous of harmony with their magenta   
discords4 ,yet many of the mats are     
rightly called ,anatolians1 and1        
premising a later chapter1 one of the   
greatest delights of collecting was to  
look over a pile of them1 with the      
never-failing hope of finding some      
bright particular gem4 ,and these mats  
are truly the little gems of ,turkish   
weaving1 and in accordance with the     
,oriental fondness for jewels and       

precious stones the suggestion that they
 represent inlaid jewelled work has been
 well imagined4 ,but here again we cry1 
,eheu fugaces6 ,they have gone4 ,it is  
idle to look over the pile4 ,there are  
no good ones for sale4 ,one explanation 
of their scarcity is in the fact that   
the ,armenian dealers have a weakness   
for these small pieces themselves1 and  
are wont to indulge their fondness for  
colour and sheen by keeping the choice  
ones for their own use4 ,so the mats of 
commerce are either new1 coarse1 and    
crude and offensive with arsenical      
greens and aniline crimsons and         
magentas2 or they are but soiled patches
 and bits of old rugs sewn together4    
,caveat emptor6 and let the buyer look  
at their backs before purchasing4  ,the 
old ,melez rugs1 with characteristics   
peculiar to themselves1 are of almost   
like importance to the ,koniahs and     
,koulahs4 ,frequently they have a       
suggestion of the ,chinese in their     
figures and decorations4 ,you will find 

symbolized dragons pictured on them1    
also the cypress tree2 while in colour  
they form a class by themselves1 and    
exhibit shades of lavender1 heliotrope1 
and violet such as no other kinds may   
boast4 ,whatever this dye may be1 and   
whatever tone of mauve or lilac it may  
take1 you will find it only in the      
,melez1 a few ,bergamas1 or in some old 
,irans1 whose race is practically       
extinct4 ,worthy modern ,melez are still
 to be had1 and will improve as they    
wear2 if only they are firm in texture  
and do not flaunt the battle-flag       
colours of ,solferino and ,magenta4     
,illustration3    ,,plate ,,ix4         
,,melez   ,forty or fifty years old     
,,from ,,the ,,collection ,,of ,,the    
,,author   ,size3 #c4aj x #e4c   ,the   
,bergamas come mostly in blues and reds1
 most prominently set out by soft ivory 
white4 ,one of their recognized patterns
 is quite individual1 and readily marks 
their class4 ,it is a square of small   
squares marked off like a big           

checker-board4 ,other small pieces are  
almost square1 with the field in        
mosaic-work or flower blossoms4 ,in the 
fine old specimens1 which used to be1   
the ,bergamas rioted in superb          
medallions or in a floriated central    
figure like a grand bouquet4 ,as a      
class1 their merit is softness and      
richness4 ,their defect is that of the  
,shiraz1 a proneness to curl and puff   
themselves with pride4 ,the fault is    
caused by the fact that their usually   
artistic selvedge is too tightly drawn4 
,skilful cutting of the selvedge and new
 fringing will correct the error4  ,some
 old and some excellent new ,bergamas   
have lately been in evidence in the     
stocks of the ,oriental dealers4        
,howsoever or wheresoever they come1 the
 collector may well take courage from   
their appearance and apply himself to   
the chase with renewed zest4            
,,chapter ,,viii  ,,turkoman ,,or       
,,turkestan ,,rugs   ,the geography of  
the carpets and rugs thus far considered

 has included a very considerable area4 
,any traveller or collector who may have
 journeyed in fact to the regions where 
they are made may well have stories to  
tell1 for his wanderings will have led  
him into strange lands and wild places4 
,but the remaining classes of rugs1     
which we are wont to see lying          
gracefully in front of our hearths1 as  
tame and peaceful as kittens1 have come 
from still farther and wilder regions of
 the world2 and the wonder is that we   
see them at all or are permitted the    
privilege of treading on them4 ,the     
,turkestan class1 so far as our subject 
is concerned1 carries us east from      
,persia1 through ,afghanistan and       
,beluchistan even into ,china4 ,they are
 ,oriental in very truth1 and at first  
blush1 it would seem1 should be more    
crude and barbaric in their art4 ,but as
 compared with the bold1 rough1 and rude
 weaves and patterns of the ,russian    
,caucasians1 they are1 as a class1 most 
refined and delicate in design and fine 

in texture4  ,it has been said that     
whoever has seen one ,bokhara rug has   
seen them all4 ,their set designs and   
staple colouring have been so long      
familiar that we have lost respect for  
them4 ,there are the well-known         
geometric figures for the centre1       
smaller similar figures for the borders1
 and a mosaic of diamonds or delicate   
traceries of branches for the ends4     
,choice examples1 like the stars1 differ
 from one another in glory only4 ,the   
variations evolved from the one         
conventional design are almost infinite2
 and the many shades and tones of red   
which are used bring to mind the        
paintings of ,vibert and his wonderful  
palette of scarlets1 carmines1 crimsons1
 maroons1 and vermilions4               
,illustration3    ,,plate ,x4           
,,antique ,,beluchistan   ,,from ,,the  
,,collection ,,of ,,the ,,author        
,size3 #d4aj x #h4c   ,some of the rare 
old ,bokharas come in lovely browns and 
are almost priceless in value4 ,sad to  

say1 it remained for an ,american vandal
 to discover a process of dipping or    
washing an ordinary rug so as to imitate
 these rare originals1 and many dealers 
unblushingly sell these frauds4 ,to wear
 imitation jewelry is far less          
reprehensible4 ,happily the trickery is 
generally distinguishable because the   
dip or stain1 whatever it may be1 is apt
 to run into the fringe or otherwise    
betray itself4 ,the wise buyer will     
reject with scorn any rug1 under        
whatsoever name offered1 which shows no 
other colouring than various shades of  
chocolate brown4 ,no such uniform brown 
dyeing ever characterized any class of  
rugs4 ,even the brown ,bokharas which   
are in museums show some other tints    
with their brown tones4  ,good          
,bokharas1 like good ,kirmans1 are      
undeniably beautiful and of great value1
 but the mere fact that both are        
considered staples in the rug trade     
tends to detract from their artistic    
value2 and that they are so generally   

doctored1 disguised1 and perverted puts 
them in bad repute4  ,the               
,yamoud-,bokharas come in larger sizes  
than the others of their type2 are not  
so fine in texture1 but thicker and     
firmer4 ,their designs are larger and   
bolder1 and they show a most becoming   
bloom4 ,they also display green and even
 yellow in their colouring1 which is not
 usual in ,bokharas4 ,their selvedge is 
beautifully characteristic4 ,in         
,bokharas proper the adornment of the   
selvedge usually is on the warp2 as in  
the ,bergamas and ,beluchistans4 ,in    
,yamouds the selvedge is almost always  
carried out in wool with like skill as  
that given to the rest of the piece4    
,the ,afghans are a coarser edition of  
,bokharas1 and may be mostly considered 
for utility4 ,they come in large sizes1 
and almost square2 have bold tile       
patternings1 and in the finer examples  
are plush-like and silky4 ,these are    
still to be had1 but many modern ones   
are dyed with mineral dyes1 and their   

bloom is meretricious4 ,the chemist has 
waved his magic wand over them1 not     
wisely but too well4  ,the ,beluchistans
 are somewhat akin to the ,bokharas1 and
 like the latter rejoice in reds and    
blues in the darker tones1 while they   
display greater variety in their        
designs4 ,these are ordinarily crude and
 simple1 but in the old exemplars they  
were of considerable variety1 and their 
wealth of changing colours in sombre    
shades was rich beyond the dream of     
avarice4 ,lees of wine1 dregs of wine1  
plum1 claret1 maroon1--these are terms  
which have served to describe their     
prevailing colours4 ,the adjectives are 
still applicable and may give some idea 
of the colourful effects which are      
obtained from their stains of brown and 
red and purple4 ,for decorative effect1 
their deeper tones make most harmonious 
contrast with the subdued and softened  
,persians and old ,daghestans4 ,in many 
specimens1 new and old1 white1 both blue
 white and ivory1 is used in startling  

contrast4 ,it makes or mars the picture1
 according to the artistic skill of the 
weaver4 ,the wool used in the good      
,beluchistans is particularly soft and  
silky1 and lends to them their unique   
velvety sheen4 ,no other varieties show 
it so perfectly1 although antique       
,kazaks have their particular plush1 and
 the ,mousuls with their depth of pile  
have a shimmer and shifting light which 
is their especial artistic feature4 ,the
 distinction may not easily be          
formulated2 but1 nevertheless1 the sheen
 of the ,beluchistan is one beauty1     
while the play of light and shade on a  
,mousul is another pleasure to the eye4 
,in the ,bergama rugs the weaver does   
not disdain to spend some toil and time 
upon the selvedge2 and this1 even in    
small specimens1 is commonly four to six
 inches long1 carefully woven in white  
and colour and with occasional          
ornamentation4 ,in this selvedge a      
small1 elongated triangle is frequently 
embossed in wool1 with the commendable  

purpose of avoiding the evil eye4  ,but 
in the ,beluchistans the maker enlarges 
his phylacteries1 and increases the     
borders of his garments4 ,he goes even  
to greater pains and trouble in the     
elaboration and finishing of his        
selvedge4 ,it is often prolonged to     
eight or ten inches in moderate-sized   
rugs1 and is woven into most interesting
 patterns and stripes of colour4 ,it is 
literally carried to extremes4 ,it may  
seem an act of vandalism1 but the wise  
and stoical collector will do well to   
eliminate all but two or three inches of
 it and have a skilful weaver overcast  
and fringe the ends4 ,selvedge1 however 
adorned1 is utilitarian only1 and1 like 
useless fringe1 it must not be allowed  
to detract from the proportions and     
beauty of the piece itself4  ,for the   
comfort of the collector be it known    
that within the last year or two1 many  
fine ,beluchistan mats and small rugs   
have been secured somehow by the        
wholesalers and are in evidence in the  

retailers' stock4 ,beluchistan1         
evidently1 is one of the remote regions 
last to be drawn upon1 scoured1 ravaged1
 and exhausted4 ,the opportunity should 
be improved by the provident buyer4     
,the ,soumac or ,cashmere rug calls for 
no further description than a ,cashmere 
shawl4 ,with the exception of choice    
antique specimens which time has        
chastened and mellowed into pictures in 
apricot1 fawn1 robin's-egg1 and cream   
colours1 the ,cashmeres are rather      
matters of fact than of art4  ,what are 
known as ,killims1 or ,kiz-,killims1 the
 better class1 are hard fabrics akin to 
the ,soumacs except that they have no   
nap on either side1 and are double      
faced4 ,they are mostly ,caucasian and  
,kurdish1 with the bold designs of those
 classes1 or they come in the beautiful1
 delicate patterns of the ,sehnas4 ,in  
their crudest and strongest ,kazak      
figures they appear in the most         
brilliant pigments1 with soft reds1     
rose1 lake1 and vermilion for           

contrasting colours1 splashed together  
as on a painter's palette4 ,of course   
they lack the sheen of a rug1 but their 
colour effects are marvellous4 ,while   
generally used for portieres and        
coverings1 they are perfect rugs for a  
summer cottage1 being most durable1 and 
are worthy of attention4 ,moreover1 fine
 antique examples are still to be had4  
,some collector might be the first to   
make a specialty of them and garner them
 before they pass2 the end of the       
,oriental weaver's pageant4 ,the usual  
warning1 however1 must be given1 that   
they are often cursed with the barbarous
 magentas hereinbefore mentioned1 a     
colour which would ruin a rainbow4  ,the
 products of ,samarkand are quite out of
 the ordinary1 and thoroughly ,chinese  
in character4 ,except by association and
 classification they have no resemblance
 to the ,turkestan or any other         
division4 ,they form a class by         
themselves1 the legitimate successors of
 the old ,chinese rugs1 long gone by4   

,they are very bold in design1 and in   
colour tend to yellow1 orange1 and      
various soft reds4 ,an inferior make of 
,samarkands often appears under the     
title of ,malgaras4 ,they have neither  
quality nor colour to commend them4     
,but there are old ,chinese rugs also4  
,most of them are in the conventional   
blue and white1 with simple octagonal   
medallions1 with no border to speak of1 
and with little strength of character4  
,they are coarsely woven and have been  
so commonly imitated by machine         
reproductions in ,english carpetry that 
even blue and white originals have small
 merit to boast of4 ,there were1 and    
doubtless still are1 ,chinese rugs of   
far more importance4 ,many are noted in 
the catalogue of a sale in ,new ,york   
,city no longer ago than #ahic4 ,from   
one item remembered1 they showed various
 beautiful colourings1 far beyond the   
simple white and blue1 and in design    
displayed much of the artistic strength1
 grace1 and beauty of the old ,chinese  

porcelains4 ,it is a mystery where these
 rugs lie hidden4 ,no one boasts of     
owning them or claims credit to even a  
modest #aj1jjj antique specimen4        
,,chapter ,,ix  ,,of ,,oriental         
,,carpets1 ,,saddle-,,bags1 ,,pillows1  
etc4   ,however a man may justify       
himself for collecting rugs1 regardless 
of his success1 of his needs1 or of his 
income1 there would seem to be no danger
 of any one making a specialty of buying
 carpets4 ,except to millionaires or for
 clubs and palaces1 space would         
absolutely prohibit1 if the housewife   
did not4 ,the nearest that the          
enthusiast might approach to such an    
ambition would be in the accumulation of
 hall strips2 which has its own         
temptations1 quite within the possible4 
,and yet the term carpet is an elastic  
phrase1 and any piece which exceeds six 
or seven feet in width and of greater   
length1 is entitled by courtesy to be   
named a carpet4 ,it may be said that a  
rug1 like a baby1 ceases to be a rug at 

an uncertain size1 and then becomes a   
carpet4 ,but carpets in the larger      
dimensions1 ten by twelve feet or more1 
as ordinarily understood1 are only      
herein considered4 ,they are really     
articles of utility first and always1   
and must answer to certain measured     
requirements4 ,such is the accepted     
theory and practice4 ,the buyer is wont 
to think that the merit or beauty of a  
carpet is of secondary consideration if 
only it fit the room4 ,here is a heresy4
 ,it is far better that the room should 
be made to fit or adapt itself to the   
perfect carpet4  ,if you would buy one1 
the best that you can do is to choose   
wisely4 ,they are all of modern make1   
with very few exceptions4 ,if you have  
one that is antique1 you yourself have  
made it so1 or you have inherited a     
ragged and neglected example of bygone  
years4 ,the modern carpets1             
nevertheless1 those still made to-day1  
are many of them superb pieces1 far     
outclassing any small rugs of the same  

weaving4   ,illustration3    ,,plate    
,,xi4   ,,antique ,,anatolian ,,pillows 
,,from ,,the ,,collection ,,of ,,the    
,,author   ,sizes3 #a4aj x #b4aj1 and   
#b4a x #b4aa   ,the ,kirmanshahs would  
come first1 of course2 closely woven1   
beautiful and soft in colour1 delicate  
and artistic in their designs1 they are 
the most perfect floor coverings for the
 salon1 reception or music room4 ,if    
they were only real6 ,but very1 very few
 of them are4 ,they have all been       
treated with chemicals1 and their beauty
 of complexion is just as artificial as 
any rouged and bepowdered courtesan's4  
,unless you have one out of ten         
thousand1 it has not come from a palace1
 but from a scientific laboratory4      
,many of the ,tabriz carpets lie under  
the same suspicion1 and those of soft   
tones1 claiming to be antiques1 may be  
wisely questioned4 ,but new ones come in
 clean1 rich colourings1 in fine        
designs1 and are textile masterpieces4  
,the ,kurdistan carpets of to-day are by

 far the best of all4 ,they are more    
loosely woven1 but they are so much the 
heavier1 and that is to be desired in a 
carpet4 ,and they are honest4 ,their    
colours are beautiful1 varied1 strong1  
and true4 ,it is claimed for the        
,kurdistans that some of their dyes are 
still well-guarded secrets2 and it is   
true history of some years ago that many
 a bloody feud and murder grew out of   
cherished ,kurdistan secrets of dyeing4 
,their designs are bold and striking1   
with grand centre medallion and corners1
 and a field artistically adorned4      
,money cannot buy anything better than a
 fine new ,kurdistan2 and thirty or     
forty years of wear should leave it     
better still4  ,next to be chosen would 
be the ,gorovans4 ,they also show brave 
figuring with a strong centre medallion1
 characteristic zigzag corners1 and     
angular ornamentations which are most   
gracefully carried out4 ,their colouring
 is usually in fine blues and reds4     
,modern ,feraghans come in large carpet 

sizes1 and some antique ones are still  
to be had4 ,but the ,kurdistans and     
,gorovans far surpass them in two       
important particulars4 ,the ,feraghans  
appear only in their own peculiar1      
small-figured designs1 which are without
 strength or character on a large floor 
space4 ,besides that1 being more closely
 cut than the others1 if they do not    
soon wear out1 they soon wear down1 and 
begin to show the suspicion of their    
warp and their loss of tone and colour4 
,they are beautiful carpets1            
nevertheless1 and will practically last 
a lifetime4 ,but the heavier they are1  
the better4  ,there are few other modern
 ,persian carpets in large sizes which  
come in appreciable numbers for         
classification4 ,there is a rather      
indefinite order of ,gulistans1 under   
which title many good nondescripts are  
sold4  ,there are also current          
,sultanabads1 in very large sizes1 well 
woven1 on old models1 to meet present   
uses4  ,most other carpets are of       

,turkish weaving1 whatever their names1 
and come under the general title of     
,smyrnas4 ,smyrna is the centre of      
distribution for a great variety of     
cheap and coarsely woven carpets2 but   
poor in quality as these may be1 they   
should not be confused with the         
,american machine product also known as 
a ,smyrna4 ,in the same class come the  
,oushaks1 ,hamadans1 etc4 ,there is     
nothing more to be said for them than to
 testify that they will wear better than
 a ,brussels carpet1 and give some      
distinction to a modest dining-room4    
,it is a far cry from carpets to        
saddle-bags1 and yet these latter are of
 greater importance and interest to the 
collector4 ,more valuable pieces of     
,oriental weaving are to be found among 
the diminutives than in the grand opera 
of textiles4  ,beginning at the bottom1 
we find plenty of the little pairs of   
bags1 twelve or eighteen inches square4 
,they are donkey bags1 carried back of  
the saddle1 and generally appear in     

,shirvan make or1 most commonly1 in     
,shiraz weaving4 ,the ,shiraz often have
 considerable beauty and sheen and dark 
rich colouring4 ,but these very small   
pieces have little real utility or      
available artistic beauty4 ,they never  
lie well1 and only litter up the floor4 
,they belittle a well-arranged room as  
would a frail and useless gilt chair4   
,they are recommended for pillows1 but  
we ,occidental infidels associate rugs  
too closely with the foot to find them  
easy to the head4 ,they are also advised
 for use as hassocks4 ,but the hassock  
long ago disappeared1 with or under the 
what-not1 or behind the horse-hair sofa4
  ,other bags1 used on horse and camel1 
come in more important sizes1 as large  
as two feet by six feet or more4        
,exquisite specimens of ,bokharas are   
found among these2 artistic1 antique    
pieces1 woven as fine as needlework4 ,a 
number of these seem to have come       
suddenly on the market in some          
mysterious way2 and they are of every   

size within their small limits2 because1
 as an ,oriental has suggested1 there   
are pony camels also4 ,another mystery  
about those camel bags would seem to be 
that some are beautifully straight and  
therefore most to be desired1 while     
others are so curved as to be impossible
 of use unless around the foot of a     
pillar4 ,here is a case differing from  
that of the ordinary crooked rug1       
because these bags were originally made 
straight and true4 ,overloading and     
overpacking have only sagged down the   
middle4 ,i dare not say that the more   
the curve1 the greater the age and the  
more the value2 but it may be that      
curved ,bokhara saddle-bags1 passed by1 
by the ,levite1 are prizes to be picked 
up by the good ,samaritan1 and may be   
easily restored to normal rectitude4    
,but the term saddle-bag1 whether for   
this animal or that1 is confusing and   
altogether too generally used4 ,it must 
be borne in mind that a bag was and is  
an article of universal utility to the  

,oriental4 ,for all purposes of travel1 
journeying1 or visiting1 it corresponds 
to our valise or portmanteau of to-day2 
or1 in aptest comparison1 to our        
carpet-bag of fifty years ago4 ,and1    
according to the taste and means of     
their owners1 these ,persian1 ,armenian1
 or ,turkish carpet-bags varied in size 
and beauty4 ,a few rare old ,caucasian  
small rugs can only be accounted for as 
valued personal rug-bags of their       
period4  ,among these smaller pieces are
 alone to be found the most valuable of 
all the collector's spoil1 the small    
,sehnas4 ,very rarely they come in      
pairs1 about two feet by three feet1 and
 therefore could not have been used as  
bags for any purpose4 ,they are pillows2
 and pillows of course play their       
important part in the menage of the     
,east4 ,besides the exquisite ,sehnas1  
the finest of the ,anatolian mats1 as   
they are generally called1 were used for
 pillows and not saddle-bags4 ,the warp 
generally proves their purpose4 ,when   

the warp runs vertically to the larger  
side1 and ends in a fringe1 that        
specimen was of course some sort of a   
saddle-bag4 ,when the selvedge is at the
 shorter end you have the pillow4       
,among the other beautiful miniature    
specimens of textile art1 which are     
still occasionally offered1 are         
saddle-cloths4 ,they appear mostly in   
beautiful ,sehnas1 and occasionally in  
fine old ,feraghans and other ,persian  
weaves4 ,they are marred1 however1 for  
beautiful floor coverings by the        
necessary angular cut in them1 through  
which the straps of the saddle passed4  
,this is often skilfully filled in1 in  
the case of choice specimens4 ,but the  
blot remains4 ,their irregular shape    
also condemns them for the most part    
with the many admirable but             
irreclaimable crooked rugs4  ,these     
saddle-bags are frequently used for     
table coverings or for mural adornment4 
,but in our modern house decoration     
rarely does a rug look well upon the    

wall4 ,the ,persians hang them instead  
of pictures1 which is well4 ,but they do
 not mix them with pictures on the wall1
 which is better1 and shows good taste  
on the part of the ,persians4 ,a rug    
appears best upon the floor4  ,the      
collector of small pieces to-day will do
 well to buy every bag or pillow of     
,bokhara or ,beluchistan which may      
please his fancy4 ,they are to be had   
now at modest prices1 but unless all    
signs fail1 they will soon become as    
rare as any of the other miniatures4    
,you will look in vain for them with the
 vanished ,anatolians and diamond       
,sehnas4     ,,chapter ,x  ,,auctions1  
,,auctioneers1 ,,and ,,dealers   ,a     
justification of the method of selling  
rugs by auction has been offered in many
 forms and phrases4 ,it is perhaps best 
expressed somewhat thus3 ,every number  
has a certain intrinsic value1 and that 
is a basis price at which it should     
sell4 ,but beyond that it may have an   
extra value1 which1 like beauty in      

general1 is in the eye of the beholder4 
,the beholder1 therefore1 who sees a rug
 to covet it should name his own price  
for it4 ,it may be one of the specimens 
he lacks in his collection2 it may fit  
this corner or that4 ,anyway1 it is     
worth more to him than to the lower     
bidder4 ,incidentally1 the seller and   
the auctioneer gain the fair profits of 
competition4  ,other arguments in favour
 of the auction have been advanced by   
the head of a great department store4   
,his opinion is that the auction gives  
every one a chance to get the rug       
desired at a fair price4 ,tastes differ 
and prices differ1 but the average of an
 auction is fair to both buyer and      
seller4  ,regardless of theories1 rug   
auctions1 by whomsoever fathered or     
sponsored1 thrive and flourish4  ,if the
 auction be the collection of such and  
such an ,oriental1 whatever his name1   
there will be a great deal of cheap     
stuff in his stock1 and there will also 
be many choice pieces which he holds as 

the apples of his eye4  ,he buys from   
the wholesaler so many bales at so much 
per bale of say twenty pieces4 ,in the  
bales of ordinary qualities the several 
items will average about the same4 ,but 
in the more expensive bales there is a  
good general average1 with a few prizes 
added4 ,they are like the two or three  
green firecrackers in the packs of our  
childhood4 ,these special pieces in the 
high-priced bales give the seller his   
legitimate opportunity and profit4 ,if  
these odd firecrackers please your fancy
 more than mine1 and ,i am contented to 
choose the conventional red ones1 it is 
for you to fix the value of the greens4 
,at an auction the apparent authority   
and ruler is the auctioneer1 while the  
owner weeps cheerfully on one side and  
shrugs his shoulders in half-pathetic   
resignation at the sacrifice4 ,in       
reality the auctioneer knows pretty well
 what he is about1 and1 if not1 is      
quickly posted by the owner4 ,it is no  
harm to say that if we cannot believe   

all that we read in the ,bible1 no more 
is it safe to take literally all that   
the auctioneer asserts4 ,a recent skit  
in ,life is pertinent 7quoted from      
memory73--       ,the wife4 ,look at    
this splendid bargain ,i bought for     
twenty      dollars to-day4 ,it's worth 
two hundred4       ,the husband4        
,indeed6 ,how do you know it is worth   
that much8       ,the wife4 ,why1 the   
auctioneer told me so4  ,a new plan of  
auction has been recently tried4 ,you   
may buy in one or more lots at your own 
price1 and if you do not wish to keep   
any1 they may be returned within a      
certain number of days4 ,you may bid ad 
libitum1 recklessly as you choose2 and  
if your choice be not all that your     
fancy and electric light have pictured  
it1 you are under no obligation to keep 
it or pay anything on it2 you may elect 
to change your mind and send it back4   
,how this plan works in practice and    
finance has yet to be demonstrated4 ,it 
would seem to be all on the side of the 

buyer and against the seller1 who must  
lose many a bid from a bona fide        
purchaser at a lower figure4 ,the matter
 of human nature doubtless figures in   
the problem1 because there is some      
little feeling of shame about returning 
an article bought in under competition1 
no matter what the guarantee may be4    
,as to the auctioneers1 they are always 
glib of tongue1 good-natured1 and       
persuasive4 ,that they are not          
canonically and absolutely truthful is  
perhaps not their fault4 ,they certainly
 cannot know more about rugs than the   
few authorities who have made a study of
 the subject2 and1 as said before1 they 
are generally prompted by the consignor 
of the collection4 ,if only they would  
not call every rug an antique and       
priceless specimen1 their individual    
consciences might be happier1 and their 
audience less bored4  ,however1 no      
matter what the audience1 or how small  
it may be1 there are always some there  
who will appreciate the difference      

between a four-dollar and a forty-dollar
 offering1 and bid up the former to     
seven dollars and the latter to thirty  
dollars4 ,thus the auctions go merrily  
on and strike a general average4 ,the   
skilful auctioneer will feel the pulse  
of his audience with a quicker touch    
than the most renowned of doctors2 and  
once assured of their class and         
position1 wealth and condition1 and what
 grade of merchandise they are willing  
to buy1 the game is in his own hands1   
provided only that his audience is large
 enough4 ,he should have at least a     
regulation pack of fifty-two in order to
 do justice to his own hand and skill1  
and in order to play off one card of his
 audience against another4  ,the auction
 has its own particular fascinations1   
and its own habitues and devotees in    
every city4 ,the chronic attendants     
should be the most careful and          
conservative of buyers4 ,but the artful 
auctioneer soon learns to know them1 to 
recognize them among his clientele1 and 

to humour their whims1 moods1 and       
fancies4 ,sooner or later he will       
wheedle them into a bid against their   
better judgment1 and then make good     
capital of the fact that such and such a
 connoisseur had bought so great a      
bargain4  ,the question might be asked1 
impersonally and perhaps impertinently1 
,what was the auctioneer's influence at 
the ,marquand sale8 ,was his the power8 
,was it due to the catalogue8 or was it 
in the air2 and the zeal of an eager    
audience8  ,the retail trade in rugs    
throughout this country is largely in   
the hands of ,armenians1 both fixed and 
peripatetic2 but of recent years much of
 their business has been annexed by the 
department stores4  ,these various      
,armenian dealers are universally known 
for their shrewdness and cleverness as  
well as for other ingenuousness and     
natural courtesy4 ,except the heads of  
the carpet departments in some few large
 concerns1 they know much more about    
their wares than other salesmen1 and    

their personal1 live knowledge gives a  
fillip of enthusiasm to the purchaser4  
,they would control the retail trade in 
rugs1 were it not that the department   
store has brought against them its      
powerful weapon of per cent4 ,the store 
asserts that it wants only its modest   
per cent on the cost of any article1 no 
matter what its sentimental value may   
be4 ,this may not be truth in its stark 
nakedness1 but it has availed to draw to
 them a great deal of the trade in      
,oriental textiles4  ,the wholesale     
dealers are the most important factor in
 the question of distribution1 for      
almost all the rugs sold in the ,united 
,states must first pass through the     
hands of one or another of a dozen ,new 
,york princes of the market4 ,large or  
small retailers may import some pieces  
directly from ,london1 ,paris1 or       
,constantinople1 but even the most      
important retailers buy heavily from the
 great ,armenian wholesalers in ,new    
,york ,city4  ,it is difficult to       

estimate and impossible to state        
absolutely the number or even the value 
of the ,oriental rugs annually imported 
into the ,united ,states4 ,the reason is
 that in the reports of the ,u4 ,s4     
,treasury as to ,imported ,merchandise1 
etc41 ,oriental carpets and rugs have no
 separate classification1 but are       
included under the general heading of   
,carpets woven whole for rooms1 and     
,oriental1 ,berlin1 ,aubusson1          
,axminster1 and other similar rugs4 ,it 
is quite a mixed company1 but ,oriental 
weaves as herein considered are at least
 distinguished as such1 and             
differentiated from carpeting by the    
yard4 ,they have also the distinction1  
with the others of their group1 of      
paying a tax of ninety cents per square 
yard and forty per cent ad valorem1 as  
against from twenty-two to sixty cents  
per square yard and the same forty per  
cent ad valorem for the various         
,brussels1 ,wilton1 and ,axminster      
floor-coverings coming by the yard1 and 

not in one piece4 ,and the duty on      
,oriental rugs1 be it observed1 is      
measured by the square yard1 and        
therefore no record is kept of the      
number of pieces1 or how many individual
 items of the four classes have been    
imported4  ,nevertheless1 the statistics
 for the year ending ,june #cj1 #aijb1  
show this general result3 ,the total    
value of that year's import of these    
whole carpets1 ,oriental1 ,berlin1 etc41
 was a trifle below three million       
dollars4 ,two and a half millions of    
this value came to ,new ,york with only 
half a million left to divide between   
,chicago1 ,philadelphia1 ,boston1 ,san  
,francisco1 and other ports of entry4   
,the supremacy of ,new ,york ,city as   
the ,oriental rug mart for this country 
is easily manifest1 although it is not  
so easy to estimate what proportion of  
the two and a half millions of value was
 in ,oriental rugs and what in modern   
carpets4 ,one expert figures the value  
of the ,oriental rugs imported that year

 into ,new ,york as more than half the  
total1 or perhaps two millions4 ,it is  
as fair an estimate as may be had4      
,considerable as this amount may be1 it 
seems much less than might be expected4 
,it may perhaps indicate the cheap grade
 and low quality of most of our present 
acquisitions in this category4  ,the    
gathering of the rugs by the buyers1 in 
the first instance1 involves great      
hardships1 endurance1 and even danger2  
and the deeper their incursions into new
 and strange territory and unopened and 
unexplored sources of supply1 the more  
profitable their spoil1 but the greater 
their toil4 ,beluchistan1 as previously 
suggested1 would appear now to be one of
 the remotest regions yet remaining to  
yield up a few new treasures to the     
persevering buyer4  ,these rugs so      
gathered to the centres of trade in     
,constantinople1 ,tiflis1 and other     
distributing points1 quickly find their 
way thence to ,new ,york1 and help to   
make the magnitude and seeming wonderful

 complexity of the large wholesale      
depots4 ,whoever is fortunate enough to 
have the entree to any of these great   
,new ,york storehouses will be first    
among those who understand the          
importance1 value1 and appreciation of  
the ,oriental rug4     ,,chapter ,,xi   
,,inscriptions ,,and ,,dates   ,in      
addition to the many patterns1 figures1 
devices and symbols1 which are used for 
ornamentation1 rugs and carpets are     
often embellished with hieroglyphic     
writing1 somewhere in their field1 and  
commonly at top or bottom4 ,not         
unfrequently complete borders are thus  
composed1 as is evidenced in old        
,kirmans4 ,these designs are so graceful
 in their many angles and occasional    
curves that they scarcely suggest mere  
lettering4 ,such they are1 nevertheless2
 and our ,english script1 with all its  
loops and turns and recurrent lines of  
beauty1 would hardly avail for like     
effective results4 ,it is but another   
proof of the artistic possibilities of  

angular lines and geometric figures1 so 
often demonstrated by ,oriental weavers4
  ,with few exceptions1 all of these    
hieroglyphics are in the ,arabic        
language1 and are quotations from the   
,persian poets1 with flowery sentiment1 
or from the ,koran1 in proper precept4  
,but1 as is more important1 there will  
frequently be found in the corners of a 
choice piece1 or elsewhere unobtrusively
 woven1 the signature or cipher of the  
maker1 with the date of the making4     
,this at once gives distinction and     
value to such a specimen and exalts it  
above its fellows4 ,it also calls loudly
 for an answer to the question of what  
such name and date may be4 ,very rarely 
can the dealer inform you1 because he   
does not know4 ,here1 then1 is a great  
stumbling-block in the path of the      
collector4 ,it may be worth while to go 
around it by way of a brief explanation4
  ,the ,arabic language has been the    
lingua franca of the ,east from the time
 that it succeeded ,greek in the seventh

 century4 ,it still retains its         
universality wherever ,mohammedanism    
rules4 ,turkey may be excepted from its 
sway1 but1 none the less1 it is a most  
necessary language to-day in            
,constantinople4 ,its use by            
carpet-weavers is by reason of its      
catholicity2 that it may be understood  
where their varying languages and       
unknown dialects would tell no story4   
,that ,arabic is so generally known     
throughout the ,orient is doubtless no  
greater marvel than that mere children  
in ,paris speak ,french4 ,but1 however  
convenient1 as an inter-racial and      
commercial language1 ,arabic may be to  
those accustomed to it1 or naturally    
conversant with it1 it is most difficult
 to learn by ,western races4 ,with ten  
years' study one may become a good      
scholar1 and proficiency may follow for 
the persistent few4 ,this will explain  
why inscriptions1 texts1 and verses on  
rugs and carpets are meaningless1 except
 to the most erudite2 and except1 also1 

to those who see in them only another   
phase of ,persian ornament1 strange1    
mysterious1 arabesque1 and beautiful4   
,regarding the date1 often woven into an
 example which the artist thought       
especially worthy1 it would seem that   
some simple formula might be given for  
its ready translation4 ,this may be     
approximated1 although it is not so easy
 a matter as might appear1 and requires 
a few words on the subject of ,arabian  
numerical notation4 ,their general      
system is similar to ours1 and1         
corresponding to our miscalled ,arabic  
figures of3       #j1 #a1 #b1 #c1 #d1   
#e1 #f1 #g1 #h1 #i1  their digits are   
represented by       ,arabic  ,both are 
read from left to right4 ,these ,arabic 
digits1 however1 are not always easily  
to be deciphered on a rug1 on account of
 the spreading of the wool and          
consequent irregularity of outline1 and 
also because they generally appear in   
modest size4 ,the back of the rug will  
show the figures much more sharply than 

the face1 when there is a doubt4 ,when  
the ,arabic numerals are made clear1 it 
remains to reduce this date to the      
corresponding one of the ,christian era1
 by means of a complicated table4       
,illustration3    ,,plate ,,xii4        
,,bergama   ,thirty to forty years old  
,,from ,,the ,,collection ,,of ,,the    
,,author   ,size3 #c4a x #c4e   ,all    
,mohammedan dating 7with exceptions not 
to be considered here1 however          
interesting historically7 is from the   
,hegira4 ,the reckoning is not from the 
time of ,mohammed's flight from ,medina 
7,september1 #fbb71 but from a day about
 two months earlier2 namely1 the first  
day of that ,arabian year4 ,this        
beginning of the epoch1 according to the
 best modern authorities1 probably      
corresponds to ,july #af1 #fbb4         
,mohammedan chronology1 however1 is     
often expressed in other ways than by   
clear figures1 and such florid records  
are most difficult to interpret4 ,again1
 in old manuscripts1 on coins and on a  

few rare antique carpets1 the date is   
written out in full1 in so many words2  
as1 for instance1                       
two-hundred-and-five-and-twenty-after-th
e-thousand4 ,intricate dates like these 
are to be solved only by an expert4     
,but when the year is in question1      
without regard to month or day1 and when
 the year is written in legible figures1
 a rough formula for computing the      
corresponding ,christian date is as     
follows3 ,subtract from the given       
,mohammedan year one thirty-third part  
of itself1 and add to the remainder six 
hundred and twenty-two4 ,thus3 ,a4 ,h4  
#aaif  ,a4 ,d4 #aaif - #cf  #fbb  ,a4   
,d4 #aghb4 ,this is accurate enough for 
all practical purposes1 and involves no 
difficulty except the deciphering of the
 ,arabic digits4 ,the failure to        
subtract this essential one thirty-third
 part explains frequent misreadings by  
the ignorant dealer or uninitiated      
amateur4 ,that six hundred and          
twenty-two must be added to the given   

,mohammedan date explains itself4 ,but  
it must be remembered also that the     
,moslem year is lunar1 and thus a little
 more than eleven days shorter than our 
solar year4 ,their reckoning therefore  
gains one year in every thirty-three of 
our computation4  ,modern commercial    
rugs of ordinary quality are            
occasionally provided with a date or    
other calligraphic figure to simulate   
the real signed and dated masterpieces4 
,this trickery should never deceive even
 the most unwary1 unless the piece is of
 exceptional merit2 and then1 there is  
no deception2 or at least there is value
 received4     ,,chapter ,,xii          
,,general ,,observations ,,and          
,,particular ,,advice   ,many kinds of  
rugs are made in part of camel's hair1  
generally undyed and of a soft brown    
tone4 ,they are praised as particularly 
desirable and durable1 and antique      
specimens often showed a distinguished  
beauty4 ,modern examples are seldom     
improved by this addition to the wool4  

,camel's hair1 in the muggy days of     
summer1 has the great fault of offending
 the nose and proclaiming not only that 
the ,campbells are coming but that the  
circus and the whole menagerie is       
already here4 ,if the camel's hair part 
of your rug is soft and silky1 it has   
been taken from young camels or from the
 camel's belly1 and the odour is hardly 
ever noticeable4 ,of wool in rugs       
generally it may be said that the best  
is from the younger sheep1 and the      
silkiness and sheen of the wool give    
those same characteristics to the rug4  
,silk rugs1 both antique and modern1    
fairly dazzle the eye with their beauty1
 but he who may afford one will needs   
afford also to furnish the surroundings 
for it in like magnificence4 ,otherwise 
all else grows pale and dull and leaden 
beside their refulgent glory4 ,place a  
piece of modern ,dresden china side by  
side with a fine antique specimen of    
,chinese porcelain1 and the garishness  
of the modern ware will give a pallid   

tone to the soft whites of the ,oriental
 artist4 ,but the fault is not with the 
older and perfect art2 it is simply the 
old truth1 in a new form1 that evil     
colours corrupt and kill good colours4  
,be that as it may1 old silk rugs are   
almost priceless1 and of value to a     
millionaire collector for their         
originality of design and for their soft
 harmonies of colour which centuries    
alone can give4 ,modern silk rugs are   
mostly machine made1 in part at least2  
are a detriment and a blot on any scheme
 of household decoration1 and are always
 worth less than the price paid for     
them4  ,by experience we may best learn 
how to choose a rug4 ,as1 for instance3 
never buy a rug1 least of all at an     
auction1 without thoroughly examining   
it4 ,see its back as well as its face1  
and so be sure that it has not been cut1
 and that there are no serious holes in 
it4 ,quite one-third of the good old    
rugs will show some rents or tears1     
often made by the grappling-hooks as the

 bales are shipped and transhipped4 ,if 
these are no bigger than a silver       
dollar1 a skilful repairer1 of whom     
there are plenty1 will readily remedy   
the defect4 ,also hold the rug up to the
 light to know that the moths have not  
eaten it4 ,look at the nap and see that 
it is not worn to the warp4 ,lay it on a
 board floor1 if possible1 and apart    
from other rugs1 and see that it lies   
flat and straight4 ,none but those that 
are firm enough to lie well are         
desirable for use and general comfort4  
,of course many fine antiques are their 
own sufficient excuse for exception from
 this rule4  ,if in doubt as to whether 
a rug has aniline dyes or been doctored 
or painted1 a handkerchief moistened    
with the tongue may sometimes discover  
the truth4 ,painting a rug is a device  
not unfrequently practised when the nap 
is worn down and the warp shows white4  
,bear in mind that a good example may be
 so dirty as not to show half its       
merits4 ,a sharp patting may scatter    

enough dust to display it in its proper 
colours1 and you may thus1 literally1   
unearth a treasure4  ,remember1 too1    
that rugs never look so well or show as 
clear and bright when hanging on the    
wall as lying on the floor4 ,therefore1 
test a rug spread out flat before you in
 broad daylight4 ,it is a trick of the  
trade to hold up one end of the piece   
exhibited and keep it waving to show its
 sheen4 ,this is often a mere device to 
conceal its bad shape or other defects4 
,if you are buying a rug for use on the 
floor1 you should see it so displayed4  
,its sheen should be judged by walking  
around it and considering it in various 
lights4  ,note that with few exceptions 
the fringe and selvedge on a rug were   
not made for beauty but for protection4 
,when the fringe is ropy1 long1 or      
uneven1 or the selvedge eaten into or   
ragged1 do not leave the rug to its     
unkemptness1 but trim it religiously4 ,a
 man should have his hair cut and put in
 order at proper times2 and the         

propriety of this observance is commonly
 preached on very many prayer rugs1     
where the comb is prominently pictured1 
to remind the devout that cleanliness is
 next to godliness4 ,indeed1 the comb in
 various forms is so common a feature in
 the angular arch of most prayer rugs   
that its suggestiveness almost detracts 
from their beauty4 ,the counsel is most 
persistent4  ,even the clean white      
fringe of a fine ,persian is often so   
long as to need clipping4 ,two inches or
 so is a plenty4 ,if more is left1 the  
strings only curl under and show a      
ragged and broken line1 and the rug     
never appears trim and orderly4  ,when  
the selvedge is gone1 and the end       
borders or sides of the rug itself are  
encroached upon and sawed by the tooth  
of ,time1 more than half of the value   
and beauty of the piece is lost2 but to 
preserve its usefulness it should be    
overcast and further damage prevented4  
,never buy a rug as a perfect or even   
choice specimen if any border at the    

sides or ends is gone beyond repair4    
,every border should have its           
corresponding end1 and vice versa1 or   
the piece is imperfect4 ,selvedge is of 
slight importance1 but1 like a woman's  
skirts or a man's trousers1 it is       
unforgivable if worn or frayed4 ,the    
side edges which are otherwise still    
perfect are apt to become more or less  
ragged with wear4 ,that is a detail1 if 
the borders themselves are intact2 and  
the edges only need overcasting before  
it is too late4  ,when the good         
housewife has the rugs and carpets      
beaten1 let it be done on the grass1 if 
possible1 and not when they are hung on 
a line and so allowed to break with     
their own weight4 ,also let the severity
 of the beating be tempered with        
kindness and discretion4 ,in winter1    
sweeping with snow will clean and       
brighten them most wonderfully4  ,this  
whole matter of cleaning is a neglected 
science and worthy of a thesis all to   
itself4 ,the face of a rug will stand   

the slapping which is its usual         
punishment for being dirty2 but do not  
forget1 in the end1 to stroke it1 with  
the nap1 and so soothe its feelings4 ,do
 not beat a rug or carpet on the back4  
,that has no defence of nap1 and you are
 liable to break the warp and loosen the
 knots4 ,frequent sweeping is far better
 than the brutality of constant beating4
 ,the wool of a rug is really a sentient
 thing4 ,however dead it may seem1 it   
has a life and vitality all its own4 ,it
 can be quickened1 rejuvenated1 and made
 alive again by proper washing4  ,rugs  
in our modern houses easily accumulate  
dust and grime and smoke4 ,but it is    
absurd to think that a rug is antique   
because it is dirty2 or1 more foolish   
still1 that because it is dirty it is   
both antique and beautiful4 ,wash some  
of your treasures and you will wonder at
 their real glory and colour4 ,generally
 speaking1 every rug should be washed   
about once a year4 ,it is the ,oriental 
custom2 and carpets there are otherwise 

kept much cleaner than with us1 by      
reason of many usages and observances4  
,that the ,orientals wash their rugs in 
cold water is not so4 ,wherever and     
whenever their laundering is done1 the  
water is as warm as can be had1         
naturally4  ,milady washes her laces    
with her own fair hands1 and delights in
 the task4 ,the rug collector will do   
well1 perhaps1 to follow her example2   
except for the tender specimens1 which  
must needs do without it1 and the       
carpets1 which are unmanageable4 ,at all
 events1 he will do wisely not to send  
his valued specimens to the ordinary    
carpet-cleaner4 ,they may come back     
expurgated1 but some virtue has gone out
 of them4 ,the wool has lost its oil and
 life4  ,it is hardly within the        
province of this volume to prescribe the
 exact methods of washing4 ,wool soap   
will do wonders1 it being always        
remembered to stroke softly with the    
nap1 while the rug is drying4 ,in       
,kurdistan and neighbouring provinces   

the rugs are first soaked in milk of    
some kind and then rinsed1 cleaned1 and 
rubbed dry4 ,the milk gives back to the 
wool its essential oil1 and it becomes  
at once soft1 shining1 silky1 and alive 
with glowing colour4 ,this process1     
simple as it is1 is kept as a profound  
secret by the few who know it in this   
country4 ,another ,eastern method is to 
rub the rug with a mixture of rice-meal 
and oil1 but the first recipe is by far 
the better4  ,rugs must be cared for    
particularly as to moths4 ,when they are
 in general use the moth will not       
corrupt1 rust1 or break through and     
steal1 as may be paraphrased from the   
,scriptures4 ,the criminal indictment   
against the moth in this regard cannot  
be drawn too strongly4 ,he is the       
collector's great enemy1 because he     
destroys4 ,age and even wear only ripen 
the perfections of fine modern pieces4  
,carpets and rugs stored1 or laid aside1
 are not mothproof1 wherever they may   
be2 unless they are treated as in the   

great wholesale houses1 where they are  
lifted and moved once a week and        
protected with the odorous moth-ball4   
,when rugs have to be moved and packed  
frequently they should be folded        
differently each time1 and not always in
 the same creases4 ,otherwise1 wear and 
tear will soon show in the folds4 ,for  
many obvious reasons they always should 
be folded away with the nap inside4     
,experience should teach the collector  
to appreciate and care for all fine     
examples which he may already have4     
,there are few others to take their     
places4 ,going6 going6 going6 has been  
said of them too often4 ,time1 as       
auctioneer1 now says of them1 as of old 
,chinese porcelains1 ,gone6 ,and that   
they should be even rarer than old china
 is quite understandable4 ,the ravages  
of time deal more gently with porcelains
 than with rugs4 ,only breakage1 not    
wear1 moth1 and abuse affects the       
former2 and it is generally guarded in  
glass cases and dusted by the mistress  

herself4 ,your rugs are neglected1 or   
left to the gardener's heroic care and  
treatment4 ,use and abuse encroach upon 
the ends and edges of a glorious old    
masterpiece1 and ere it is too late1 it 
becomes but a king of shreds and        
patches4  ,if there were new rugs to    
take its place1 we might say3 ,the ,king
 is dead4 ,long live the ,king6 ,but    
there are no new ones worthy of         
succession4 ,the royal line is virtually
 extinct4     ,,index     ,index        
,afghan rugs1 #hb            1 modern1  
mineral dyes in1 #hc    ,anatolian rugs1
 #gc           1 commercial term1 #gc   
mats1 #gc1 #gd    ,angles1 mystery of1  
#b        1 use of1 #fb    ,angular     
ornamentation1 #if1 #aba    ,antique    
carpets1 #id          rugs1 not to be   
had1 #f             1 term abused1 #dc  
1 tones of imitated1 #ha             1  
valuable for design1 #dd    ,arabian    
digits illustrated1 #abd    ,arabic     
figures1 miscalled1 #abd    ,arabic     
language1 #abb                1         

catholicity of1 #abb1 #abc              
,armenians1 appreciation of1 #c         
1 as dealers1 #aac           hoard      
,anatolian mats1 #gd    ,auction1       
arguments for1 #ajg1 #ajh         1     
caution in buying at1 #acc         1    
fascination of1 #aab         1 ways of1 
#aji1 #aaj    ,auctioneer1 #aji1 #aaj   
1 powers of1 #aaa-aac    ,authorities1  
few available1 #d     ,babylon1 first   
rugs woven at1 #fi    ,bale1 rugs by1   
#ajh1 #aji    ,bead-bags1 #bc           
,beluchistan rugs1 #hc                 1
 silkiness of1 #ed    ,bergama rugs1 #ge
             1 defect of1 #gf           
1 lavender in1 #ge    ,bokhara          
camel-bags1 #ii          rugs1 #hj      
1 brown1 #ha             1 ,yamoud1 #hb 
saddle-bags1 crooked1 desirable1 #ajj   
,border1 ,caucasian1 ,persian1 #bc      
1 classifying rugs1 #bg1 #bh        1   
crab1 #bi1 #cj        1 dotted1         
,gheordez1 #ga        1 ,koulah1 #bg1   
#gb        1 ,ladik1 lily1 #be1 #gb     
1 must have end to correspond1 #acf     

1 ,rhodian or lily1 #be1 #gb        1   
,serabend1 #bi1 #ej                 1 in
 ,mousuls1 #ec    ,borders in ,khorassan
 rugs1 defective1 #di     ,camel-bags1  
#ii           1 crooked1 desirable1 #ajj
    ,camel's hair in rugs1 #aca         
,cashmere1 see ,soumac    ,carpet1 #ic  
1 room should fit1 #id    ,carpet-bag1  
#ajj1 #aja    ,carpets1 modern ,persian1
 #id-ih                 ,turkish1 #ig1  
#ih    ,caucasian rugs1 characteristics 
of1 #fb               1 ,persian        
influence on1 #fa               1       
varieties of1 #af    ,chichi rugs1 #fa1 
#fb            1 ordinary specimens of1 
#ff    ,chinese figures in ,melez rugs1 
#ge          old1 rugs1 #hh1 #hi        
weaving transferred to ,persia1 #fi     
,china1 first rugs from1 #fi            
,collector encouraged1 #gf    ,colours1 
brown1 to be rejected1 #ha         1    
chemical in carpets1 #ie         1 dark1
 of ,beluchistans1 #hc         1 flaming
 red1 of ,karabaghs1 #fd         1 green
 and yellow1 in ,bokharas1 #hb         1

 lavender1 heliotrope1 c41 #ge         1
 magenta1 to be avoided1 #ge1 #hg       
of ,beluchistans1 #hc                   
,bergamas1 #ge           ,ladiks1 #gb   
,gheordez1 #gj1 #ga         1 red1 of   
,bokharas1 #hj1 #ha    ,comb1 as symbol1
 #ace    ,cossack1 like ,kazak1 #fe     
,crooked rugs1 poetical version of1 #ba 
,daghestan1 confusing term1 #fa1 #fb    
rugs1 #fa              1 term           
distinguished1 #fc    ,dates on rugs1   
#abd1 #abg             1 ,arabian digits
 for1 #abd             1 formula for    
reading1 #abf             1 intricate   
forms of1 #abe    ,dealers1             
uncommunicative1 #b         1 wholesale1
 #ajh    ,design1 checker-board1 #ge1   
#gf        1 comb1 #ace        1        
,feraghan1 #bd1 #ec        1 four roses1
 #ed1 #ee 7note7        1 ,koniah1 #bf1 
#gb        1 lamp1 #gb        1 mosque1 
#gj        1 no pattern for1 #bf        
1 palace pattern1 #fd        1          
palm-leaf1 pear1 loop1 #ej        1     
shawl pattern1 #fd        1 sunburst1   

#fd    ,designs1 as trademarks1 #bf     
1 animals for1 not on ,turkish rugs1 #df
         1 geometric figures for1 #hj   
1 ,kazak1 in ,killims1 #hf1 #hg         
1 mosaic-work in1 #fd1 #gf1 #hj         
1 palm-leaf1 in ,mousuls1 #ec1 #ed      
1 tile1 #hb    ,dipping rugs to imitate 
antique1 #ha    ,donkey-bags1 #ih       
,dyes1 aniline1 mineral1 #ce1 #cf1 #ch1 
#acd                      1 test for1   
#ci      1 black1 #cf      1 brown1 #cg 
1 imitated1 #ha      1 green1 #cg1 #ej  
1 magenta1 #cf1 #di1 #hg      1 secret  
in ,kurdistan carpets1 #if     ,edges1  
should be overcast1 #acg    ,ends1      
importance of perfect1 #acf      1 in   
,khorassan rugs1 defective1 #di      1  
should have corresponding borders1 #acf 
,experts1 disagreement of1 #ef         1
 no1 #c     ,feraghan carpets1 #if      
1 small figures of1 #ig           rugs1 
#eb              1 characteristic design
 of1 #bi1 #eb              1            
illustrated1 #bd    ,figures1 see       
,design    ,fringe of rugs1 not for     

beauty1 #ace              1 trimming of1
 #acf     ,geography of carpets and     
rugs1 #gi1 #hj    ,gheordez rug1 #gj1   
#ga    ,gorovan carpets1 #if            
,gulistan carpets1 #ig           rugs1  
#ef     ,hall rugs1 desirable1 #de1 #ic 
1 ,persian term for1 #dd    ,hamadan    
carpets1 #ih    ,holes in rugs1 cause   
of1 #acc     ,india carpets1 #ag        
,inscriptions on rugs and carpets1 #aba 
,iran1 as descriptive term1             
distinguished1 #ae       1  a trade term
 like ,anatolian1 #gc    ,ispahan rugs1 
#ef     ,jewels1 mats like1 #gd         
,joshghan rugs1 #ea1 #eb              1 
like ,ispahans1 #eg     ,kabistan rugs1 
#fc             1 distinguished from    
,shirvans1 #fd    ,karabagh rugs1 #fd   
,kazak rugs1 #fe           1 plush of1  
#hd    ,killims1 #hf1 #hg    ,khorassan 
rugs1 #di    ,kinari1 ,persian term for 
hall rugs1 #dd    ,kirman rugs1 #de-dh  
,kirmanshah carpets1 #ie                
rugs1 trade name for ,kirmans1 #dh      
,kiz-,killims1 see ,killims    ,knots1  

kinds of1 #be       1 numbers of1 #bf   
,koniah rugs1 #ga            1          
characteristic design of described1 #gb 
1                       illustrated1 #bf
    ,koulah rugs1 #ga            1      
characteristic border of described1 #gb 
1                       illustrated1 #bg
    ,kurdish rugs distinguished from    
,kurdistans1 #ee    ,kurdistan carpets1 
#ie1 #if            rugs1 #ee1 #ef      
,kurds1 a band of robbers1 #ee          
,ladik rugs1 #gb           1            
characteristic border of described1 #gb 
1                       illustrated1 #be
    ,lamp1 ,aladdin's1 #ga    ,lamps    
like tea-pots in ,koulahs1 #gb          
,malgara rugs1 #hh    ,mats1 ,anatolian1
 #gc1 #gd       1 ,beluchistan1 #he     
,mecca rugs1 doubtful term1 #c          
1 ,shiraz1 so called1 #ea    ,melez     
rugs1 #gd1 #ge    ,mohammedan dating1   
#abe1 #abf    ,moth holes to be looked  
for in buying rugs1 #acc    ,moths to be
 guarded against1 #adj    ,mousul rugs1 
#ec            1 shimmer of1 #hd        

,museums1 best rugs in1 #f         1    
brown ,bokharas only in1 #ha         1  
guide-posts to1 #gc    ,mysterious      
inscriptions1 #abc    ,mystery of the   
rug1 #b     ,names of rugs1 #h1 #i      
1 commercial1 #ef             1         
importance of1 #ad             1 unknown
 and fanciful1 #ad     ,oushak carpets1 
#ih     ,pattern1 see ,design           
,persia1 inspiration drawn from1 #fi    
,persian ,iran1 ignorant term1 #ae      
,persian1 means splendour1 #f           
,persian rugs1 best to buy1 #de         
1 order of1 #ae    ,pile1 depth of1 in  
,mousuls1 #hd    ,pillow1 shown by      
selvedge1 #aja    ,pillows1 ,sehna1 #aja
    ,prayer rugs1 #ga            1 comb 
in1 #ace     ,rose1 conventionalized1   
#ec      1 ,oriental origin1 #ed      1 
,persian1 #eb    ,rugs1 beating of1 #acg
      1 cheap1 uses and value of1 #ff   
1 cleaning of1 #acg      1 firm1 that   
lie well1 desirable1 #acd      1 folding
 of1 #ada      1 holes in1 #acc      1  
hung on wall1 criticised1 #ajb1 #acd    

1 moths in1 #adj      1 much worn1 to be
 avoided1 #acc      1 neglect of1 #ada  
1 number annually imported1 #aad1 #aae1 
#aaf      1 painted or doctored1 test   
for1 #acd      1 retail trade in1 #aac  
1 tricks in selling1 #ace      1 washing
 of1 #ach1 #aci1 #adj      1 wholesale  
dealers in1 #aad1 #aag    ,russian1     
types of1 in ,caucasian rugs1 #fc1 #fe  
,saddle-bag1 #ih           1 shown by   
selvedge1 #aja           1 term         
confusing1 #ajj    ,saddle-cloth1 #ajb  
,samarkand rugs1 #hg    ,sarak rugs1 #eg
    ,selvedge1 cutting of in            
,beluchistans1 #he                      
,bergamas1 #gf          of ,bergamas1   
#hd            ,beluchistans1 #bh       
,bokharas1 #hb            pillows1 #aja 
saddle-bags1 #aja            ,yamoud    
,bokharas1 #hb          should be       
trimmed1 #ace1 #acf    ,sehna rugs1 #dh1
 #di        pillows1 #aja    ,serabend  
rugs1 #ej              1 characteristic 
border of1 #bi              1           
illustrated1 #ej    ,shiraz donkey-bags1

 #ih         rugs1 #ea            1     
defects of1 #gf    ,shirvan donkey-bags1
 #ih         rugs1 #fd            1     
distinguished from ,kabistan1 #fd       
,silk rugs1 antique1 #acb          1    
modern1 to be avoided1 #dh1 #acb1 #acc  
,sizes of carpets1 #dd1 #id             
rugs1 #dd             1 almost square1  
#hb    ,smyrna carpets1 #ig1 #ih        
,smyrna carpets1 so called1 #ih         
,soumac rugs1 #hf    ,strips1 or        
,stair-rugs1 proper name of1 #dd        
,sultanabad carpets1 #ig     ,tabriz    
carpets1 #ie        rugs1 #eg           
,teheran rugs1 #ef    ,tjoshghan1 see   
,joshghan    ,tree1 cypress1 #ge        
of ,life1 #df    ,trellis1 rose1 #ec    
,turkestan rugs1 #gi               1    
varieties of1 #af               1       
1 order of1 #af            weaves1 like 
rubies1 #gj    ,turkoman rugs1 #gi      
,tzi-tzi1 see ,chichi     ,washing of   
rugs1 essential1 #ach               1   
methods of1 #aci1 #adj    ,weaving1 done
 by women1 #bb         1 method of1 #bd1

 #be    ,wholesale dealers1 buyers from1
 #ajh    ,wool1 camels'1 #aca           
from young sheep1 desirable1 #acb       
,wool has life1 is sentient thing1 #ach 
1 like plush in ,kazaks1 #hd       1    
soft and silky1 in ,beluchistans1 #hd   
,youraghan rugs1 #ea    ,yourdez1 see   
,gheordez    ,youruck rugs1 #fe         
,footnote3  #a ,this ancient            
four-flowered pattern appears in as many
 forms as the loop or palm-leaf2 but    
whatever bud or blossom may be modelled 
by the weaver1 the design retains its   
strong distinctive lines4 ,it is shown  
on the cover of this volume in one      
phase1 and it appears in different form 
in the plate of the ,beluchistan rug4