2.300 LIBRARY OF THE NEW YORK STATE COLLEGE OF HOME ECONOMICS CORNELL UNIVERSITY ITHACA, NEW YORK Cornell University Library NK2808.L65 1920 3 1924 014 064 749 The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924014064749 '"^'^:%k- b ■./.i*- »' TEKKE BOKHARA RUG Size 6'6'X6'4' FROFEBTT OF MB. F. A. TURNER,, BOSTON, MASS. This piece is unusual in many ways. - The background of old ivory both in the borders and in the field; the old rose color of the octagons; the difference in the number of border stripes and in the designs of same on the sides and ends are all non-Turkomail feat- ures. It is the only so called "white Bokhara" of whichiwe have any knowledge. .•iili-mhius U'-jjiinnh'Tod to ■mhim-.-i ^ifj oi Pona-ibOi'' 'I: ,m'^-ui-rjo . safes! won:rf vi:!; THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS BY DR. G. GRIFFIN LEWIS NEW, FIFTH, EDITION. WITH Si ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLOR at IN DOUBLETONE, 70 DESIGNS IN LINE, CHART AND MAP PHILADELPHIA & LONDON J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY COPTniQHT, 1911, BT J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPAJfT COPTRIOHT, 1913, BT J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPAJfT COPTHIGHT» 1920, BY j. Mi. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY NINTH IMPRESSION PRINTED IN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA PREFACE TO THE FIFTH EDITION It is nine years since the first edition of " The Practical Book of Oriental Rugs " was pubhshed. Two years later the second (revised) edition was published. Since then two other (unrevised) edi- tions have been issued, and the fifth now appears, more profusely illustrated with color plates than any of the previous ones. The first edition con- tained ten color plates and the second, third and fourth twenty, while the present one has thirty- two, four of the old ones having been discarded and sixteen new ones added. It is most gratifying to both author and pub- lisher that the previous editions have met with such a remarkable sale, the output during 1919 being the largest of any since the first year of publication. The foreign sales have increased each year, those of 1919 being nearly three times those of the first year, orders having been received from nearly aU parts of the civilized world. The author wishes especially to call attention to the great change in the prices of rugs since the PREFACE beginning of the World War. Good antique pieces have advanced from 300 per cent, to 800 per cent, and commercial pieces froni 100 per cent, to 400 per cent. The scale of prices given, there- fore, in Part II of this book does not apply to present conditions. A prominent New York art dealer, who has made annual trips through the rug-making countries of the Orient during the last decade, bravely set out again immediately after the sign- ing of the armistice. He was obliged to travel many thousands of miles out of his way and to endure many hardships, but, owing to the poverty and disruption of households occasioned by losses in the recent war, he succeeded in getting several hundred pieces, which he had tried many years to secure. Likewise, importers of aU countries have sent their representatives into the Orient, who have made a house-to-house canvass, buying up all the good pieces with which the people were willing to part. This accounts for the recent in- flux of Oriental rugs, but they are going fast even at the enormous prices asked for them and soon the supply wiU be exhausted. To be sure, several large factories have been established in the Orient, where weaiang will be done by hand, as in the past, but when we consider the fact that PREFACE the Oriental of to-day is no longer the Oriental of yesterday; that he has been Europeanized and will demand the European standard of wages for his labor instead of a few pence per day as in the past, we shall readily understand that even his most ordinary products will cost many times what they did previous to the war. Many in this country have in their homes pieces whidi have been in their family for years and which, whether personally appreciated or not, would, if sold to-day, bring from five to twenty-five times their original cost. Those who have good Oriental rugs will do well to keep them, and those who ever hope to possess any had better get them now, even at the advanced cost, for they will surely grow more scarce and higher in price. Most of the rug-making people have been annihilated or transported, and those left have eaten their sheep and made their wool into cloth- ing. The family looms of the East are silent and broken and there will be little or no weaving in the future. It is one of the pitiful results of the war, for truly there is a wealth of beauty and a world of sentiment in these magic carpets of the Orient G. G. L. PREFACE TO THE REVISED EDITION It is most gratifying to both, author and pub- lishers that the first edition of "The Practical Book of Oriental Bugs" has been so quickly ex- hausted. Its rather remarkable sale, in spite of the fact that within the past decade, no less than seven books on the subject have been printed in English, proves that it is the practical part of the book that appeals to the majority. The second edition has been prepared with the same practical idea paramount and quite a few new features have been introduced. The color plates have been increased from ten to twenty ; a chapter on Chinese rugs has been in- serted ; descriptions of three more rugs have been added and numerous changes and additions have been made to the text in general PREFACE Oeiental rugs have become as mucli a neces- sity in our beautiful, artistic tomes as are the paintings on the walls and the various other works of art. Their admirers are rapidly increasing, and with this increased interest there is naturally an increased demand for more reliable informa- tion regarding them. The aim of the present writer has been prac- tical — no such systematized and tabulated infor- mation regarding each variety of rug in the mar- ket has previously been attempted. The particu- lars on identification by prominent characteris- tics and detail of weaving, the detailed chapter on design, illustrated throughout with text cuts, thus enabling the reader to identify the different varieties by their patterns; and the price per square foot at which each variety is held by retail dealers, are features new in rug literature. In- structions are also given for the selection, pur- chase, care and cleaning of rugs, as well as for the detection of fake antiques, aniline dyes, etc. PREFACE In furtherance of this practical idea the illus- trations are not of museum pieces and priceless specimens in the possession of wealthy collectors, but of fine and attractive examples which with knowledge and care can be bought in the open market to-day. These illustrations will therefore be found of the greatest practical value to modem purchasers. In the chapter on famous rugs some few specimens illustrative of notable pieces have been added. In brief, the author has hoped to provide within reasonable limits and at a reasonable price a volume from which purchasers of Oriental rugs can learn in a short time all that is necessary for their guidance, and from which dealers and connoisseurs can with the greatest ease of refer- ence refresh their knowledge and determine points which may be in question. For many valuable hints the author wishes to acknowledge indebtedness to the publications re- ferred to in the bibliography; to Miss Lillian Cole, of Sivas, Turkey; to Major P. M. Sykes, the English Consulate General at Meshed, Persia; to B. A. Gupte, F. Z. S., Assistant Director of Ethnography at the Indian Museum, Calcutta, India; to Prof, du Bois-Eeymond, of Shanghai, China ; to Dr. John G. Wishard, of the American PREFACE Hospital at Teheran, Persia; to Miss Alice C. Bewer, of the American Hospital at Aintab, Tur- key; to Miss Annie T. Allen, of Brousa, Turkey; to Mr. Charles C. Tracy, president of Anatolia College, Morsovan, Turkey; to Mr. John Tyler, of Teheran, Persia; to Mr. E. L. Harris, United States Consulate General of Smyrna, Turkey; to Dr. J. Arthur Frank, Hamadan, Persia; and to Miss Kate Gr. Ainslie, of Morash, Turkey. For the use of some of the plates and photo- graphs acknowledgment is made to Mr. A. U. Dilley, of Boston, Mass. ; to H. B. Claflin & Co., of New York City; to Mr. Charles Quill Jones, of New York City; to Miss Lillian Cole, of Sivas, Turkey; to Maj. P. M. Sykes, of Meshed, Persia; to Maj. L. B. Lawton, of Seneca Falls, N. Y.; to the late "VVUliam E. Curtis, of Washington, D. C. ; to The Scientific American and to Good House- keeping magazines ; while thanks are due Mr. A. U. Dilley, of Boston, Mass. ; to Liberty & Co., of Lon- don ; to the Simplicity Co., of Grand Eapids, Mich. ; to the Tiffany .Studios and to Nahigian Bros., of Chicago, 111., for some of the colored plates, and to Clifford & Lawton, of New York City, for the map of the Orient. TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I PAflB Introduction : 17 Age of the weaving art; Biblical reference to the weav- ing art; a fascinating study; the artistic worth and other advantages of the Oriental products over the domestic; annual importation. I. Cost and Tariff 25 Upon what depends the value; the various profits made; transportation charges; export duties; import duties; cost compared with that of domestic products; some fabulous prices. II. Dealers and Auctions 31 Oriental shrewdness; when rugs are bought by the bale; the auction a means of disposing of poor fabrics; fake bidders. III. Antiques 35 The antique craze; why age enhances value; what con- stitutes an antique; how to determine age; antiques in the Orient; antiques in America; celebrated antiques; American collectors; artificial aging. IV. Advice to Buyers 43 Reliable dealers; difference between Oriental and domes- tic products; how to examine rugs; making selections; selection of rugs for certain rooms. V. The Htgibne op the Rug 55 The hygienic condition of Oriental factories and homes; condition of rugs when leaving the Orient; condition of rugs when arriving in America; United States laws re- garding the disinfection of hides; the duties of re- tailera 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAOB VI. The Case op Rttgs 63 Erroneous ideas regarding the wearing qualities of Oriental rugs; treatment of rugs in the Orient com- pared with that in America; how and when cleaned; how and when washed; moths; how straightened; re- moval of stains, etc. VII. The Material op Rugs 69 Wool, goats' hair, camels' hair, cotton, silk, hemp; preparation of the wool; spinning of the wool. VIII. Dyes and Dyers 75 Secrets of the Eastern dye pots; vegetable dyes; ani- line dyes; Persian law against the use of aniline; the process of dyeing; favorite colors of different rug-weav- ing nations; how to distinguish between vegetable and aniline dyes; symbolism of colors; the individual dyes and how made. IX. Weaving and Weavers 87 The present method compared with that of centuries ago; Oriental method compared with the domestic; pay of the weavers; the Eastern loom; the different methods of weaving. X. Designs and Their Symbolism 97 Oriental vs. European designs; tribal patterns; the migration of designs; characteristics of Persian designs; characteristics of Turkish designs; characteristics of Caucasian designs; characteristics of Turkoman de- signs; dates and inscriptions; quotations from the Koran; description and symbolism of designs alpha- betically arranged, with an illustration of each. XI. The Identification op Rugs 147 A few characteristic features of certain rugs; table showing the distinguishing features of all rugs; an example. PART II XII General Classipication 161 How they receive their names; trade names; geo- graphical classification of all rugs. 8 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAoa XIII. Persian Classification 169 Persian characteristics; the knot; the weavers; fac- tories in Persia; Persian rug provinces; description of each Persian rug, as follows: Herez, Bakhshis, Gorevan, Serapi, Kara Dagh, Kashan, Souj Bulak, Tabriz, Bijar (Sarakhs, Lule), Kermanshah, Senna, Feraghan (Iran), Hamadan, Ispahan (Iran), Josh- aghan. Saraband (Sarawan, Selvile), Saruk, Sultan- abad (Muskabad, Mahal, Savalan), Niris (Laristan), Shiraz (Mecca), Herat, Khorasan, Meshed, Kirman, Kurdistan. XIV. Turkish Classification 217 The rug-making districts of Turkey in Asia; annual importation of Turkish rugs; Turkish weavers; the knot; Turkish characteristics; the Kurds; description of each Turkish rug, as follows: Kir Shehr, Oushak, Karaman, Mujur, Konieh, Ladik, Yuruk, Ak Hissar (Aksar), Anatolian, Bergama, Ghiordes, Kulah, Makri, Males (Carian), Smjrrna (Aidin, Brousa), Mosul. XV. Caucasian Classification 253 The country; the people; Caucasian characteristics; description of each Caucasian rug, as follows: Dag- hestan, Derbend, Kabistan (Kuban), Tchetchen (Tzitzi, Chichi), Baku, Shemakha (Soumak, Kash- mir), SMrvan, Genghis (Turkman), Karabagh, Kazak. XVI. Turkoman Classification 277 Turkoman territory; Turkoman characteristics; de- scription of each Turkoman rug, as follows: Khiva Bokhara (Afghan), Beshir Bokhara, Tekke Bokhara, Yomud (Yamut), Kasghar, Yarkand, Samarkand (Malgaran). XVII. Beltjchistan Rugs 295 The country; the people; Beluchistan characteristics; description and cost of Beluchistan rugs. XVIII. Chinese Rugs 301 Slow to grow in public favor; exorbitant prices; geographical classification; classification according to designs; Chinese designs and their symbolism; the materials; the colors. g TABLE OF CONTENTS PAOB XIX. Ghileems, Silks, and Felts 311 How made; classification, characteristics, uses, de- scription of each kind. Saks 316 Classification, colors, cost, wearing quaUties. Felts 318 How made; their use; cost. XX. Classification Accgrdinq to Their Intended Use . . 321 Prayer Bugs. How used; the niche; designs; how class- ified; prayer niche designs with key. Hearth Rugs, Grave Rugs, Dowry or Wedding Rugs, Mosque Rugs, Bath Rugs, Pillow Cases, Sample Comers, Saddle Bags, Floor Coverings, Runners, Hangings. XXI. Famous Rugs 331 Museum collections; private collections; the recent Metropolitan Museum exhibit; age and how deter- mined; description and pictures of certain famous rugs. Glossast 341 Giving all rug names and terms alphabetically ar- ranged, with the proper pronunciation and explana- tion. BlBLIOGRAPHT 359 Giving aa alphabetically arranged list of all rug liter- ature in the English language. Index 363 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS RUGS COLOR PLATES PAGE Tekke Bokhara rug Frontispiece Meshed prayer rug 22 Khorasan carpet 32 Saruk rug, 40 Shiraz rug 52 Anatolian mat 60 Ghiordes prayer rug 66 Ladik prayer rug 74 Bijar rug 78 Daghestan rug 84 Kazak rug 94 Saraband rug 126 Kabistan rug 128 Mosul rug 136 Kazak rug 144 Shirvan rug 158 Saruk rug 166 Serapi rug 176 Feraghan rug 196 Mahal rug 200 Khorasan rug 208 Kulah hearth rug 216 Bergama prayer rug 234 Ghiordes prayer rug 236 Shirvan rug 250 Baku rug 262 Beshir Bokhara prayer rug 274 Daghestan prayer rug 292 Beluchistan rug 294 Chinese rug 300 Chinese cushion rug 306 Indian Ispahan rug 318 DOUBLETONES The Metropohtan animal rug 26 Bergama prayer rug 46 SymboUc Persian silk (Tabriz) rug 48 Symbolic Persian silk rug 98 11 LIST OP ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE Semi-Persian rug (European designs) 100 Shiraz prayer rug 10^ Hamadan rug JlO Feraghan rug 11| Kennanshah rug (modem) 118 Khiva prayer rug 120 Kir Shehr prayer rug 130 Konieti prayer rug 138 Tekke Bokhara strip 150 Tekke Bokhara tent bag 162 Herez carpet 172 Gorevan carpet 1 < 4 Serapi carpet 178 Bisfian silk rug 180 Tabriz rug 182 Bijar rug 186 Senna rug 188 Feraghan rug 190 Hamadan rug 192 Ispahan rug 194 Saraband rug 198 Mahal carpet 202 Niris rug 204 Shiraz rug 206 Kirman prayer rug 210 Kirman rug 212 Kurdistan rug (Mina Kiani design) 214 Kir Shehr prayer rug 220 Kir Shehr hearth rug 222 Konieh prayer rug 224 Maden (Mujur) prayer rug 226 Ladik prayer rug 228 Yuruk rug 230 Ak Hissar prayer rug 232 Ghiordes prayer rug 238 Kulah prayer rug 240 Meles rug 242 Meles rug 244 Makri rug 246 Mosul rug 248 Daghestai rug 254 Daghestan prayer rug 256 Kabistan rug 258 Tchetchen or Chichi rug 260 Shemakha, Sumak or Cashmere rug 264 Shirvan rug 266 Genghis rug 268 Karabagh rug 270 Kazak rug (Palace design) 272 12 LIST OP ILLUSTRATIONS PAOB Khiva Bokhara rug 278 Beshir Bokhara rug .!.!.!!!!!!!-!!! 280 Tekke Bokhara rug 282 Tekke Bokhara (Princess Bokhara, KhatchMe) prayer rug. . . . 284 Yomud rug 286 Samarkand rug 290 Beluchistan rug 296 Senna Ghileem rug 312 Kurdish Ghileem rug ' " 314 Merve Ghileem rug [ 3I6 Kurdish Ghileem rug ' 316 Saddle cloth, saddle bags and powder bag 324 Kirman saddle bags 326 Bijar sample corner 328 Ardebil Mosque carpet 330 Berlin Dragon and Phoenix rug 332 East Indian hunting rug 334 The Altman prayer rug 336 The Baker huntmg rug 338 RUG MAKING, ETC. A Persian rug merchant 38 E^)ert weaver and inspector 38 Spinning the wool 72 Persian dye pots 80 A Persian village 80 A Turkish loom 88 The Senna and Ghiordes knots 90 Youthful weavers 90 A Persian loom 92 A wooden comb 92 A Kurdish guard 124 The Emir of Bokhara and his ministers 134 Turkomans at home 134 Characteristic backs of rugs 152 Inspecting rugs at Ispahan 170 Persian villagers near Hamadan 170 Turkomans 276 Having a pot of tea at Bokhara 288 A street in Samarkand 288 The rug caravan 376 DESIGNS Angular hook 101 Barber-pole stripe 102 Bat 103 Beetle 103 Butterfly border design 104 Caucasian border design 105 13 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE Chichi border design 105 Chinese fret 106 Chinese cloud band 106 Comb 108 Crab border design 108 Greek cross 109 Fish bone border design 112 Galley border design 112 Georgian border design 112 Ghiordes border design 113 Herati border design 114 Herati field design 114 Knot of destiny 116 Kulah border design 116 Lamp 117 Lattice field 117 Link 118 Lotus 118 Lotus border design 119 Greek meander 119 Pole medallion 120 Mir or Saraband border design 120 Octagon 122 Palace or sunburst 122 Pear 123 Pear border design 124 Reciprocal saw-teeth 126 Reciprocal trefoil 126 Lily or Rhodian field design 126 Lily or Rhodian border design 126 Ribbon border design 127 Rooster ■ 127 Rosette 128 S forms 129 Scorpion border design 129 Shirvan border design 130 Shou 131 Solomon's seal 131 Star 133 Swastika 134 T forms 134 Tae-kieh 135 Tarantula 135 Tekke border designs 135 Tekke field designs 135 Tomoye 136 Tortoise border designs 136 Tree designs 137 Wine-glass border designs 138 14 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE Winged disc 139 Y forms 139 Various forms of prayer-niche in rugs 322 NAMELESS DESIGNS Persian border desipps 140 Turkish border designs 141 Caucasian border designs 142 Turkoman border designs 143 Chinese border designs 143 Chinese field design 143 Kurdish field designs 143 Caucasian field design 143 Turkish field designs 143 Persian field designs 143 CHART Showing the distinguishing features of the different rugs 156 MAP The Orient At end of volume INTRODUCTION Just when the art of weaving originated is an uncertainty, hut there seems to he a consensus of opinion among archaeologists in general that it was in existence earlier than the 24th century before Christ. The first people which we have been able with certainty to associate with this art were the ancient Egyptians. Monuments of ancient Egypt and of Mesopotamia bear witness that the products of the hand loom date a con- siderable time prior to 2400 b.c, and on the tombs of Beni-Hassan are depicted women weaving rugs on looms very much like those of the Orient at the present time. From ancient literature we learn that the palaces of the Pharaohs were orna- mented with rugs ; that the tomb of Cyrus, f oimder of the ancient Persian monarchy, was covered with a Babylonian carpet and that Cleopatra was carried into the presence of Caesar wrapped in a rug of the finest texture. Ovid vividly described the weaver's loom. In Homer's Iliad we find these words: " Thus as he spoke he led them in and placed on couches spread with purple carpets o'er," The woman in the Proverbs of Solomon said, " I have woven my bed with cords, I have 17 INTRODUCTION covered it with painted tapestry from Egypt." Job said : " My days are swifter than the weaver's shuttle and are spent without hope." Other places in the Bible where reference is made to the art of weaving are, Ex. 33, 35, Sam. 17, 7, and Isa. 38, 12. Besides Biblical writers, Plautus, Scipio, Horace, Pliny and Josephus all speak of rugs. The Egyptian carpets were not made of the same material and weave as are the so-called Oriental rugs of to-day. The pile surface was not made by tying small tufts of wool upon the warp thread. The Chinese seem to have been the first to have made rugs in this way. Persia acquired the art from Babylon many centuries before Christ, since which time she has held the foremost place as a rug weaving nation. There is no more fascinating study than that of Oriental rugs and there are few hobbies that claim so absorbing a devotion. To the connois- seur it proves a veritable enchantment: to the busy man a mental salvation. He reads from his rugs the life history of both a bygone and a living people. A fine rug ranks second to no other crea- tion as a work of art and although many of them are made by semi-barbaric people, they possess rare artistic beauty of design and execution to which the master hand of Time puts the finishing touches. Each master-piece has its individuality, 18 INTRODUCTION no two being alike, although, each, may be true in general to the family patterns, and therein con- sists their enchantment. The longer you study them the more they fascinate. Is it strange then that this wonderful reproduction of colors appeals to connoisseurs and art lovers of every country? Were some of the antique or even the modern pieces endowed with the gift of speech what won- derfully interesting stories they could tell and yet to the connoisseur the history, so to speak, of many of these gems of the Eastern loom is plainly legible in their weave, designs and colors. The family or tribal legends worked out in the patterns, the religious or ethical meaning of the blended colors, the death of a weaver before the completion of his work, which is afterwards taken up by another, the toil and privation of which every rug is witness, are all matters of interest only to the student. Americans have been far behind Europeans in recognizing the artistic worth and the many other advantages of the Oriental rug over any other kind. Twenty-five years ago few American homes possessed even one. Since then a marked change in public taste has taken place. All classes have become interested and, according to their re- sources, have purchased them in a manner char- acteristic of the American people, so that now some of the choicest gems in existence have found i» INTRODUCTION a home in the United States. To what extent this is true may be shown by the custom house statistics, which prove that, even under a tariff of nearly 50 per cent., the annual importation ex- ceeds over five million dollars and New York City with the possible exception of London has become the largest rug market of the world. This impor- tation will continue on even a larger scale until the Orient is robbed of all its fabrics and the Per- sian rug will have become a thing of the past. Already the western demand has been so great that the dyes, materials and quality of workman- ship have greatly deteriorated and the Orientals are even importing machine made rugs from Europe for their own use. It therefore behooves us to cherish the Oriental rugs now in our posses- sion. Both Europe and the United States are manu- facturing artistic carpets of a high degree of ex- cellence, but they never have and never will be able to produce any that will compare with those made in the East. They may copy the designs and match the shades, to a certain extent, but they lack the inspiration and the knack of blendiag, both of which are combiaed in the Oriental product. Only in a land where time is of little value and is not considered as an equivalent to money, can Buch artistic perfection be brought about. 20 PART I COST AND TARIFF The Practical Book of Oriental Rugs COST AND TARIFF The value of an Oriental rug cannot be gauged by measurement any more than can that of a fine painting ; it depends upon the number of knots to the square inch, the fineness of the material, the richness and stability of its colors, the amount of detail in design, its durability and, last but not least, its age. None of these qualifications being at sight apparent to the novice, he is unable to make a fair comparison of prices, as frequently rugs which appear to him to be quite alike and equally valuable may be far apart in actual worth. When we consider that from the time a rug leaves the weavers' hands until it reaches the final buyer there are at least from five to seven profits to pay besides the government tariffs thereon, it is no wonder that the prices at times seem exorbitant. The transportation charges amount to about ten cents per square foot. 26 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS The Turkisli government levies one per cent, export duty and the heavily protected United States levies forty per cent, ad valorem and ten cents per square foot besides, all of which alone adds over fifty per cent, to the original cost ia America, and yet should we estimate the work upon Oriental rugs by the American standard of wages they would cost from ten to fifty times their present prices. To furnish a home with Oriental rugs is not as expensive as it would at first seem. They can be bought piece by piece at intervals, as circum- stances warrant, and when a room is once pro- vided for it is for all time, whereas the carpet account is one that is never closed. In the United States good, durable Eastern rugs may be bought for from sixty cents to ten dollars per square foot, and in England for much less. Extremely choice pieces may run up to the thousands. At the Marquand sale in New York City in 1902, a fifteenth century Persian rug (10-10x6-1) was sold for $36,000, nearly $550 a square foot. The holy carpet of the Mosque at Ardebil, woven at Kashan in 1536 and now owned by the South Kensington Museum, of London, is valued at $30,000. The famous hunting rug, which was presented some years ago by the late 26 THE METROPOLITAN ANIMAL RUG BY COURTESY OF THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF PINE ARTS NEW YORK CITY (See page 337) COST AND TARIFF Ex-Governor Ames of Massacliiisetts to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, is said to liave cost $35,000. The late Mr. Yerkes of New York City paid $60,000 for his "Holy Carpet," the highest price ever paid for a rug. Mr. J. P. Morgan recently paid $17,000 for one 20x15. Two years ago H. C. Frick paid $160,000 for eight small Persians, $20,000 apiece. Senator Clark's collection cost $3,000,000, H. 0. Havemeyer's $250,000, and O. H. Payne's $200,000. Everything considered, the difference in cost per square foot between the average Oriental and the home product amounts to little in comparison to the difference in endurance. If one uses the proper judgment in selecting, his money is much better spent when invested in the former than when invested in the latter. While the nap of the domestic is worn down to the warp the Oriental has been improving in color and sheen as well as in value. This is due to the fact that the Eastern product is made of the softest of wool and treated with dyes which have stood the test of centuries and which preserve the wool instead of destroying it as do the aniline dyes. In comparing the cost of furnishing a home with Oriental rugs or with carpets one should further take into consideration the fact that with 27 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS carpets much unnecessary floor space must be covered whicli represents so much waste money. Also the question of health involved in the use of carpets is a very serious one. They retain dust and germs of all kinds and are taken up and cleaned, as a rule, but once a year. With rugs the room is much more easily kept clean and the furniture does not have to be moved whenever sweeping time comes around. DEALERS AND AUCTIONS DEALERS AND AUCTIONS Few Europeans or Americans penetrate to the interior markets of the East where home-made rugs find their first sale. Agents of some of the large importers have been sent over to collect rugs from families or small factories and the tales of Oriental shrewdness and trickery which they bring back are many and varied. "We have in this country many honest, reliable foreign dealers, but occasionally one meets with one of the class above referred to. In dealing with such people it is safe never to bid more than half and never to give over two-thirds of the price they ask you. Also never show special preference for any particular piece, otherwise you will be charged more for it. No dealer or authority may lay claim to infallibility, but few of these people have any adequate knowledge of their stock and are, as a rule, uncertain authorities, excepting in those fabrics which come from the vicinity of the province in which they lived. They buy their stock in large quantities, usually by the bale at so much a square foot, and then mark each according to their judgment so as to make the bale average up 31 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS well and pay a good profit. So it is that an expert may occasionally select a choice piece at a bargain while the novice usually pays more than the actual worth. Every rug has three values, first the art value depending upon its colors and designs, second the collector's value depending upon its rarity, and third the utility value depending upon its durability. No dealer can buy rugs on utility value alone and he who sells Oriental rugs very cheap usually sells very cheap rugs. It might be well right here to state that when rugs are sold by the bale the wholesaler -usually places a few good ones in the bale for the purpose of disposing of the poor ones. Dealers can always find an eager market for good mgs, but poor ones often go begging, and in order to dispose of them the auction is resorted to. They are put up under a bright reflected light which shows them off to the best advantage; the bidder is allowed no opportunity for a thorough examiaation and almost invariably there are present several fake bidders. This you can prove to your own satis- faction by attending some auction several days ia succession and you will see the same beautiful Tabriz bid off each time at a ridiculously low price, while those that you actually see placed into the hands of the deliveryman will average ia price about the same as similar rugs at a retail store. 32 KHORASAN CARPET SizeWXlC LOAMBD BY A. U. DILLET ic CO. ownbb's DESCBIFTION ^ An East Persian rug of especially heavy weave in robin egg blue, soft red and cream. :< ■ ' : Design: Serrated centre medallion, confined by broad blue comer bonds and seven border strips. A nig of: elaborate conven- tionalized floral decoration, with a modem rendition of Shah Abbas' design in border. ' < . (See page 207) ANTIQUES ANTIQUES The passion for antiques in tHs country has in the past been so strong that rugs showing signs of hard wear, with ragged edges and plenty of holes, were quite as salable as those which were perfect in every respect and the amateur collector of so-called "antiques" was usually an easy victim. Of late, however, the antique craze seems to be dying out and the average buyer of to-day will select a perfect modern fabric in preference to an imperfect antique one. There is no question that age is an important factor in the beauty of a rug and that an antique in a state of good preservation is much more valuable than a modem fabric, especially to the collector, to whom the latter has little value. In order to be classed as an antique a rug should be at least fifty years old, having been made before the introduction of aniline dyes. An expert can determine the age by the method of weaving, the material used, the color combination, and the design, with more certainty than can the art con- noisseur tell the age of certain European pictures, 35 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS to which he assigns dates by their peculiarities in style. Every time a design is copied it undergoes some slight change until, perhaps, the original design is lost. This modification of designs also affords great assistance in determining their age. In the Tiffany studios in New York City can be seen a series of Feraghan rugs showing the change in design for several generations. As a rule more knowledge concerning the age of a rug can be obtained from the colors and the materials employed than from the designs. An antique appears light and glossy when the nap runs from you, whereas it will appear dark and rich but without lustre when viewed from the other end. Such rugs are usually more or less shiny on the back and their edges are either somewhat ragged or have been overcast anew. With the exception of a few rare old pieces which may be found in the palaces of rulers and certain noblemen, the Orient has been pretty well stripped of its antiques. Mr. Charles Quill Jones, who has made three trips through the Orient in search of old rugs, reports that region nearly bare of gems. During his last sojourn in those parts he has succeeded in collecting a considerable number of valuable pieces, but his success may be attributed to the poverty and disruption of house- 36 ANTIQUES holds occasioned by the losses of the recent revo- lution in Persia. As especially rare he writes of having secured five pieces which were made dur- ing the reign of Shah Abbas in the 16th century. In England, France, Germany, Eussia, Austria, Poland, and especially Bavaria, there are many fine old pieces, those of London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, and Budapest being particularly note- worthy. The Rothschild collection in Paris con- tains many matchless pieces and the Ardebil Mosque carpet, which is m the South Kensington Museum, London, is without doubt the most famous piece of weaving in the world. Accord- ing to the inscription upon it, it was woven by Maksoud, the slave of the Holy Place of Kashan, in 1536. It measures thirty-four feet by seventeen feet six inches and contains 32,000,000 knots. No doubt there are more good genuine antiques in Europe and America than in the entire Orient. They are to be found, as a rule, in museums and in private collections. A number of really old and very valuable pieces may be seen at the Metro- politan Museum of Fine Arts in New York City. The Yerkes collection of Oriental rugs, which has recently been disposed of at public sale by the American Art Galleries, contained nothing but Polish fabrics and Persian carpets of royal origin, 37 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS made at some early date prior to tlie seventeenth century. Some of the most prominent collectors of the United States are Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan of New York City, who has one of the most val- uable collections m the world ; Mr. H. C. Frick of Pittsburg, Pa., Miss A. L. Pease of Hartford, Conn., Mr. C. F. Williams of Morristown, Pa., the Hon. W. A. Clark and Mr. Benjamin Altman of New York City, Mr. Theodore M. Davis of Newport, E. I., Mr. Frank Loftus, Mr. F. A. Turner and Mr. L. A. Shortell of Boston ; Mr. J. F. Ballard of St. Louis and Mr. P. A. B. Widener of Elkins Park, Pa. The late Ex-Governor Ames of Massachusetts was an enthusiastic collector and possessed many fine pieces. The late A. T. Sinclair of AUston, Mass., possessed over one hundred and fifty antiques, which he himself collected over twenty years ago from the various districts of Persia, Asia Minor, the Caucasus, Turkestan, and Beluchistan. Many of these pieces are from one hundred and fifty to two hundred and fifty years old and every one is a gem. With the exception of an occasional old Ghiordes, Kulah, Bergama or Mosul, for which are asked fabulous prices, few antiques can now be found for sale. It is on account of the enor- 38 o ^Sn^ l\. ■' ' ^ ■ ^-si^HII^ '. 'iHHI^ ,.v^:atai-i;.,-' m^^ ■to^^ H^jBj |jP"ii 4\,;fH^;.^^:. '"'™t;"tM ■ '^ ^'-CO' ^'p £7j(m .._^.!^M ■■''*«%v .,/ ■ ^ > O O H O j^^^^H^yrj^.^^^^jr^^^mfeBtai r 1 ^»' ,_, BMF^ ;; :r^,,'~ii,', ANTIQUES mous prices wHcli antiques bring tliat faked antiques have found their way iato the market. Eugs may be artificially aged but never without detriment to them. The aging process is mostly done by cunning adepts in Persia or Constanti- nople before they are exported, although in recent years the doctoring process has been practised to quite an extent in the United States, and a large portion of the undoctored rugs which reach these shores are soon afterwards put through this process. The majority of dealers will tell you that there is comparatively little sale for the undoctored pieces. The chemically subdued tones and artificial sheen appeal to most people who know little about Oriental rugs. For toning down the bright colors they use chloride of lime, oxalic acid or lemon juice; for giving them an old appearance they use coffee grounds, and for the creation of an artificial sheen or lustre the rugs are usually run between hot roll- ers aftPT the application of glycerine or parafEn wax ; they are sometimes buried in the ground for a time, and water color paints are frequently used to restore the color in spots where the acid has acted too vigorously. Such rugs usually show a slight tinge of pink in the white. There is a class of modern rugs of good quality, 39 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS good material, and vegetable dyed, but with colors too bright for Occidental taste. Such rugs are sometimes treated with water, acid, and alkali. The effect of the acid is here neutralized by the alkali in such a way that the colors are rendered more subdued and mellow in tone without result- ing injury to the material. What the trade speaks of as a "washed" rug is not necessarily a "doctored" one. There is a legitimate form of washiag which is really a fin- ishing process and which does not injure the fabric. It merely washes out the surplus color and sets the rest. The belief that only aniline dyes will rub off when wet and that vegetable ones will not do so is erroneous. If a rug is new and never has been washed the case is quite the oppo- site. For the reader's own satisfaction, let him moisten and rub a piece of domestic carpet. He will find that the aniline of the latter fabric is comparatively fast, whereas, in a newly made vegetable dyed Oriental, certain colors, especially the blues, reds and greens, will wipe off to a certain extent. After this first washing out, however, nothing other than a chemical will dis- turb the vegetable color. 40 SARUK RUG BT COURTESY OP HABDWICK Sc MAQEE COMPANY, FHIIiADELPHIA One hundred and fifty knots to the square inch. An unusually rare example of the craftsmanship *of the people of this practically isolated portion of Persia. Surrounding a magnificent medaUion centre figure which in turn is supported by a double pendant effect, there is a wealth of flora] ornamentation in a field which abounds in delicate tracery of stems and leaves exemplifying in a marked degree the patient care with which these craftemen wrought. DVICE TO BUYERS ADVICE TO BUYERS No set of rules can be furnished whicli will fully protect purchasers against deception. It is well, however, for one, before purchasing, to acquire some knowledge of the characteristics of the most common varieties as well as of the different means employed in examining them. In the first place, avoid dealers who fail to mark their goods in plain figures. Be on the safe side and go to a reliable house with an established reputation. They will not ask you fancy prices. If it is in a department store be sure you deal with some one who is regularly connected with the Oriental rug department. You would never dream of buying a piano of one who knows nothing of music. So many domestic rugs copy Oriental pat- terns that many uninformed people cannot tell the difference. The following are some of the charac- teristics of the Eastern fabrics which are not pos- sessed by the We'stern ones. First, they show their whole pattern and color in detail on the back side; second, the pile is -composed of rows of distinctly tied knots, which ""are made plainly visible by separating it ; third, the sides are either overcast with colored wool or have a narrow 43 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS selvage ; and fourth, the ends have either a selvage or fringe or both. In buying, first select what pleases you in size, color, and design, then take time and go over it as thoroughly as a horseman would over a horse which he contemplates buying. Lift it to test the weight. Oriental rugs are much heavier in pro- portion to their size than are the domestics. See if it lies straight and flat on the floor and has no folds. Crookedness detracts much from its value. Take hold of the centre and pull it up into a sort of cone shape. If compactly woven it will stand alone just as a piece of good silk will. Examine the pile and see whether it is long, short or worn in places down to the warp threads; whether it lies down as in loosely woven rugs or stands up nearly straight as in closely woven rugs; also note the number of knots to the square iQch and whether or not they are firmly tied. The wearing qualities depend upon the length of the pile and the compactness of weaving. Separate the pile, noting whether the wool is of the same color but of a deeper shade near the knot than it is on the surface or if it is of an entirely different color. Vegetable dyes usually fade to lighter shades of the original color, while anilines fade to differ- ent colors, one or another of the dyes used in com- bination entirely disappearing at times and others 44 ADVICE TO BUYERS remaining. This will also be noticeable, to a certain extent, when one end of the fabric is turned over and the two sides are compared. Two rugs may be almost exactly alike in every respect excepting the dye, the one being worth ten to fifteen times as much as the other. A good way to test the naaterial is to slightly burn its surface with a match, thus producing a black spot. If the wool is good the singed part can be brushed off without leaving the slightest trace of the burn. The smell of the burnt wool wiU also easily be recognized. Ascertain the relative strength of the material, making sure that the warp is the heaviest and strongest, the pile next and the woof the lightest. If the warp is lighter than the pile it will break easily or if the warp is light and the weaving loose it will pucker. Eugs whose foundation threads are dry and rotten from age are worthless. In such pieces the woof threads, which are the lightest, will break in seams along the line of the warp when slightly twisted. Examine the selvage. It will often indicate the method of its manufacture, showing whether it is closely or loosely woven, for the selvage is a continuation of the groundwork of the rug itself. Also notice the material, whether of hair, wool or cotton. Separate the pile and examine the woof, 45 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF OEIENTAL RUGS noting the rnimber of threads between each row of knots. If possible pull one of them out. In the cheaper grade of rugs you will often find two strands of cotton and one of wool twisted together. Such rugs are very likely some time to bunch up, especially if washed. See if the selvage or warp threads on the sides are broken in places. If so it would be an unwise choice. Now turn the rug over and view it from the back, noting whether repairs have been made and, if so, to what extent. View it from the back with the light shining into the pile to see if there are any moths. Pat it and knock out the dust. In some instances you will be surprised how thoroughly impregnated it will be with the dust of many lands and how much more attractive the colors are after such a pat- ting. Rub your hand over the surface with the nap. If the wool is of a fine quality a feeling of electric smoothness will result, such as is experi- enced when stroking the back of a cat in cold weather. Finally, before comiag to a decision regarding its purchase, have it sent to your home for a few days. There you can study it more leisurely and may get an idea as to whether or not you would soon tire of the designs or colors. "Wtile you have it there do not forget to take soap, water and a stiff brush and scrub well some portion of it, 46 ■MMbj ^iMM^MEMtiMUl BERGAMA PRAYER RUG Size3'8"X2'7" PROPERTY OF MR. GEORGE BAUSCH (See page 237} ADVICE TO BUYERS selecting a part where some bright color such as green, blue or red joins a white. After the rug has thoroughly dried notice whether or not the white has taken any of the other colors. If so, they are aniline. A rather vulgar but very good way of telling whether a rug is doctored or not is to wet it with saliva and rub it in well. If chemically treated it will have a peculiar, disagreeable, pungent odor. A fairly accurate way of determining the claim of the fabric to great age is to draw out a woof thread and notice how difficult it is to straighten it, even after days of soaking in water. Unless one is an expert, he should refrain from relying upon his own judgment in buying a rug for an antique. It may be interesting to know the meaning of the tags and seals so frequently found on rugs. The little square or nearly square cloth tag that is so frequently attached at one corner to the under surface by two wire clasps has on it the number given to that particular piece for the convenience of the washer, the exporter, the importer and the custom officials. The rug is recorded by its number instead of by its name to avoid con- fusion and to save labor. The round lead seal which is frequently attached to one corner of the rug by a flexible wire or a string, especially among 47 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS the larger pieces, is tlie importer's seal, on one side of which will be found his initials. These klso are of great assistance to the custom officials. Before closing this chapter a few words in regard to the selection of rugs for certain rooms might be acceptable, though this is, to a large extent, a matter of individual taste ; yet in making a selection one should have some consideration for the decorations and furniture of the room in which the rugs are to be laid and they should harmonize with the side walls, whether the har- mony be one of analogy or of contrast. The floor of a room is the base upon which the scheme of decoration is to be built. Its covering should carry the strongest tones. If a single tint is to be used the walls must take the next gradation and the ceiling the last. These gradations must be far enough removed from each other in depth of tone to be quite apparent but not to lose their relation. Contrasting colors do not always har- monize. A safe rule to follow would be to select a color with any of its complementary colors. For instance, the primary colors are red, blue, and yellow. The complementary color of red would be the color formed by the combination of the other two, which in this case would be green (composed of yellow and blue) ; therefore red 48 SYMBOLIC PERSIAN SILK (TABRIZ) RUG (See page 316) ADVICE TO BUYEES and green would form a harmony of contrast. Likewise red and blue make violet, wMcli would harmonize with yellow; red and yellow make orange, which would harmonize with blue, etc. Light rooms of Louis XVT style would hardly look as well with bright, rich colored rugs as they would with delicately tinted Kirmans, Saruks, and Sennas. Nor would the latter styles look as well in a Dutch dining room, finished in black oak, as would the rich, dark Bokharas and Feraghans. Mission rooms also require the dark colored rugs. If the room is pleasing in its proportion and one rug is used it should conform as nearly in propor- tion as possible. If the room is too long for its width select a rug which will more nearly cover the floor in width than it will in length. A rug used in the centre of a room with considerable floor area around it decreases the apparent size of the room. Long rugs placed lengthwise of a room increase its apparent length, while short rugs placed across a room decrease its apparent length, and rugs with large patterns, like wall paper with large patterns, will dwarf the whole apartment. The following ideas are merely offered as sugges- tions without any pretension whatever to superior- ity of judgment. For a yESTiBULE a long-naped mat, wbich 4 49 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS corresponds in shape to the vestibule and covers fully one-half of its surface, such for instance as a Beluchistan or a Mosul. Appropriate shorter naped pieces may be found among the Anatolians, Meles, Ladiks or Yuruks. As a rule the dark colored ones are preferable. Hall. — ^If the hall is a long, narrow one, use long runners which cover fuUy two-thirds of its surface. Such may be found among the Mosuls, Sarabands, Hamadans, Ispahans, Shirvans, and Genghis. For a reception hall a Khiva Bokhara, a Yomud, a dark colored Mahal, or several Kazaks or Karabaghs would look well if the woodwork is dark. If the woodwork is light several light col- ored Caucasian or Persian pieces such as the Daghestans, Kabistans, Sarabands, Hamadans, or Shiraz would be appropriate. Eeception Eoom. — A light colored Kerman- shah, Tabriz, Saruk, Senna, or Khorasan. Usu- ally one large piece which covers from two-thirds to three-fourths of the floor surface is the most desirable. Living Eoom. — For this room, which is the most used of any in the home, we should have the most durable rugs and as a rule a number of small or medium sized pieces, which can be easily so ADVICE TO BUYERS shifted from one position to another, are prefer- able. Here, too, respect must be had for harmony with the side walls, woodwork and furniture, as it is here that the family spend most of their time and decorative discord would hardly add to one's personal enjoyment. Many appropriate selections may be made from the Feraghans, Ispahans, Sarabands, Shiraz, Mosuls, Daghestans, Kabistans, and Beluchistans. Dining Eoom. — Ordinarily nothing would be more appropriate than one of the Herez or Sul- tanabad productions unless the room be one of the Mission style, in which case a Khiva Bokhara would be most desirable. Small pieces would not be suitable. LiBEAEY OE Den. — One large or several small pieces, usually the dark rich shades are prefer- able, such for instance as are found in the Khivas, Yomuds, Kurdistans, Feraghans, Shiraz, Kazaks, Beluchistans or Tekke Bokharas, the predomi- nating color selected according to the decorations of the room. Bath Eoom. — One heavy long-piled, soft piece such as are some of the Bijars or Mosuls in light colors. Bedeooms. — For chambers where colors rather than period styles are dominant and where large 51 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS rugs are never appropriate, prayer rugs like those of the Kulah, Ghiordes, Ladik, Anatolian, or Daghestan varieties are to be desired. Those with yellow as the predominatiag color blend especially well with mahogany furniture if the walls are in buff or yellow tones. The Nomad products are especially desirable for bedrooms on account of the comfort which they afford. Being thick and soft the sensation to the tread is luxurious. An occasional Anatolian, Ladik, Ber- gama, Meles, or Bokhara mat placed before a dresser or a wash-stand; a Shiraz pillow on the sofa; a Senna Ghileem thrown over a divan; a Shiraz, Mosul, or Beluchistan saddle-bag on a Mission standard as a receptacle for magazines; a silk rug as a table spread, etc., will all add greatly to the Oriental effect. SHIRAZ RUG BY COUKTEST OF NAHIOIAN BBOS., CHICAGO, ILL. This piece is typical of its class with th^ small tassels of wool on the side edging; with the ornamental web and the braided warp threads at each end, also the' pole medallion and the numerous bird forms throughout the field. (See page 204) THE HYGIENE OF THE RUG THE HYGIENE OF THE RUG In all the literature on Oriental Rugs no men- tion has been made of their sanitary condition when laid on the floors of our homes. In response to a letter of inquiry, one of our American mis- sionaries, a young lady stationed at Sivas, Turkey in Asia, who very modestly objects to the use of her name, so well explained the condition of affairs that portions of her letter given verbatim will prove most interesting. She says : ' ' In Sivas there are a number of rug factories in which are employed many thousand little girls, ages ranging from four years upward. They work from twelve to fourteen hours a day and I believe the largest amount received by them is five piasters (less than twenty cents) and the small girls receive ten to twenty paras (a cent or two). These factories are hotbeds of tuberculosis and we have many of these cases in our Mission Hos- pital. Of course this amount of money scarcely keeps them in bread and in this underfed condi- tion, working so long in ill ventilated rooms, they quickly succumb to this disease. These girls are 55 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS all Armenians in tliat region. The Turks do not allow their women and children to work in pubUo places. The Armenians are going to reap a sad harvest in the future in thus allowing the future wives and mothers of their race to undermine their health working in these factories. These rugs are all exported to Europe and America. "No matter what part of the city you pass through this time of the year you will see looms up in the different homes and most of the family, especially the women and children, working on these rugs, and it is very interesting to watch them and to see how skilful even the small chil- dren grow in weaving these intricate patterns. Making rugs in the homes is quite different from making them in the factories, for in the summer at least they have plenty of fresh air. "No doubt many rugs made in these homes are filled with germs of contagious diseases, for they use no precautions here when they have such diseases in the family, and usually the poor people only have one room, and if a member of the family is stricken with smallpox or scarlet fever the rest of the family continue to work on the rug often in the same room." Another correspondent from Marash, Turkey in Asia, says, " If you are interested in humanity 5S THE HYGIENE QF THE RUG as well as in rugs, please put in a strong plea against some of these factories whicli are employ- ing children who can scarcely speak. These little babies sit from morning tiU evening tying and cutting knots in damp and poorly ventilated places. Is it a wonder that diseases, especially tuberculosis, are developing rapidly among them?" A third correspondent says, "Often rugs upon which patients have died from contagious dis- eases are sold without cleaning. In fact, they are rarely cleaned." Upon receipt of the above a letter of inquiry was at once sent to the Treasury Department at Washington regarding the disinfection of textiles from the Orient immediately upon their arrival into this coimtry, to which we were informed that "The Surgeon-General of the Public Health and Marine Hospital Service stated that such rugs, if originating in parts or places infected with quarantinable diseases, would be required to be disinfected under the quarantine laws." This sounds sensible, but when the rugs are sent from all parts of the Orient to Constantinople, from whence they are shipped in bales to the United States, pray how can the Surgeon-General dis- criminate? The only safe way is for the govem- 57 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS ment to have strict laws regarding their imme- diate and thorough disinfection. We already have a law which requires the disinfection of hides before they are shipped to this country. It reads: " Officers of the customs are directed to treat hides of neat cattle shipped to the United States without proper disinfection as prohibited importations, and to refuse entry of such hides." Also, "the disinfection of such hides in this coun- try or storage of the same in general order ware- houses will not be permitted, for the reason that the passage of diseased hides through the country or their storage with other goods will tend to the dissemination of cattle disease in the United States." (See Section 12 of the Tariff Act of August 5, 1909.) Ex-President Taft once recommended a new department of public health whose duty it would be to consider all matters relating to the health of the nation. If his suggestions are carried out no doubt the question of disinfecting Oriental imports win be satisfactorily disposed of. Until then we should see to it that all Oriental rugs are at least clean and free from dust before allowing them to be delivered in our homes. The great majority of these rugs, when leaving the 68 THE HYGIENE OF THE RUG Orient, are impregnated with, dust from their adobe floors and, if free of this dust, they have in all probability been pretty thoroughly cleaned by some reliable importer or dealer, the majority of whom are beguming to realize the importance of this procedure. ANTIQUE ANATOLIAN MAT SueS'S'Xl'lC FBOM TSB COLLBCnON OF THB AtlTHOB Knot. Nine to the inch vertically and eight horizontally, mak- ing seventy-two to the square inch. This is a most unusual piece. It has a long nap, is tied with the Turkish knot and in many respects resembles the Bergama while on the back it has a distinctly Khorasan appearance. It is an old piece with a most lustrous sheen and the colors are of the best, every one being of exactly the same tint on the surface as it is down next to the warp threads. The prevailing color is a rich terra cotta with figures of lilies in olive-green, old rose, blue and white. There are also a numba: of six-petaled flowers in red, white and blue. In the centre there is a diamond-shaped medallion with triangular comer pieces to match, all of which are outlined in natural black wool. The nap is so cut as to give the surface the characteristic hammered-brass appearance so common in many of the antique Bergamas and the lustre ia such as is only found in the very old pieces. 'See page 234) ^^^S.r'* V l.^'^^jfc"' T"s%*4i», ** » ■ '^m i;**^^-"^!^^,:,-^,^: >'" .■\VV\Vv'' v'-v^.'^/'* '^A''^*^«'V^* V \'\-^/' /^y% ^<^ ^X * m0~v,ii I ^ S - :f^;''.f«-i|' -f:^^ j--iil^ ^^T -" " ^twasf^'iiijs; :^7-S-Jz.T7S^T- :^-^-^^..f^t c-TTsBE^^-rW^cT-J-l ilLr^ THE MATERIAL OF RUGS THE MATERIAL OF RUGS The materials from which, rugs are made, named in order of the ratio in which they are used, are wool, goats' hair, camels' hair, cotton, silk, and hemp. Wool, — The wool produced in the colder prov- inces is softer and better than that produced in the warmer provinces. Likewise that produced at a high altitude is superior to that from a lower altitude. The quality of the pasturage plays a most important part in the quality of the wool. For this reason no better wool is to be found anywhere in the world than from the provinces of Khorasan and Kurdistan. Very often the sheep are covered over with a sheet to protect and keep the wool in a clean, lustrous condition. The quality of the wool also depends to no small ex- tent upon the age of the sheep from which it is taken, that from the young lambs being softer and more pliable than that from the older animals. The softest and most lustrous wool is that which is obtained by combing the sheep in winter and is 69 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS known as kurk. From this some of tlie choicest prayer rugs are made. Goats' Haib. — From the goats of some locali- ties, especially in Asia Minor and Turkestan, is obtained a soft down which is used to a large extent in the manufacture of rugs. The straight hair of the goat is also used. It is of a light brown color and, as it will not dye well, is sometimes used without dyeing to produce brown grounds, as in some of the Kurdistan products. It is quite commonly used as a selvage and fringe in the Turkoman products. When wet it curls so tightly that it is difficult to spiu it, therefore it is not always washed. This accounts for the strong odor which is especially noticeable in warm weather. Mohair is obtained from the Angora goat of Asia Minor, while cashmere consists of the soft under-wool of the Cashmere goat of Tibet. Camels' Haie. — In Eastern Persia, Afghanis- tan, and Beluchistan are camels which produce a long woolly hair suitable for rug weaving which is never dyed, is silky and soft, has phenomenal durability and is used quite freely in the Hama- dan, Mosul, and Beluchistan products. It is more expensive than sheep's wool but has one great drawback in that on the muggy days of summer it 70 THE MATERIAL OF RUGS has a disagreeable odor. Most of tlie alleged camels' hair of commerce is a goats' hair pure and simple. Cotton. — The majority of the finer Persian rugs have cotton warp and woof. It makes a much lighter, better and more compact foundation on which to tie the pile, and a rug with such a foun- dation will hold its shape much better. Seldom is cotton used for the pile excepting once in a great while a Bokhara may be found with small portions of the white worked in cotton. Silk. — In the regions bordering on the Cas- pian Sea and in some parts of China where silk is plentiful it is used to quite an extent in the making of rugs, not only for the nap but fre- quently for the warp and woof as well. It makes a beautiful fabric, but of course will not wear like wool. Hemp. — Hemp is seldom used in rug making for the reason that it rots quickly after being wet and the entire fabric is soon gone. Peepaeation of the Wool. — ^After being sorted, the wool is taken to a brook and washed thoroughly at intervals in the cold running water for several times until all foreign matters are removed, leaving the animal fat which gives it the soft, silky appearance. The results of wash- 71 THE PRACTICAL" BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS ing depend to a certain extent upon the quality of the water used in the process, soft water giving much better results than does the hard. After a thorough bleaching in the sun's rays it is placed in a stone vessel, covered with a mix- ture of flour and starch, then pounded with wooden mallets, after which it is again washed in running water for several hours and again dried in the sun. Under this process it shrinks in weight from forty to fifty per cent., and after being spun the yarn is sold everywhere for the same price as twice the amount of the raw material. It is spun in three different ways. That which is intended for the warp is spun tightly and of medium thickness, that for the woof rather fine, and that for the pile heavy and loose. There are so many different natural shades of wool that much of it can be utilized in its natural color. The dyeing is always done in the yarn, never in the loose fibres, and will be ex- plained in the chapter imder Dyes. 72 DYES AND DYERS 'A*;ld bjw Bfc;.-j .^m ;;. -.. _ ■ .' ■* .isjtftiiai ssiSiJiJir'!! se af;i=;;iiiu;^Joi^ ^d1 to ebojMt OiiJ aaiiir b9'i:'oq si ■!»«''■.' , ',:,"■ ,. --: ■ ■-■.'.r"'' -■-: ". ,' ""■ i- '. .Wav/ '^flifinff*-':- :i!iov:>ii ft;'"- uj 'jstearfcjcno z.+fe gaol'rfiis!' ,Ss/iff siaii."-!J}'i ■ ' _, .y ■■'■•■". '■: "■ Ifajiwi'tK^e^'i LADIK PRAYER RUG Size7'2'X4' BT COUBTEBT OF NAHIOIAN BROS., CHXCAGO, ILL. OwNBHs' Dbscbiption. — These rare rugs, so renowned for their splendid coloring, are well represented by this specimen. The very unusual shade of green, the sacred color, the deep ivory, and the rich reds and blues are blended into each other in an artistic manner. In and above the "Mihrab" or niche will be noted the "Ubrech" or pitcher, a most interesting design. It is from this "Ubrech" that water is poured upon the hands of the Mohammedan as he makes his ablutions. Wash basins are imknown in the Orient and no follower of Mohammed will consent to wash in anything except running water. So the "Ubrech" is almost as important as the prayer rug itself, and the four reproductions on this rug emphasize to the devout Mohammedan owner that cleanliness is next important to Godliness. Rhodian lilies, with long stems and inverted in the frieze below the "Mihrab" or niche, are an often noted feature of the Ladik prayer rugs. (See page 228) DYES AND DYERS The secrets of the Eastern dye-pot are respon- sible for the unrivalled beauty and durability of the Oriental rug. These secrets of extracting coloring matter from roots, leaves, flowers, barks, and various other vegetable and animal products by a process of boiling, fermenting, etc., were guarded religiously and descended from father to son, many of them having been lost as the family became extinct. Each dyer or family of dyers has some peculiar and secret method of producing certain shades. Our great knowledge of chemistry has aided us little in our effort to duplicate and produce certain colors which the Orientals produced with the simplest ingredients and without any knowl- edge of chemistry whatever. Every kind of plant from which dyestuff is obtained is a product of geographic environment, the quality of which depends upon certain conditions of climate and soil. For this reason those of one locality may be superior to those of another. On the other hand it must not be forgotten that there are many 75 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS classes of vegetable dyes whicli are not scien- tifically or honestly made. After the wool has gone through the washing process and dried it is dipped into one or more pots, according to the shade desired, for a certain length of time, when, without being wrung out, it is himg up over the dye-pot to drip and after being washed once more in cold water it finally is spread out in the sim. Even when the same process is followed each time it is seldom that two bunches of material dyed have exactly the same shade, as the density of the dye and its shade differs somewhat with each dip of wool from a previous pot. This probably accounts in part fpr the innumerable shadings seen in the rugs of cer- tain localities. Formerly the dyers employed as mordants, valonia, pomegranate rind, sumac, and the barks of certain trees, but in some districts of late they use alum. This, with the lime solution in which the wool is washed before dyeing to in- crease the brilliancy of the dyes, makes the yarn brittle and lessens its wearing quality. Most vege- table dyes fade, but they fade into softer and more pleasing shades. The best colors for service are, as a rule, the blues, yellows, and reds, all of which improve greatly with age. The browns are apt to lose their lustre, while the blacks, which are really 76 DYES AND DYERS mineral, being made by the action of vinegar on iron shavings, seem most corrosive and gradually eat the wool. Many of the antiques you will find in a splendid state of preservation with the excep- tion of the black, which has eaten the pile down to the warp threads. Natural colored black and brown wools and brown camels' hair are fre- quently used and they are, of course, durable. There is no doubt that the increasing demand in this country for the Eastern rug, together with the Eussian influence in the Orient, tends towards more hasty commercial methods of manufacture and is, to a great extent, responsible for the introduction there of aniline dyes. The coal tar products have been readily accepted by the Eastern dyers, as they are cheaper, more easily used, and offer a greater number of brilliant shades, all of which appeal very much to the Oriental taste. The aniline dyes are more commonly used through Asia Minor and, to some extent, in the Caucasus and even in Persia. In 1903 a law was enacted by the Persian government forbidding the importation of chemical dyes and seizing and destroying all fabrics in which they were used. It was also decreed that a dyer found guilty of using them would have his right hand cut off. The 77 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS government has never been very strict in enforc- ing this law, else there would he at the present time many one-handed men in Persia. As there is no such law in Asia Minor, fully seventy-five per cent, of the rugs now imported from that country are aniline dyed. The, Kurdis- tan, Khorasan, and Kirman products, as well as those made by the Nomads in the Fars district of Persia, have been particularly free from out- side influences and as a rule are honestly dyed. The nomadic life of the Kurds in former times enabled them to gather plants more easily and so they were able to obtain good vegetable dyes. Now that they do not roam as much the result is, less vegetable and more aniline dyes. Formerly also, the best wool only was used by the Kurds for the making of rugs and the women chose only that which they knew would take the colors well. Now the men sell the best part of the wool and the women use what is left and press aniline dyes into service to hide any possible defect. Some of the coal tar products will resist light, water, and air even better than many of the veg- etable pigments, but the former have a tendency to make the wool fibres more brittle so that they break easily, while the latter preserve the wool and lengthen the life of the fabric. 78 BIJAR RUG BY C0TJKTK8T OP HABDWICK A MAQBE COMPANY, FHIIiADELPHU. A rug of great richness of tone and ornamentation. The product of a, wild nomadic tribe, one wonders how a people of this class can find either inclination or the sense of proportion and harmony requi- site to fashion so beautiful a fabric. The central medallion shines forth from a field of blue so clearly one finds difficulty in directing the eye to comer piece and border, yet both are worthy of attentive study. The rug is especiaUy thick and soft of pile and of remarkably firm weave. DYES AND DYERS Each nation uses to a large extent its favorite color, thus the Persian is partial to the dark greens and yellows, the Turk to the reds, and the Armenian to the blues. Asia Minor and Persia being countries of intense sunshine, in which the colors of the sky and land are most pronounced, the neutral tints and hues make little impression on such surroundings and are therefore little used. All the rug making people use more or less yellow, blue, orange, red, ruby, and green, except- ing the Turk, who regards the latter as a sacred color and not to be trodden on. He therefore seldom uses it in any but those of the prayer design. An expert can often distinguish between an aniline dyed rug and a vegetable dyed one merely by feeling of it, as the coal tar product robs the wool of its oil, making it stiffer, harder, and dryer. Another way to differentiate is to examine some of the white which lies next to some bright color like blue, red, orange, or green and see if it has become tinted with the brighter color. If not, wet the two and after they dry see if the white has taken any of the other color. If so it is prob- ably aniline. In the Orient they use a string of amber beads with which to test the dyes. The beada are drawn over the surface of the rug so 79 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS that the colors reflect through them. If ani- line they are said to have a cloudy appearance, while if vegetable they have a clear wavy appear- ance. If there is any knowledge imparted by this test it certainly is only in the hands of the expe- rienced. A vegetable dye will fade into a lighter tone of itself, while in a chemical dye some one of the colors used to make up the composite color wiU disappear. For instance a blue, which has been used with yellow to make green, may entirely disappear, leaving the yellow; thus in the aniline product the surface will show the changed color and the original color will show down next to the warp, while in the vegetable dyed product there will simply be two shades of the same color. Weavers frequently choose colors according to their symbolic significance, so that they work into their rugs a sort of poetry which only the initiated can read. Thus to the Persian, the Chinese, and the Indian Mohammedan, white is an emblem of mourning; green is regarded by the Mohammedan as a sacred color and denotes immortality ; blue to the Persian means air, while to the Mongolian it means authority and power; black denotes sorrow, evil, and vice ; red denotes joy, happiness, life, truth, virtue, and sincerity; yellow is a Chinese color for royalty; orange is 80 PERSIAN DYE POTS ^^^B^^^^B ' ■ i^''^hI .^^^ ..^fl^^^^^^^l - - . .. - ■'-■^ ■Hy9||^^flil 1 t£i^MWi«sM««^:;*^^^^ .'■-.- ■ -■ ■-"■-' -i A PERSIAN VILLAGE DYES AND DYERS the Buddhist and Mohammedan color for sorrow, and rose for divine wisdom. The following is a list of some of the most common Oriental colors with a short description of the sources from which they are derived: Eed. — The best and most lasting is the rich carmine known as Kermes and consists of dried insects which live on a species of oak tree. These insects are collected in the month of June and are killed by being exposed to the vapors of acetic acid evolved by heating vinegar. Kermes was known to have been used in Syria in the time of Moses, and is probably the most lasting and most preservative of all dye stuffs. Of late years, how- ever, it has been to a large extent supplemented by cochineal, which is more brilliant. Madder root, ground and boiled, is the basis of a multitude of reds and is also noted for its fastness. From it can be obtained many degrees of red from pink to intense scarlet, but the shade most commonly used by the Persians of to-day is obtained by combining madder with alum and grape juice. Althbugh cochineal is used considerably by Eastern dyers, it is really a modern dye, being obtained from dried insects which are found on the cacti of Mexico. It gives soft, beautiful reds, is absolutely fast and is very expensive. With 6 81 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS bichromate of potash it gives purple; with sul- phuric acid, crimson and scarlet, and with madder, cherry and various shades of pink. One of the best, richest and most lasting vermilions was made by a secret process from sheeps' blood, but the secret has long since been lost. In recent years many reds have had as a basis the dye woods, such as Campeachy wood, Brazil wood, and others. They are sometimes obtained from onion skins, ivy berries, beets, and other plants, but these latter pigments are not as enduring as those previously mentioned. Blue. — ^Indigo dissolved in sulphuric acid, to which is added alum, forms a basis of most bluea and was used long before the Christian era. It is obtained from the leaves of various specimens of Indigofera which are cultivated largely in India. The deep Persian blue is obtained by applying indigo over madder. It can be com- pounded with almost any other dyeing material known and it is by this mixing process that beau- tiful violets, porcelain blues and pinks are obtained. A superb dark blue found in some of the antique Persian rugs has been in disuse for nearly a half century. The secret of making it seems to have been lost and no one has been able to reproduce it. DYES AND DYERS Geeen.— Indigo in combination with one of the yellows furnishes most of the greens. With buckthorn it produces Chinese greens, both bright and dull. Bbown. — ^Browns are most frequently obtained by mixing madder with yellow or by dyeing with madder over yellow. Valonia, catechu, gall-nuts, and the green husks of walnuts also enter largely into the making of browns. Yellow. — The principal yellows are obtained from the Persian berries, from turmeric, from saffron and sumac roots. Persian berries give a fast dull yellow. Turmeric is from the root of a plant growing abundantly in East India and China and it gives a bright orange color. Orange yellow is also obtained from henna and by com- bining madder and turmeric. A light yellow is obtained from larkspur; a greenish yellow from a fungus of the mulberry, and, of late years, a buff colored yellow has been obtained from quer- citron bark. Black. — Black seems to be the only color which the rug makers of older days were unable to produce from vegetable or animal sources. The principal black used was that made from iron filings with vinegar and pomegranate rind, but it destroyed the fibres of the wool. For this 83 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS reason very little black was used in. tlie antique pieces excepting where the fleece of black sheep could be obtained. Nowadays logwood, which grows in Central America, is the essential basis of all blacks in wool, although other colors are frequently used with it to modify or intensify the shade. PuEPLE. — From very early times the Phoeni- cians were renowned for a purple which they obtained from a shellfish found in the ^gean Sea, but the secret of making it has long since become a lost art. A great many shades of purple, helio- trope and lavender are obtained from the differ- ent red dyes in combination with indigo and the dye woods as well as from the bodies of marine insects and moUusks. Geay. — Gray is secured from Smyrna gall- nuts with copperas. Salmon. — Salmon is obtained by mixing madder with valonia. Violet. — ^Violet is frequently made from milk, sour grape juice, madder and water. DAGHESTAN RUG Si2e8'x3'6» FROM TBE COLLECTION OF THE AUTHOB Knot: Ghiordes. Seven to the inch horizontally and eight ver- tically, making fifty-six to tlie square inch. This rug illustrates the best Caucasian spirit in design and work- manship. It is glorious in color and its combination of blues, reds, yellows and greens belong to an age which is by-gone in the textile art of Caucasia. The Georgian deeign in the outer border is a Caucasian charae- terietic and especially of the Daghestans. (See page 254) WEAVING AND WEAVERS WEAVING AND WEAVERS The metliod of weaving in the Orient to-day is practically the same as it was one thousand years ago with the exception, perhaps, that there are now fewer crooked fabrics woven than in the days gone by. Next to the quality of the material from which it is made, and the dye with which it is colored, the splendid durability of the Oriental rug is due to the manner in which the pile is tied to the warp thread. It is so secure that it is impossible to remove it by pulling either end of the knot. This differs from the domestic method in which the pile is merely drawn between the warp threads without tying or fastening. In the finer fabrics of the East the knots are so close that it requires careful examination to discover them except in very old rugs where the pile is worn down, then the knot is distinctly seen. In some parts of Persia the best artisans are men but in most other sections the weavers are mostly women and children. The latter begin working at the loom as early as four or five years 87 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF pRIENTAL RUGS of age and serve an apprenticeship of two years, after which they receive a few pennies a day. A skilful woman weaver will earn from three to six shillings a week and they usually work from sun- rise to sunset, week after week, month after month, year after year. As a rule they have no education, can neither read nor write, and have absolutely nothing else to do but weave and gossip. Bug weaving proves a sort of an amusement and a source of income; besides they take a great interest in the work and the height of their ambi- tion is to realize hope of royal recognition for their superior workmanship. Each rug is given in charge of a master weaver who usually gets one anna (two cents) for every eleven hundred knots tied. He it is who hires and pays the weavers and makes himself respon- sible for the quality of the work done. The girls, especially those of Asia Minor, fre- quently buy with their earnings perforated gold coins with which to decorate themselves by mak- ing them into necklaces or bracelets or by arrang- ing them on their headgear. These coins not only serve to make known their skill as weavers, but also answer as dowries for their future husbands. A skilful weaver can tie from twelve to fourteen knots a minute or from seven to eight thousand 88 \^ WEAVING AND WEAVERS kaots a day. This would be equal to from four- teen square inches to three square feet, according to the fineness of the rug. For this she receives, on the average, nine cents a day. For a rug 10 x 6 "with 182 knots to the square inch, she would re- ceive, in rough figures, from $18.00 to $20.00, and the rug would sell in Constantinople for no less than $75.00. If the women of the Orient are ever emancipated we will have to pay much higher prices for Eastern carpets than we do now. The Eastern loom, which is the same to-day as it was a thousand years ago, consists merely of four poles joined together by ropes according to the size of the rug to be woven. On these the warp threads are strung and kept at the proper tension by weights, which are attached to one of the cross poles. From one to six, or even more, weavers work on a rug at the same time, according to its size. They sit cross-legged either on the floor or on a raised frame, so that their work will be on a level with their knees. Before them, as seen in the accompanying illustration, is fastened the model which they are to follow or what is known as the "talim," a chart which indicates the colors to be used and the number of knots to be tied in each color. Like expert pianists their fingers 89 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS seem to know the pattern and mneli of the time their eyes are not even upon the work. In many cases the head weaver sings these symbols for the benefit of the other weavers. Showing the left and right Senna knots and the Gliiordes knot both before and after the trimming of the pile. Among the Nomads the design is frequently kept in the brain, or roughly drawn on paper or in the sand. If they have another rug as a model they get the right design by simply counting on the back the number of knots of every color in each 90 WEAVING AND WEAVERS row. Beginning at the bottom and working towards the right, the wool yarn, which goes to form the pile, is looped aromid the warp threads by the aid of blunt pointed needles and then tied in such a way that by each knotting two of the warp threads are bound. When the Turkish knot is used, these two threads are bound side by side. When the Persian knot is used, if tied tightly, one is bound in front of the other. This process is repeated along the line with the proper ^colors required by the patterns and after each row of knots one or more weft threads are passed through between the warp threads and then beaten down with a sort of comb, the teeth of which pass between the warp threads. The pUe is then trimmed off with the scissors to the desired length. The Caucasians and Kurds, as a rule, leave a long pile, while the Turkomans and Persians clip theirs quite short. Close trimming brings out more minutely the color variations. The number of knots to the square inch is determined by the closeness of the warp threads and the number of weft threads thrown across after each row, also by the thickness of these threads. The tighter and closer the knots are tied the more perpendicular the pile and more durable the fabric. In coarse fabrics, like the Kazak, there are usually four or 91 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS five weft threads between eacli row of knots. In such, fabrics tbe rows of pile yarai overlap, tbus giving it ample opportunity to untwist and be- come more lustrous. This is why the loosely woven, long naped rugs have more sheen than do the tightly woven short naped ones. Uneven A Wooden Comb. trimming of the pile or unskilled use of the comb will produce unevenness in the completed rug. The fewer and the lighter the weft threads are, the more flexible is the rug. The great depth of pile is also a good feature in certain rugs, as the heavier the fabric is the better it will lie. Stronger warp threads are usually put on each side to strengthen and give better support to the weft and sometimes both warp and weft are dyed, 92 A PERSIAN LOOM WEAVING AND WEAVERS either in toto or at tlie ends only, in order to give a colored webbing to the finished product. As a rule the nap of all rugs which are tied with the Ghiordes knot runs directly towards one end, while those that are tied with the Senna knot have a nap "vy^hich runs towards one corner, right or left, according to whether the right or left Senna knot is employed. Frequently rugs are found with either the Ghiordes or the Senna knot where the nap runs directly towards one side. This may be due to an untwisting of the pile yam or to the washing process, the washer in such cases having scraped the water out towards the side of the rug instead of towards the end. KAZAK RUG PBOPBRTT OF MB. CHARLES SCHTIBERT, CHICAGO, ILL. PLATE LOANED BY THE SIMFLICITT CO., GRAND BAPIDS, MICH. The field consists of a series of medallions in dark brown and green upon a field of old rose. The main border stripe is rather foreign to the rugs of this class, being more like those found in the Bergama products. The next two important stripes carry the "crab design" while all the four guard stripes carry the conventional "saw teeth." That this piece has some age is quite evident from the condition of its ends. (See page 272) DESIGNS AND THEIR SYMBOLISM DESIGNS AND THEIR SYMBOLISM Tlie soul of the Oriental is in his design, which is invariably well composed of skilfully conven- tionalized figures and superbly rich, harmonious colorings of which one never tires, while that of the European has a stiff set pattern which soon fails to attract. The transmission of ancient patterns has been going on from century to century, the old designs and colorings being copied by the weavers from one generation to another and many of those used at the present time are doubtless the same that were used in the time of Abraham. Each district, tribe or family had its charac- teristic patterns and color combinations which were regarded as its individual inheritance and were never copied by other districts, tribes or families. So it is possible for the expert to tell the locality from which an antique rug came, but the source of the modern one is not quite as accu- rately determined on account of the changes in designs brought about by the influence of immi- gration, travel and conquest. A design may be 7 97 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS borrowed by a neighboring province and grad- ually undergo changes according to the taste of the adopting people until its original form is com- pletely lost. The patterns have also become lim- ited in number, so that to-day the entire output of Persian fabrics comprises only about thirty origiaal designs, but of these the varieties of form, arrangement and combination are very large. Turkey and India have even, in some instances, adopted European designs. The Nomad products are perhaps the freest of all from outside influences. In the way of characterization we might state that the Persian designs are usually floral, while the Turkish designs are for the most part a mix- ture of the floral and the geometrical, the former being much less natural than those of the Per- sians. Caucasian and Turkoman designs are nearly always geometrical. Occasionally they are floral but of a rectilineal nature and never con- nected with wavy lines as in the Persian. The Kurdish designs are more like the Persian, while the Chinese consist largely of dragons, monsters, and animals of all sorts. It is curious to note how the Persians make many patterns out of one design by employing various methods of coloring. Even when the same colors are used there is SYMBOLIC PERSIAN SILK RUG LOANED BY H. B. CLAFLIN & CO. fSee page 316) DESIGNS AND THEIR SYMBOLISM always a great dissimilarity between the differ- ent makes of the same design. Sir George Birdwood says, "Whatever their type of ornamentation may be, a deep and com- plicated symbolism, originating in Babylon and possibly India, pervades every denomination of Oriental carpets. ' ' The geometrical figures, floral designs and the figures of animals and beings all carry with them a mystical, poetical idea of religious sentiment, the study of which, though difficult, is very fascinating to one who has the ability to interpret them. It seems perfectly natural that the Oriental who is so passionately devoted to symbols should profusely weave them into his fabrics. The Turks, being orthodox Mohammedans, never weave figures of animals, birds or human beings into their rugs, as the teachings of the Koran forbid it lest it should lead to idolatry. Neither do they, as a rule, make their rugs symmetrical, their idea being to sym- bolize the fact that only Allah is perfect. The Persians and Chinese, however, being more lib- eral, exercise greater freedom in these respects, and in some of their old hunting rugs, of which but few remain, are depicted animals of all kinds. It seems strange to us that the weaver, who worked day after day for months and sometimeB 99 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS for years on a single piece, seldom signed or dated it. I have seldom seen tlie name of tlie weaver, of the place of manufacture, or the date, on an antique rug. Many of the modern commercial pieces are provided with dates to make them more attractive to the huyer. Inscriptions, on the other hand, are frequently found in rugs of all ages and are most frequently on the borders. As a rule they are prayers or quotations from the Koran or poems from the writings of some famous Persian poet and with but few exceptions are in the Arabic language. The ability to read these inscriptions adds greatly to the charm and interest of their possession. The date, when present, will usually be found in one corner of the rug, sometimes in the border on one side or end, and should be read from left to right. If the spot is well worn and the figures are indistinct turn the rug over and read on the back from right to left. The following are the Arabic figures, of which there are numerous modifications: o I r rr^^VAi If we will but remember that the Mohammedan reckoning began on July 16, 622, A.D., when 100 SEMI -PERSIAN RUG ; DESIGN FURNISHED BY EUROPEAN MANUFACTURERS LOANED BY H. B. CLAFLIN & CO. Even the novice can tell at a glance that this is not purely an Oriental product; it so closely resembles the Domestic carpet. DESIGNS AND THEIR SYMBOLISM Mohammed made Ms pilgrimage to Mecca, and that the Mohammedan year consists of thirty- three days less than ours, it will be easy to find the year in our calendar corresponding to a given year in the Mohammedan. The rule is to subtract from the Mohammedan year one thirty-third of itself and add 622 to the remainder; thus, 1331 -f- 33 = 40 (do nothing with the fraction), 1331 — 40 = 1291 -f 622 = 1913. The following is an alphabetically arranged list of the different designs with descriptions and suggestive drawings of the same. For that part referring to the Chinese and Indian mythology the author is greatly indebted to Prof. Du Bois Eeymond of Shanghai, China, and to Mr. B. A. Gupte, F.Z.S., of Calcutta, India, respectively: AuLiiGATOR, see Kulah border design. Almond, see Pear. Angulae Hook ob Latch Hook. — A modifica- tion of the Swastika and carries the same mean- ^ ing. It has been called the trade-mark of the Caucasian rugs, in which it is almost invariably used; in fact, it is apparent in nearly all of the 101 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF pRIENTAL RUGS Western Asia designs. "With tlie Chinese the latch hook stands for privacy. (See colored plate at p. 60, also doubletone at p. 264.) Anthemion ob Hom consists of an alternate bud and fir cone arrangement with strong lateral markings. It is frequently used as a flower on the sacred tree. Appue, see Silibik. Ball and Claw. — Similar to that used on the legs of chairs and tables of the 17th and 18th centuries. Babbee-Pole Stbipe (a border design). — ^An alternate arrangement of diagonal stripes of red and white or blue and white, found more or less ffM£^£g^g^^/^ffff^i in the borders of rugs from all parts of the Orient, especially the Caucasian products. Frequently the stripes carry some small decorative pattern. (See colored plate at p. 158, also doubletones at pp. 204 and 254.) Basket. — One of the Chinese Buddhist orna- ments. Bat. — A Chinese design which is symbolic of happiness Found quite commonly in the Chinese 102 DESIGNS AND THEIR SYMBOLISM fabrics. Five bats often appear in tbe centre of Chinese rugs and represent ricbes, longevity, health, love of virtue and peaceful end. ^^!r? Beads. — Tbe rosary was anciently used to record time, and a circle, being a line without termination, was tbe natural emblem of its per- petual continuity; hence we find circles of beads upon tbe beads of deities and enclosing tbe sacred symbols upon coins and other ornaments. Beads are always carried by the Mohammedans to assist them in their prayers. The Moslem rosary con- sists of ninety-nine beads, each one designating one of the ninety-nine beautiful names of Allah. Bee. — In China it is symbolic of many descend- ants. In India it has been adopted from British associations and represents industry, but is not regarded as an old symbol. Beetle ob Scabab^us. — ^A Chinese symbol of creation, resurrection or new life. In India it is a symbol of royalty. Wings of tbe gold beetle are used in decorating peacock feather fans and 103 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS morchels or royal fly flaps. As the blue beetle it represents one that lives on honey and is por- trayed near the form of a young lady whose lotus- like face it is supposed to have mistaken for that flower. BoAE. — In India a boar with a ball on its right tusk represents Vishnu the Protector in his third incarnation when he lifted up and saved the earth from being engulfed by the great flood (the deluge). Bouquet, see Pear. BuTTEEPLY. — The Chinese symbol of vanity. In India it was not used in the older decoration, but in modern decoration it has the associations of a flirt, owing to English environments. Butter- fly forms are frequently found in Chinese rugs intermingled with those of bats. Bow Knot. — ^As one of the emblems of Buddha it is used in Chinese and Japanese ornament and is often found in the border of Chinese rugs. Sometimes it partakes of a floral character in the Shiraz and Kirman rugs and is very commonly 104 SHIRAZ PRAYER RUG Size4'5"X3' PROPERTY OP MRS. WILUS HOLDEN, SYRACUSE, N. Y (See page 206) DESIGNS AND THEIR SYMBOLISM found in the Shemakha weaving, where it is a talismanie design. Canopy. — ^A Chinese Buddhist symbol. Caucasian Bobdeb Design. — So called by the author because it is seldom found in any but the Caucasian fabrics. It is a sort of an S-shaped arrangement of the latch hook design. (See doubletones at pp. 254 and 256.) Checkeb Boabd. — ^An arrangement of squares of two or more different colors similar to that of a checker board. Seldom found in any rugs excepting the Bergama and Yomud. Chichi Bobdee Design. — Usually consists of an eight-petaled flower arranged on the alternate steps of the Greek meander. It is seldom found in any rugs but the Tchetchen. (See doubletone at p. 260.) »w Chin, see Pearl. Chinese Cloud Band, see Cloud, Chinese. Chinese Feet, Geeek Feet, Geeek Key (a border design), suggested by the overlapping of 105 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS the sea waves. It is commonly found in the borders of the Samarkand, Kashgar, Yarkand, Beluchistan, and nearly all of the Chinese products. (See doubletones at pp. 264 and 296.) CiKCLE. — Quite commonly used in Chinese decoration, where it denotes eternity, having no conunencement and no end. In India it is con- sidered inauspicious. It is related that one of the Maharajahs of India returned a costly landau to a British manufacturer because it had circles of embroidered tape on its cushions. CiBCLE OP Happiness (see colored plates, pp. 306 and 318, and doubletone at p. 290).— A circle or ovoid within which are usually worked various Chinese designs, either floral or animal. Found in nearly all classes of Chinese products. Claw and Ball, see Ball and Claw. Cloud Band, see Cloud, Chinese. Cloud, Chinese, is one of the most famous of the Mongolian patterns, although it is frequently c? G 6 c) 106 DESIGNS AND THEIE SYMBOLISM found in Caucasian and Kurdish fabrics. It is symbolic of immortality and represents the con- stellation of Ursa Major, in which, by the Mon- golian, the great Euler was supposed to reside. (See doubletone at p. 194 and color plate at p. 300.) Coat op Aems, Persian (see illustration on p. 169). — Consists of a lion holding an uplifted sword in its right paw and the rising sun dom- inating from its back. Persians from their earliest history have worshipped the sun. The lion was added about eight hundred years ago, it being the emblem of one of the Nomadic tribes who were conquered by the Persians. The sword signifies the absolute power of the Persian rulers. This emblem is used on their flag and coins as well as in decoration. Coat op Aems, Etjssian (see illustration on p. 253). — The Russian double eagle is occasionally found in old Kazaks. Coat op Abms, Tubkish (see illustration on p. 217). — ^Eudely represents a left hand, originated, it is said, by a Sultan who sealed the treaty of Ragusa with the imprint of his hand after dipping it in blood. It now appears on the Turkish stamps, coins and many of their public documents. CoBBA, see Serpent. 107 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS Cock, crowing, see Eooster. Comb. — An emblem of the Mohammedan faith to remind the devout that cleanliness is next to Sa immi godliness. For this reason it appears in its vari- ous forms near the niche of many prayer rugs, especially in the Daghestans. Compass. — Carried by the Mohammedans to determine the location so that the niche of their prayer rugs might be pointed in the right direc- tion, towards Mecca. Conch Shell. — A Chinese Buddhist symbol. Cone, Fni, see Pear. CoKNucoPiA. — Represented by a ram's horn filled with flowers and fruit. It symbolizes peace and prosperity. Cbab. — A border design having the appearance of a series of crabs with their claws extended. Very common in the Caucasian fabrics, especially the Kazaks. (See doubletone at p. 186.) Crane. — In India the crane is symbolic of a rogue, a cheat, a false prophet, a religious hypo- crite. Crane-like (bakavrata) means hypocrisy. 108 DESIGNS AND THEIR SYMBOLISM A poet addressing a crane said, "You stand on one leg like a devotee performing austerities, but you can only cheat senseless fishes. Your hypoc- risy is well known to the learned ; they are aware of it," Ceescent. — In China the crescent is symbolic of coming events. In India it signifies descent in the lunar line of kings of the warrior race (Keha- triya) or it indicates Mohammedan faith. "When used as a tattoo mark it is associated with a little star below it and it means the devoted love of Eohini (Venus) to the moon (who is masculine in Indian mythology). Ceocodile. — In Indian mythology, when drawn with a female figure seated on it, it signifies the Goddess Ganga (personification of the river Ganges) ; when drawn as holding an elephant in its tremendous jaws, it shows distress and tenacity. Cross, Gbeek (sometimes called the Square Cross). — A plain cross with four equal arms. * Most of the Eastern churches are built in the form of this cross. The cross is never found in rugs that are woven by the orthodox Mohammedans, 109 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS Cboss, Sqttabb, see Cross, Greek. Ceow. — Chinese, harbinger of bad luck ; Indian, an evil foreboder among the Hindus and a good omen among the Mohammedans. It is said that Sir Salar Jang, the late Minister of Hyderabad, always looked at a crow the first thing in the morning and that one of his attendants was told oft to stand with a crow in a cage facing his window. Ceowing Cock, see Eooster. Ceown Jewel, see Pear. David's Shield, see Star, six-pointed. David's Signet ob Shield, see Star, six- pointed. Deee. — ^In China it is symbolic of longevity and success. In India a doe is symbolic of love towards animals because of its association with Shakuntala in' the Lost Eing, a very popular drama by Kalidas. Diamond. — Found in rugs of most every class, but more especially in those of the Caucasus. As far as we are able to learn the diamond has no special symbolic significance. (See doubletone at p. 110.) DiAPEE, see Lattice. Disc, Winged, see Winged Globe or Disc. Dog. — ^^The dog is considered a sacred animal for the reason that one preceded Mohammed the 110 HAMADAN RUG Size6'10"X3'4" PROPERTY OF MR. J. H. STANTON, AUBURN, N. T. (See page 194) DESIGNS AND THEIR SYMBOLISM prophet, when he made his first triumphal entry into Mecca. Dove. — Chinese, companionship; Indian, no significance except through British associations for innocence. Dbagon. — The Imperial Chinese dragon is represented with five claws and no wings, also with scales like a crocodile. It is frequently rep- resented as either holding or looking towards a round object which is said to represent a pearl. In India the dragon is the symbol for death. The Japanese dragon has but three claws. (See color plate at p. 300, and doubletone at p. 332.) Duck. — ^In China the duck is the symbol of connubial felicity. Eagle. — In Indian Mythology, Garud, the Eagle of Heaven, is the charger of Vishnu and the destroyer of venomous snakes. Egg. — ^In China it is symbolic of productive- ness, plenty. In India, an egg with the figure of a babe inside of it indicates the universe. Elephant. — Chinese, high official rank ; Indian, sign of royalty, as kings possess them. Pbatheb, see Pear. Feeaghan, see Herati. Fib Cone, see Pear. Fish, see Herati. Ill THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS Fish Bones. — Sometimes called Indian fish bone, suggests the skeleton of a fish. It is some- times arranged somewhat similar to the Herati, (See doubletone at p. 284.) Flame, see Pear. Floweb of Henna, see Gnli Henna. Floweb and Knop, see Knop and Flower. Fly. — ^With the Chinese the fly is symbolic of worthlessness. FoTJB Flowers, see Roses, four. FoTJB Roses, see Roses, four. Feet, Chinese, see Chinese fret. Feet, Geeek, see Chinese fret. Galley (a border design). — Origiriated among the people who inhabit the section of country 'yyyyyyyyy. between the shores of the Mediterranean, Black and Caspian Seas. Geoegian Boedeb Design. — Generally found in Caucasian fabrics, especially the Daghestan and Shemakha, occasionally in the Saruk. There are ^m^m 118 DESIGNS AND THEIR SYMBOLISM several forms of this design, the two most com- mon ones being herewith illustrated, (See color plate at p. 84 and doubletone at p. 266.) Ghioedbs Boeder SiErpE. — Several forms, the two most commonly used are herewith illustrated, one being two rosettes one above the other, each joined by a long, narrow stem to a leaf form on the right, while the other has but half of a rosette, which is similarly joined to a leaf form below. (See color plate at p. 84 and doubletone at p. 266.) GouED. — Chinese, receptacle of mysteries; Indian, when shaped like a bowl it represents the drinking vessel of a Sanyasi or recluse. Geeek Ceoss, see Cross, Greek. Gebek Feet (border design), see Chinese fret. Geeek Key, see Chinese fret. Gtjli Henna (see field design of illustration at p. 202). — Consists of the small yellow henna flowers arranged in rows .with floral forms con- necting them similarly in arrangements to the Herati design. It is common in Persian rugs, especially old Feraghans. Hand, see Coat of Arms, Turkish; also Pear. Haee. — Chinese, in connection with the moon. 8 113 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS Henna Floweb, see Guli Henna. Hbeati. — Also known as the fish, twin fish and Feraghan designs. Better known as the Herati. It originated in the old city of Herat. It consists of a rosette between two lancet-shaped leaves which very much resemble fish. On account of this resemblance it is often called the fish pattern. It has been utilized with many modifications in half of the rug-making sections of the Orient. It <#^ - >» ^<^:^ -i. may be found in its original form in many of the Persian fabrics, especially the Herat, the Fera- ghan, the Khorasan, and the Senna. When in the body of the rug it is generally arranged as a diaper, covering all or a considerable portion of it. Sometimes it appears in combination with 114 FERAGHAN RUG (HERATI DESIGN) Size 7' 6" X 4' LOANED BY MR. EDW. HOMMEL (See page 192) DESIGNS AND THEIR SYMBOLISM square or diamond-shaped figures. The Herati border is found in a great many of the Persian and in some of the Caucasian fabrics. (See color plate at p. 22, and doubletones at pp. 114, 190 and 312.) Hexagon. — Found in rugs of most every class, but more especially in those of the Caucasus. It apparently has no special symbolic significance. Hog. — ^In China the hog is symbolic of de- pravity and imbecility. HoM, see Anthemion. Hook, Angular, see Angular hook. Hook, Latch, see Angular hook. HoKSE Shoe. — Emblem of good luck. Fre- quently used in combination with cloud forms. Hound. — Chinese, fidelity or loyalty. HouK-GLASS. — Formed by the joining of two triangles at their apices; is symbolic of fire and water. Indian Fish Bone, see Fish bone. Jewel, see Pear. Jug. — In India the jug with the bust of a woman on the top represents the sacred water of the Ganges. Key, Greek, see Chinese fret. Knop and Flowee. — A closed bud alternating with a rosette or a palmette. It is supposed to 115 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS have had its origin ia the Egyptian lotas. It is used chiefly in border designs. Knot. — A Buddhist symbol. Knot of Destiny. — Dates back to Solomon's time. It is one of the Chinese Buddhist orna- ments and is therefore quite commonly found ia the Samarkand, Tarkand, Kashgar, and the vari- ous Chinese products. Also used more or less n •"■ ") ( u throughout the Caucasus and especially in the Shemakha; ia fact, it is present somewhere ia most rugs of the latter class, as a talismanic design. In some of the Persian fabric* it par- takes of a floral character. KoNiEH Field, see Ehodian. KoBAN is a sacred design and few rugs with it ever leave Persia. KtTLAH BoBDEB Design. — Claimed by some to have origiaaUy been intended to represent an alli- gator. There are exoeediogly few Kulah rugs that do not show it and seldom is it seen in any other class of fabrics. (See doubletone at p. 240.) 116 DESIGNS AND THEIR SYMBOLISM Lamp. — Crude figures of lamps, like miniature tea-pots, often hang from the prayer niche of the Turkish prayer rugs, especially those of the Konieh, Ghiordes, and Ladik varieties. They are usually of a floral design and are generally accom- panied by a column on either side which is in- tended to represent the two huge altar candles of the mosque. Latch Hook, see Angular Hook. Lattice. — ^Also known as trellis, diaper, and network. These names are applied to any design which is repeated in such a way as to form a lattice arrangement. It is more or less common in all classes of rugs, especially the Persians. A peculiar compact lattice pattern known as the "mirror design" is frequently found in the Hamadans. (See doubletone at p. 256.) Leaf, see Pear. Leopabd. — The Chinese s3Tnhol for ferocity. Lily, see Ehodian. 117 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS Link. — ^Link in Lozenge or Spiral is a com- bination of two triangles with one side of each parallel with the other and sometimes joined by <\m a diagonal line. It is found in the borders of Asia Minor rugs, also in the field of many Nomad productions. Especially common in the Kurdis- tans and Shirvans, Lion. — Chinese, strength, power, authority; Indian, a lion's figure on the arms of a chair indi- cates that it is a throne. A throne is called ' ' Si- vasan," which means a lion seat. A lion is also one of the chargers of the goddess Durga. Loop, see Pear. Lotus. — Very much resembles our pond lily with the exception that the color is of a brilliant purple on the border petals with a heart of deep orange and the stem stands high out of the water. It is commonly found on the banks of the Nile lis MODERN KERMAXSHAH RUG LOANED BY H. B. CLAFLIN & CO. (See page 188) DESIGNS AND THEIR SYMBOLISM aud is the first flower to spring up after the over- flowing waters of that river have subsided. For this reason and because it preserves its chaste beauty while growing from such impure sur- roundings it has always figured among the Egyptians as an emblem of immortality and purity. With the Chinese it is symbolic of many descendants and in India it is especially sacred to the Buddhists and is the national flower of that coimtry. In ornament the lotus is handled by many different nations, being used in both cir- cular and profile forms, figuring as flowers, wheels, medallions, etc. Magpie. — The Chinese harbinger of good luck. Mbandeb, Geeek (a border design). — ^Also known as the zigzag, the wave crest, or the water motif. It consists of a series of diagonal lines at regular intervals representing waves or run- ning water. Found in nearly all classes, espe- cially the Caucasian. 110 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS Medallion. — A Mongolian element whicli no doubt originated from the lotus. Found in most Chinese and many Persian rugs, especially the Grorevans, Serapi, Hamadans, Kirmans, Shiraz, and Khorasans. A modification known as the "pole medallion," in which the ends of the design project out like a pole, is especially common to the rugs of Hamadan and Shiraz, In the Chinese rugs the medallion is usually of the form known as the Circle of Happiness, (See doubletones at pp. 180, 188, 192, and 222; also color plates at pp. 52 and 166.) MiNA Khani (see field design of plates at pp. 214 and 296). — ^Named after Mina Khan, one of the ancient rulers in Western Persia. It is a combination of red, yellow, and parti-colored red and blue florals joined by rhomboidal vines of olive green in such a maimer as to form a lattice arrangement. It is distinctly a Kurdish design, although it is found frequently in the Persian fabrics, especially in those from the province of Khorasan. Mnt (a border design). — So called after the m^^. 120 KHIVA BOKHARA PRAYER RUG Size4'X2'6" PROPERTY OF MR. L. A. SHORTELL, BOSTON, MASS. (See page 280) DESIGNS AND THEIR SYMBOLISM village where it is said to have originated. It consists of small rectilinear flowers connected by an undulating vine and is an almost universal design of the Sarabands. Seldom seen in other fabrics. (See doubletone at p. 198.) MiBEOB Design, see Trellis, Monkey, — Symbolic in China of high official rank. Mosque Design. — Found in many prayer rugs. It consists of a column on each side of the prayer niche and a floral lamp hanging from the niche, usually in a field of solid color such as dark red or blue. Mountains are represented with from one to five peaks. Of Mongolian origin, although they are occasionally found in some of the Caucasian, Turkestan, and Persian fabrics. The ancient Mongolians believed that the souls of the righteous mounted to heaven from the mountain tops and for this reason they are revered, Netwobk, see Lattice, Niche ob Mihbab (see plate at p. 322). — The name applied to the pointed design at one end of a prayer rug. It is supposed to imitate the form of the Mihrab in the temple at Mecca. When a prayer rug is used the niche is invariably pointed towards the holy city of Mecca. 121 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS Octagon. — ^Represents the eight directions of location and is found in Turkoman, Chinese, and Caucasian products. It is characteristic of the Turkestan rugs. (See doubletones at pp. 162, 264 and 278; also frontispiece.) Owl. — Chinese, a bird of ill-omen. In Eastern India the owl is considered auspicious because it is the charger of Laxni, the Goddess of Wealth, but in Western India it is considered an ominous bird. Ox. — Chinese, friend of man, agriculture; Indian, the charger of Shiva. The sacred nature of the humped bull in India is well known. Palace ok Sunbubst. — ^Known by the latter name inasmuch as its shape suggests the radii around the sun. A very common design in Kazaks and Shirvans, especially the antiques. Never found in any but the Caucasian products. (See doubletone at p. 272.) Palmette. — A little cup-shaped object with fan-shaped leaves around it. Believed by some 122 DESIGNS AND THEIR SYMBOLISM to have had its derivation from the human hand with all the digits extended; by others it is believed to have been derived from the palm growth. Panel. — Supposed to have been intended to represent mosque windows. They usually vary in number from one to three and are found in the Shiraz more than in any other class. (See double- tone at p. 246.) Pabkot. — ^In India this bird is symbolized as a messenger of love. Peacock. — Chinese, beauty; Indian, it is always auspicious because it is the royal bird. Its feathers supply material for the morchel brushes held by pages on each side of a Maharajah or king. Peae. — Also known as the cone, the palm leaf, the river loop, the crown jewel, the seal, the almond, the feather, the bouquet, and the flame. There is a vast difference of opinion as to the origin and meaning of this motif. Some authori- ties claim it was intended for the fir cone, which served' as an emblem of immortality and was revered by the ancients ; some say it was intended 123 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS for the palm leaf, whicli lias been handed down by the Greeks as a symbol of victory ; others say it was intended to represent a loop which the river Indus makes on a vast plain in upper Cash- mere as seen from the Mosque. By some it is said to represent the crown jewels or chief orna- ment in the old Iranian crown, which is a compos- ite jewel of pear shape. A great many believe it to represent an ancient seal which was made by the closed hand after dipping it in human blood. Tradition tells us that the signing of documents in such a manner was a custom well known in the East. This design has also been called the almond, the feather, the bouquet, and the flame on account of its fancied resemblance to these objects. We have selected the name "pear" because the image it conveys is more clearly recog- nized by the western mind. It is that which its shape most suggests. The Pear design is common in many kinds of rugs, especially in those of Persia and Kurdistan, but it varies greatly in varieties of form and size. The large size is usually employed in the Caucasus and Southern Persia, while the small size is used more fre- quently in Central and Western Persia. In the 124 A KURDISH GUARD DESIGNS AND THEIR SYMBOLISM Saraband, Shiraz, Herat, Khorasan, and Senna, it frequently covers the whole field. In the two former alternate rows usually have the stems of the pears turned in opposite directions, while in the three latter the stems are usually turned in the same direction. (.See doubletones at pp. 198, 204, 208 and 262 ; also color plate at p. 292.) Pbael or Chin. — ^A Mongolian design. Fre- quently found in Chinese, Tibetan, and Turkoman rugs. It stands for purity and is generally asso- ciated with the dragon, which is supposed to be guarding it from the grasp of the demons. Peony. — Symbol in China of wealth and official position. Pebsiah" Coat op Abms, see Coat of Arms, Persian. Phcenix. — Chinese, prosperity, a bride. (See doubletone at p. 332.) Pineapple has furnished many designs. It is even claimed by some authorities that the pal- metto of the famous Shah Abbas design was originally suggested by the pineapple. Pine Teeb, see Tree. Pole Medallion, see Medallion. Pomegranate. — Many descendants. The pome- granate takes a prominent place in Mohammedan art, especially in the Anatolian provinces. It is 125 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS highly regarded as a food and from its juice a delicious drink is made. Eam, Indian. — If drawn with a four-headed figure riding it, it means Mars. Eecipeocal Saw-teeth is sometimes called by the Persians "sechrudisih," meaning teeth of the rat. Almost distinctive of Caucasian fabrics, especially the Kazaks. Occasionally present in the Turkish and Turkoman rugs also. (See double- tone at p. 242.) Eecipeocax, Trefoil. — So named by European experts who claim it to be an essential mark of the Polish carpets. Like the barber pole stripe ^JtS ^^9lWWS t!fiu,:>'/.:f. /. !■! X/ :.'J it is found in rugs of nearly all classes, but more especially the Caucasians. Probably found more frequently in the Karabaghs than in any other rug. (See color plate at p. 166.) Ehodian on Lily. — Composed of small flowers with three triangular petals and a long stem. Has 126 SARABAND RUG BY COURTESY OF HAKDWICK & MAGEE COMPANY, PHDLADELPHIA A notable specimen of this universally recognized classification. It is unusual by reason of the rare shade of dark blue ground and the almost imperceptible touches of green in the main border. The multipUcity of border bands (so characteristic of these rugs) is here especially pronounced. ^ , - -. , ^ _ . ■ ^\. _, ^ _ ;^-' ---««--te..ss^jii..,*Mi,^^,;*^^ - ■:^R?^*ra^^f^j^;*^^^ig;^^^^ , ,. :_ w . ;^.-; : p-?fti-;r,^^5S3fev ::;:^:£:2g:rgs----^y.- ■ , ' <; ■ ■ ■ ■ ..•^1*.*. » » ^ 8 f $ i 1 ,. , ?■, . ' :j|l.^^^i|^"::: r- " ; '^ ^^Jf^^'5i# •.IMS^^^ngiE; - : ; I ■^iMpii^l^ 1 ^^^^w^P^^^^Ih 5 K ^^^^^^^tkjik^^i^iM WS^m I < I . ^: mm^ • ;• : ■ ^ -yrrrfr^f ii¥i^f .;S;;=.:x l ^: ■ |^^^^^H|B 1 ilMfflfff^PB^MW DESIGNS AND THEIR SYMBOLISM the appearance somewhat of a shamrock leaf. It may be foimd in any of the Asia Minor rugs, especially in the field of the Konieh and Ladik. In the former it is nearly always present and for this reason is sometimes known as the Konieh design. (See color plate at p. 60 and doubletones at pp. 138 and 236.) Rhomboid. — Common in rugs of most every country, but more especially in those of the Cau- casus. It carries no special symbolic significance. EiBBON. — Eepresentation of a twisted ribbon. Like the barber pole stripe, the reciprocal trefoil, and the Greek meander, it is found in nearly all classes of rugs. (See color plate at p. 145 and doubletone at p. 130.) EicE. — Sometimes referred to as the "grains of rice" pattern; consists of pinkish brown col- ored spots sprinkled on a field of dull white. Often arranged in a network. Found only in Samar- kand and Chinese products. ErvTEB Loop, see Pear. EoosTEE. — The people of Shiraz personify the THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS Devil in the form of a rooster, whicli they weave in some of their choicest rugs in order to avert the evil eye. Some forms of the "crowing cock," so called, are easily confused with the Pear pattern. EosABY, see Beads. EosEs, FouB. — ^An ancient design appearing in many forms. Common in the Kurdish products and it is thought by some to be a Kurdish form of the tree of life. It appears in several different forms. EosETTE. — ^A floral-shaped design which is said to resemble the "Star of Bethlehem," an early spring flower of Persia. It is much used in border designs and it alternates with the palmette in forming the Shah Abbas pattern. It also forms the design known as the Knop and Flower by alternating with a closed bud. Some authorities claim that it originated from the lotus. EussiAN Coat of Aems, see Coat of Arms, Eussian. S FoEMS, especially repeated in the form of a border, are very common in the Caucasian fabrics, especially in the Kabistans and Shirvans. Also 128 KABISTAN RUG BT COUBTEST OF HABDWICK & MA6EE COMPANY, FEnADELPBIA Bare antique of this rapidly vanishiag class of rugs from Caucasia. The tri-medallion effect is particularly pleasing, -while scattered over the ground with extraordinary skill and good taste there are irregular stripes, rosettes, the pear designs in reduced size, elongated stars, small birds, ajumals and many other tiny and interesting figures. Notwithstanding the wonderful results achieved, it is difficult for the printer's art to reproduce the rare tints in this masterpiece. DESIGNS AND THEIR SYMBOLISM r^-OCL^-'-SG^QP f onnd to some extent in the Turkish and Persian weaves. (See doubletone at p. 220.) Saeaband Bobdee Design, see Mir. Saedab. — Named after the Sardar Aziz Khan, who was at one time governor of Azerbijan. This design consists of narrow leaf forms, which are connected by vines and relieved by bold floral shapes. Quite commonly used in modern fabrics, especially the large-sized ones. Saw-teeth, Eecepeocal, see Eeciprocal Saw- teeth. ScAEAB^us, see Beetle. ScBPTEE. — One of the most distinctive and famous of the Mongolian patterns. ScoEPiON" OE Spidbe. — Chinese, viciousness, poison. In India it is believed that if a scorpion creeps over the body it causes leprosy and that if one bears the tattooed image of a scorpion he is free from leprosy as well as from the bite of that insect. As a design it is quite common in the 9 129 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS borders of Caucasian fabrics, especially the Shirvans. Scroll. — One of the distinctive Mongolian patterns which is said to represent the sun. Found in the Turkestan, Chinese, and Tibetan fabrics. Seal, see Pear. Seal of Solomon, see Solomon's Seal. Sekpent. — In India it is inauspicious because it reminds one of death. Shah Abbas (see border design in cut of Ispahan rug at p. 194). — Named after the most revered of monarchs, who was born in 1586 and died in 1628. It is one of the most beautiful of the ancient designs. It consists of yeUow, red, and blue flowers with connecting vines upon a background of blue. The so-called Shah Abbas design of to-day has very little resemblance to the ancient design. (See color plate at p. 32 and doubletone at p. 194.) Shaul Desigk, see Pear. Shield of David, see Star, six-pointed. Shikvan Design is composed of a diamond figure, each side of which is formed by a series -^loiox of steps. Frequently the centre is filled with small geometrical figures. This design is found 130 ^;^*i3*K««u'*'* KIR SHEHR PRAYER RUG Size3'10"X5'5" PROPERTY OF MR. J. H. STANTON, AUBURN, N. (See page 222} DESIGNS AND THEIR SYMBOLISM more or less in the majority of the Caucasian products, but more especially in the Shirvans. Shou appears in many forms, but the three forms illustrated herewith are the most common, not only in Chinese rugs but also as decoration in old porcelain and as embroidered designs on silk. Signet of David. — Based upon the equUateral triangle and frolh it have originated many of the Turkish designs. See Star, six-pointed. SiLiBiK oE Apple. — ^A Kurdish design which bears very little resemblance to the fruit after which it is named. It is usually arranged in per- pendicular rows throughout the field. Sixteen Lucky Sqtjabes, see Knot of Destiny. Snake, see Serpent. Solomon's Seal. — Built on the right angle triangle and, like the Signet of David, it is found in many of the Turkish and Caucasian fabrics and to it scores of patterns may be traced. Spaebow. — In India it indicates bumper crops. Spidbe. see Scorpion. 131 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS Spiral, see Liak. Squabe. — Found in the rugs of nearly every class, but more especially in those of the Caucasus. It apparently has no special symbolic significance. Squakb Cboss, see Cross, Grreek. Squikbel. — In India it is sacred to Eana, the seventh incarnation of Vishnu, because while his monkey army was building a bridge for him to go over to Ceylon this little creature was seen repeatedly rolling into the sand of the beach and washing the grains, which adhered to its bushy coat, iato the sea. Eana inquired why it took so much trouble and the reply was that it was taking sand down to the sea to reclaim the land or fill up the gap between Ceylon and India and to facili- tate the construction of the bridge. Eana was so pleased that he passed his fingers coaxingly over its body and said that the sacred marks thus pro- duced on its back would protect it. The stripes on the squirrel's back are still believed to be Eana's finger marks and no good Hindu, there- fore, will kill a squirrel. Its presence is auspi- cious, signifying Divine protection. Stab. — ^An emblem seen the world over in deco- ration, especially in synagogues. It is common in the Caucasian and Turkoman products, especially in the form of the elongated eight-pointed star. This eight-pointed star in the centre of an octagon 132 DESIGNS AND THEIR SYMBOLISM is said to have represented the Deity of the ancient Medes. In all probability the six-pointed star 2 2ng2|s 17^ was an adaptation of the Shield of David. It is supposed to have been symbolic of divinity. To it may be traced scores of Turkish patterns. (See doubletone at p. 162 and color plate at p. 94.) Stoek. — Chinese, longevity. Indian — the In- dian heron has been associated with cunning and deceit. It is said that it stands on one leg like an Indian ascetic as if it had been performing austerities, but as soon as a fish comes within reach it pounces on it and devours it. People who assume the garb of religious men and cheat others are called (bak) storks, herons. SuNBUBST, see Palace. Swan. — ^In India the swan is the charger of Brahma. Swastika. — ^Derived from the Sanscrit word Svasti, which means good pretence. It dates back three or four thousand years B.C. and has been found in nearly all excavations of prehistoric times and among the relics of primitive people all over the world. It has been known alike to 133 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS Ancient Greeks, Egyptians, Chinese, Japanese, East Indians, Aztecs, mound builders, and the North and South American Indians, with all of whom it has a similar meaning, viz., good luck and happiness. In India it is drawn below the seats intended for 'bridegrooms, below the plates con- taining food to be offered to gods and is tattooed on the arms. It is drawn on the scalp at the thread ceremony and on the dorsum of the feet on all auspicious ceremonies, such as marriages, etc. ^IM^ The usual figure consists of four arms with the cross at right angles and the arms pointing in the direction of motion of a clock's hand, although it has been given different forms, as shown by the accompanying illustrations. It is very commonly used as a rug design, especially in the Chinese, Caucasian, Turkish, and Turkoman products. (See color plate at p. 306 and doubletone at p. 290.) T Poems (a border design) figure largely in the decoration of Samarkand and Chinese rugs. Similar to the Chinese fret. JLq pJ LqpJLr 134 THE EMIR OF BOKHARA AND HIS MINISTERS TURKOMANS AT HOME DESIGNS AND THEIR SYMBOLISM Tae-kieh oe Yang and Yin is a circle separated by two semicircles into comet-shaped halves. Distinctly a Chinese symbol and found in Chinese, o Tibetan, and Turkoman textiles. Used as a charm and found in decorations on all sorts of articles. Tabantula. — A design which has been so modi- fied as to almost obscure the resemblance. It is almost omnipresent in all of the Caucasian fabrics, especially the Kazaks, Kabistans, and Shirvans. (See doubletone at p. 248.) Tekke Bobdee Designs. — Two forms, one a sort of a double T border, the other a diagonal Tmmmm rnrr jdjdjLbdjdJLL arrangement of the Indian fish bone. (See doubletones at pp. 280 and 284.) Tekke Field Design. — A repetition of a wo;-;' V V V V Y-shaped design. Found only in the Tekke rugs, especially those of the prayer variety. (See doubletone at p. 284.) 135 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS ToMOYB owes its origin to some ancient con- ception of elemental forces. It has been adopted by Korea and Japan as a national and heraldic crest. Frequently used in Mongolian ornament, ToBTOisB OE TxmTLE BoEDEE Design. — ^A design in which the figure of the tortoise is arrayed La a manner similar to that of the Herati border design. In China the tortoise stands for lon- gevity and immortality. In India it is also auspicious inasmuch as it represents the second incarnation of Vishnu where it supports the earth on its back. (See doubletones at pp. 178 and 202.) Teeb. — Sometimes called the tree of life. Always associated with religious belief. It sym- bolizes Divine power and perpetual life. It has furnished more different art motives than any other object and is almost omnipresent in Persian prayer rugs. The palm signifies a blessing or benediction, the weeping wiUow stands for death, and the cypress, while being an emblem of mourn- ing, in its perennial freshness and the durability of its wood, is also a very practical symbol of the 136 MOSUL RUG BY COUBTEST OP HARDWICK & MAGEE COMPANY, PHILADELPHIA A superb example of this particulax type of rug. Woven by a wild, nomadic tribe, it reflects in its daring of design and color com- bination the nature of the people by whom it was conceived. The angular medallions, so similar at first glance, have many interesting differences — a fact which applies equally to the placement and shape of -the figures ai the field. DESIGNS AND THEIR SYMBOLISM life to come. It is an Oriental custom to plant cypress trees on the graves of the dead, to place its twigs in the cofiBns of the dead, and to use its branches to indicate the houses of mourning. (See frontispiece and doubletone at p. 99.) In India the cocoanut palm is considered ' ' the tree of desire " or one that fulfils all desires. Its stem servesasapiUar or beam, as a water conduit and as fuel ; its leaves supply mats for roofing the houses ; its kernel supplies oil ; its shell makes water bowls, and the oil of the shell is used as an external appli- cation in certain skin affections, etc. It is all use- ful and supplies all the primitive wants and there- fore was much cultivated by the Eishis (Saints) of old, who called it "kalpa taru," literally the tree that supplies aU desires. Its presence there- fore is auspicious. (See color plate at p. 22 ; also doubletones at pp. 48, 98, 210, 220, and 222.) Teepoil, EecipbocaIi, see Reciprocal Trefoil. Tbellis, see Lattice. Tbiangle. — Scores of Turkish patterns may be traced from the triangle. It is frequently found tattooed upon the body of the Turks as a talisman. 137 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS Frequently appears as a design in the Daghestans. In India it represents mother earth and is very auspicious. Turkish Coat of Abms, see Coat of Arms, Turkish. TuETLE, see Tortoise. Twin Fish, see Herati. Umbkella. — ^A Buddhist symbol which is occa- sionally found in Chinese rugs. Uen, see Vase. Vase oe Uen. — ^A Buddhist symbol occasionally found in Chinese decoration. (See doubletone at pp. 210 and 212; also color plate at p. 22.) VuLTUEE. — Indian, death. Watee Ceest, see Meander, Greek. Wheel. — A Buddhist symbol which is sacred to Vishnu, who holds it in his hand. It also sym- bolizes the "wheel of the law. ' ' Found in Chinese ornament. Wine-Glass Boedee. — ^A border which resem- bles a wine glass and is especially common in the Caucasian textiles, particularly the Kazaks and 138 KONIEH PRAYER RUG Size5'6"X3'8" PROPERTY OF DR. A. CLIFFORD MERCER, SYRACUSE, N. Y. (See page 226) DESIGNS AND THEIR SYMBOLISM SMrvans. It appears in various forms, but th* most common is the one in combination with the fish-bone design. (See color plate at p. 292.) Winged Globe oe Disc. — An Egyptian design consisting of a small ball, on the sides of which are two asps with extended wings, expressing by these extended wings the power of protection afforded by the Egyptian government. Also an emblem of religious sincerity and appreciation of benefits derived from God. Wolf. — Chinese, ingratitude, heartlessness. In India it is inauspicious and is never drawn or embroidered on fabrics. T FoEM (a border design). — One of the most famous of the Mongolian patterns and figures largely in the decoration of Chinese rugs, also Tekke Field Design. Yang and Yin, see Tae-kieh. Zigzag, see Meander, Greek. See 139 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS ~\_^;^ ^ .y\. V ./v. •v 2ll^^^K\-v231^ ■eosac V' ^ ^ N/ A k@^@^ 3^ -^(r-<>- ^^^ ^r^ ^^^^^ \ ^v©/t Some nameless Persian border designs. 140 DESIGNS AND THEIE SYMBOLISM 19 ^O^Q: -^^^^^<^ 21 30 22 S?^^ HoE ^'*' >^ 31 23 32: c§: c^c^iC '' J?1^^&k^? "' <^<^o^ 25 26 34 <»<» 'is 27 vo P 36 ^ Some nameless Turkish border designs. 141 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS i "mwwim J'TvT^ * ?1vi^' ^'TvT^ » ^'1v^^ Ssl3a ' fi^li^ 39 49 SLJS1J5 41 p WSiSlJIRs <» 35 ^^=^7^l'-Ltl^^?^ '^#2^#][#]"miM^ 43 52 ^ -^zMWz®:; 4-. c c:wzmz-^^i^m Some nameless Caucasian border designs. 142 DESIGNS AND THEIR SYMBOLISM 55 : Oi 56 ^i=^/^Q^/^^Q^ 62 57 |>(g-^^--^ Turkoman border designs. Caucasian field designs. 68 59 60 63 Chinese border designs. Turkish field designs oo ^ A Chinese field design. Persian field designs, 61 Kurdish field designs. 143 THE IDENTIFICATION OF RUGS 10 THE IDENTIFICATION OF RUGS The one thing desired by those who are just beginning the study of Oriental rugs is the ability to readily identify them. Eealizing this, the author has included a chapter on the identification of rugs which contains many features new to rug literature and which, he trusts, will greatly simplify and render easy the process of identifica- tion; but it must be borne in mind that certain rugs are much more easily distinguished than others and that at times even the connoisseur is puzzled. Oriental rugs are identified not alone by their designs and colors, but by their material, texture and finish, therefore, there is given first, a list of those which are distinguishable by their out- standing or prominent characteristics; second, reproductions of fhe backs of those rugs which are characteristic in their appearance, and third, an exhaustive chart giving complete details as to weave, material, texture and fiinish of each variety of rug. The chapter on Design, which precedes this, is the most complete consideration ever given to 147 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS this detail of rug making, and its numerous descriptions and drawings will enable the reader to identify, with reasonable certainty, rugs by this feature alone. The numerous pictures of the representative types of rugs will also familiarize the readers with many distinguishing patterns, while the chap- ters in Part II take up and gather together all of the various features of each kind of rug upon the market, so arranged and described that a clear and comprehensive idea of it will be formed in the mind of the reader. A FEW CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF CERTAIN RUGS Named in the order of their importance and given to assist the reader in differentiating, although few are absolute criterions. Heeez. — Characteristic angular ornamentation; shaded back- ground (see doubletone, page 172). Kara Dagh. — The pile contains considerable natural colored camels' hair. Tabkiz. — Almost invariably a medallion centre (see double- tone, page 182). Very frequently curl on the sides. BiJAR. — Considerable camels' hair in the field. Kebmanshah. — Colors soft and light; sides overcast with dark vrool. Senna. — Characteristic weave (see plate on weaves, page 152) ; pear design and Herati field and border design very common; pole medallion (see doubletone, page 188). 148 THE IDENTIFICATION OF RUGS Feraohai):. — Herati border and field design in the great majority (see doubletones, pages 114 and 190). Hamadan. — Broad outside band of natural colored camels' bair; pole medallion nearly always a prominent feature (see doubletones, pages 110 and 192). Saeaband (Mib). — The characteristic Saraband border stripe; field consisting of the pear design in rows with the stems of alternate rows turned in the opposite direction; light blue web (see doubletone, page 198). SABtTK.-— Overcast with silk or dark wool; Herati border designs; intricate floral designs; frequently curled on the sides (see color plate, page 166). Sui-TANABAD. — Generally large scroll and floral pattern (see doubletone of Mahal, page 202 ) . NiEls. — ^Madder red predominates; pear pattern common. Shieaz. — Sides overcast with wool of two colors; pole medal- lion a prominent feature; little tassels of wool frequently along the sides; strand of colored yarn in web (see color plate, page 52, and doubletones, pages 206 and 208 ) . Herat. — Herati border and field designs common ; pear de- signs in field with stems all turned in the same direction. Khobasan (Meshed). — Uneven distribution of woof threads (see plate on weave, page 152). Two small pears resting their stems upon a larger one is one of the common designs. Herati border and field also common. Magenta a prominent color (see color plates, pages 22 and 32). KiEMAN. — Bouquets and vases in design most frequent (see doubletone, page 212). Kurdistan. — One or two strands of colored wool in web of one end; overcast with yarn of different colors; shading of colors. KlE Shehe. — Many have several tufts of wool composed of all the different colored yarns which are used in the body of the rug. Ghiobdes. — The fringe on the upper end, as a rule, instead of being a continuation of the warp threads, is a separate piece sewed on. It also usually has two cross panels, one above and one below the prayer field (see color plate, page 66). 149 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS Ladik. — Wide red web striped with yellow or blue; figares large in comparison to the size of the rug; magenta freely employed. YUBUK. — Border narrow in proportion to size of rug. Bebgama. — Designs generally broad and large in proportion to rug (see doubletones, pages 46 and 236) ; frequently small tassels of wool along tlie sides of the rug; several woof threads between each row of knots and a wide web which frequently carries a design or rosettes which are woven in. KuLAH. — The Kulah border design nearly always in one or more of the stripes; the ends are generally dyed yellow; a large number of narrow border stripes which are filled with minute designs, usually the " ileck." A filled or partly filled centre field; usually one cross panel (see doubletone, page 240). Meles. — Field is frequently composed of perpendicular stripes of yellow, red and blue with zigzag lines or peculiar angular designs rimning through them (see doubletone, page 242). Mosul. — One or more strands of colored yarn run through the selvage, usually red and blue. Daghestan. — ^Diagonal ornamentations of both field and bor- der; all spaces well filled with a small geometrical design (see color plates, pages 84 and 292, also doubletones, pages 254 and 256). Debbend. — ^Yellow lavishly used; field likely to consist of a repetition of designs in alternate colors. TcHETCHEN. — The characteristic Tchetchen (Chichi) border design is nearly always found (see doubletone, page 260). Baku. — Small strand of camels' hair crosses one end, Shemakha. — Pileless; loose shaggy yarn ends on the under side (see plate of weaves at page 153). Genghis. — .Field often filled with the pear design, each row alternating in color (see design on page 268). Kazak. — From two to six woof threads between each row of knots; diagonal position of pile (see plate on weaves, page 152). Palace design commonly employed. Bold figures and bright colors (see doubletone, page 272). 150 TEKKE BOKHARA STRIP Size 1'2"X4'11" PROPERTY OF THE ATJTliOR (See page 284) THE IDENTIFICATION OF RUGS Ehita. — ^Large detached octagon and diamond forms; goats' hair warp (see doubletone, page 278). Tekkb. — Small detached octagon and diamond forms (see doubletone, page 282). YoMUD. — Checker-board effect of selvage on the sides ; strands of colored wool in the web (see doubletone, page 286). Yabkand. — Generally four strands of woof between each row of knots. Samabeand. — One or more "circles of happiness"; three or four woof threads between each row of knots; lavish use of yellow and Bokhara red; designs mostly Chinese (see double- tone, page 290). Beluchistan. — Sides frequently finished in horse hair; dark subdued colors. If there is any white it is nearly always in one of the border stripes (see doubletone, page 296). By carefully consulting these characteristics and the chart of distiaguisMng features it ought to be a comparatively easy matter to take up almost any rug and name it after a few moments' reflection. To illustrate, try your skill on the following description : Knot — Senna, weave close and rows of knots very uneven; warp and woof both of undyed cotton. Pile of very fine wool, short and upright ; ends both have narrow white webs through which runs a strand of parti-colored yam. There is also a fringe of loose warp ends. The sides are overcast with silk. There is a diamond-shaped pole medallion upon a field which is covered with a minute Herati design ; the colors are subdued shades of red, blue, green, yellow and old rose with more or less white. 151 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS After consulting the table of distinguishing features you will find that the Senna knot ex- cludes all Caucasian and Turkish fabrics; the cotton warp and woof excludes all Turkoman fabrics excepting the Kashgar and the Yarkand. The overcasting of the sides, as well as the Herati design, excludes these two, therefore it must belong to the Persian class. A great many of this class are tied with the Senna knot; have cotton warp and woof; a short, upright wool pile and narrow webs with loose warp ends, but only two are ever overcast with silk, namely the Senna and the Saruk. Upon referring to the characteristic features mentioned in the first part of this chap- ter (page 148) you wiU see that the Herati design is common to both of these rugs, but that the un- even weave, the pole medallion and the strand of colored yam in the web are aU Senna features, therefore you have a Senna. A thorough knowledge of designs and colors would have enabled you to name the piece at first sight, as would also the character of the weave in this particular instance. Most of the prayer rugs may be accurately classified by consulting the chart illustrating rug niches (page 322), while the distinguishing char- acteristics of the different GhUeems may be found in the chapter on Ghileems. 162 CHARACTERISTIC BACKS OF RUGS m // CHARACTERISTIC BACKS OF RUGS THE IDENTIFICATION OF RUGS ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE BACKS OF SOME RUGS SHOWING THEIR CHARACTERISTIC WEAVES The author has eftdeavored to include in this group of pictures one of every rug which has a distinct characteristic weave. There are many rugs, the weaves of which differ so minutely that their reproduction on paper would be of no material help. The details of each picture are of the same size as the rug from which it was taken and each one is presented with the warp threads running up and down. This idea of comparison would be even more valuable were it possible to procure pictures of pieces only which have the same number of knots to the square inch. A magnifying glass will aid materially in bringing out the minute details. No. 1. Khoeasan. — Twelve knots to the inch vertically, and sis horizontally. This peculiar weave is due to the fact that several rows of knots are tied with no woof thread to separate them; then two or three strands of the woof are thrown in, one after the other, followed by several more rows of knots. This method of weaving is a Khorasan feature. No. 2. Senna. — Eighteen Senna knots to the inch vertically, and eighteen horizontally. Notice the closeness and irregularity of the rows of knots. Contrast the appearance of this with that of the Saruk (No. 3) which is tied with the same kind of knot and has very nearly the same number to the square inch. No. 3. Saeuk. — ^Fifteen Senna knots to the inch vertically, and sixteen horizontally. One of the most closely and most 16a THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS evenly woven of the Oriental fabrics. In this illustration the rows of knots can easily be counted horizontally, but it is almost impossible to count them vertically unless we follow the stripe- like arrangement in the straight oblique outlines of some of the No. 4. Kazak. — Six Ghiordes knots to the inch vertically, and nine horizontally. Notice the wide spacing between each row. This is due to the great number of woof threads between each row, a characteristic of the Kazak. This cut beautifully illustrates the appearance of the Ghiordes knot on the back. Note that each one has two loops as compared with the one loop in the Senna knot, as illustrated in No. 3. No. 5. Saraband. — Ten Senna knots to the inch vertically and ten horizontally. The white or light blue woof threads are distinctly seen in each row, even in those which are closely woven. The spaces between the rows vary a little in places, giving it an appearance somewhat similar to the Khorasan weave. No. 6. Daohestan. — ^Eight Ghiordes knots to the inch vertically, and eight horizontally. This piece has the same number of knots to the square inch as does the Chinese (No. 7), and, although of a different kind, the appearance of the weave is quite similar. No. 7. Chinese. — ^Nine knots to the inch vertically, and nine horizontally. The spiral appearance of the colored rows of knots and the white woof threads give it a look quite similar to that of the Daghestan (No. 6). No. 8. Merve Ghileem. — Eight stitches to the inch. Com- pare the difference in weave to that of the Kurdish ghileem (No. 9). The colors of the latter are always at right angles to or with the warp and woof threads, while that of the former is diagonal to the warp and woof threads. This method of weaving gives the Merve fewer and smaller open spaces. No. 9. KxJBDisH Ghileem. — ^Notice the many open spaces, also the loose yarn ends, a characteristic of this class of ghileems. 154 THE IDENTIFICATION OF RUGS No. 10. Shemakha (coarse). — ^Bight stitches to the inch. Showing the front of the rug in order to illustrate the Shemakha weave, which is a flat weave and yet quite different from that of the ghileems. Note its braided appearance. No. 11. Shemakha (coarse). — Back of the same rug as shown in No. 10. Note the quantity of loose yarn ends. No. 12. Shemakha (fine). — ^Ten stitches to the inch. Note the difference in the number of loose yarn ends in this piece compared with those in the coarsely woven fabrics (No. 11). CHART SHOWING THE DISTINGUISHING FEATURKS 6f THK DIFFERENT RUGS Knot 1 Wabp 1 Woo» PllB Glior- des Senna Wool Cotton Goat'g Hair !7amel*B Hair Silk Linen Dyed Wool Cotton Goafa Hair Camel'a Hair Sillc Linen Dyed Extra Thr'ds Wool Cotton Goat'f Hair Camel'i Hair Silk Short Medi- um Loi Bakhshis A A A S A S R R R A A A A A A A Ob Ob Ob Or R A A A R R A A R A A R R A A A A A A A A A A A A A R F F F A A R R R R GORBVAN Serapi... Kara Daoh R R Kashan R R R R souj bulak Tabriz BlJ AH R R A An. A Mo.R R Ah R Rh R R F Kekmanshah A R A A A A R R R A Ob R A An. R S Feraghan Mo. A F Fpa Mo.R R F Ispahan A An. A Mo. A R S A R A A A* An. A Mo.R R A A A R R F R A JOSHAQHAN A Mo.R A R A R A A A A R A A A Fib Saruk R R R A F R R R R F R R F NIRI8 A A R R R R A R A Mo. F R Rb F A Herat An. Rs R R K^TTORARAtl IVIerhed S Kurdistan A Rg Rborg R n CD A A A A A A A A A A A A A Ac A A A R Ac A A R R Rr Rpc A A A A A A R Ac A A jM — R R Rr A A A A A A R Mo.R R A S R R An.R R R R Mo. Ar R Rb Rr Rb R R R R R Fha Mo. F An. A F R Rw Rr R * ' In r L. "th the exception of the Niris and the Shiraz, which have widenes. "" * " '- '- ' hflvPwideonM (9) As a rule the Caucasians have narrow webs, and the Turkoman have wie ones while the Caucasians we W much one way as the other. (12) The length of the pUe U of ver.Uttle a^istance m classifymg (8) All Turkish rugs have narrow w (10) The knotted warp ends are found especially amog the Caucasian rugs. (11) As a rule the S^INQ THE DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE DIFFERENT RUGS Woo» Pile Ehdb Sides 1 Joat's Hair ■ Damel's Hair SUk Linen Dyed Extra Thp'ds Wool Cotton Goat'i Hair Camera Hair Silk Short Medi- um Long Tex- ture Narrow Web Wide Web Hem- med Web Parti- colored Strand in Web Dyed Web Looae Warp Ends Braided Warp Ends Knot- ted Warp Ends Over- oast Sel- vaged Ob Ob Ob Or R A A A R R A A R A A R R A A A A A A A A A A A A A R F F F A A R R R R C c c f f fltu fu tu f fu A A A R A R A A A A A R R R R A Roe A Roe A A Ace Roe A A Aoe A A A A R A A A A A Roe R R R A A An.R Mo.O A A AFs A A A A A A Fds A A A A A Rpo A R A A A iw s s s R An. S Mo.R Oad R oe Rr R ...... R Roe R F Ob R A An. R F Fpa Mo.R R Roe . F A A A R R F R A f A A A A A A A A A A A A R Fib fu fu C C C Rib R R R F R R F R A Em R Rb F A Rh Rr Rb fl fu tu Rborg R Foe A gorb R R R Rr A- A A A A A R Mo. R R A R A A A R S R R An.R R Mo.R fl fl C fl A R R A R Rgor r Rr R R R A R R F A 4t.a Mo.S K A R R Aoe R R R Mo.R An.O Oad An.R Mo.O A A wad Rh Rgh Ah Aw A«) a An. A ad Mo.O Aadic R R R Ar R Rb R A Rr Rr Rb R R R R R R An.R Mo.R R F F fl fl fl fl fl t fl fl A A A A A A A Fha Mo. F An. A R Rgh R F R Rw T R A Rw Rr R R ' ^d._— 1 ^ ■" Mo. A An.R R Mo-H Mo.R Ry R R R R Rgorb F R F R A A A A R P A R R A R R F R R R A R A A A R R Rh A A Rg Rb R R Ric R R R R Roe Roe R R Riw R R R R R Mo.R AnO R R R Rh An.R Rw Rb Rb Fpa R R R R F R R Rb gr. orb Rr or b Rr or b Fb.r org Fr Rr or b R R R R oe oe R fl F Rgor d Rror b Rr R R R R R R R F R f R R R A R R R Rd Rr Rd Rr orb A R A A A A Ah A A Rpc A ad A ad An.R Mo.O R R F R R R R fu F F R R R R R Rbor y C Rbor y R R Mo.R An.O Rd R F O R A F Rd Mo.O An. A Ohh Rd R R F R C A R Mo.R An.R , om; An. = antiques; Mo. = modems; em = embroi*ed; ad = added; c = coarse; f = fine; fl = flu£Fy; h = heavy; t = thick; w = wide; u = upright; oe = one end; pa = part; ick; ic = if cotton; iw = if wool; gh = goats' hair; hh=horse hair; s = eilk. iratively few rugs are tied with the Senna knot, ancthese are mostly of the Persian and Turkoman classes. (2) AU Persian and Caucasian rugs are tied with the Ghiordes :not. (4) The Kurdistan is the only one of the Pe;ian classification which ever has a dyed warp, but many of them have a dyed woof. (6) The Turkish and Caucasian leption of the Niris and the Shiraz, which have widenes. (8) All Turkish rugs have narrow webs, with the exception of the Karaman, the Ladik and the Bergama, which 0) The knotted warp ends are found especially amog the Caucasian rugs. (11) As a rule the Persians are overcaat on the sides, and the Turkish and Turko?n^ are se'lvaged, utce in classifying. PART II SHIRVAN PRAYER RUG BY COUBTEST OP HABDWICK & MAGEE COMPANY, PHILADELPHIA A prayer rug the outstanding feature of which is the unusual ground of ruby red, framed by a handsomely designed border in ivory and blue. The prayer niche reveals a wealth of thought in its conception and equal care in its execution. The geometrical designs — hooks, tiny crosses, six- and eight-pointed stars and other angular figures — are characteristic of this class of rugs and of the Daghestans with which they are so closely related. l«i!*;,A«»ii£iA*J' ' '''^^ji2 "^'^ ^:a^'» ^'^'L' S -v ,11,. 1 .■;i ••>.■, ■ .■>;i^ !^ ^ ^ CQ^fl '--i....,.ja • 3 ^f^ - -^ -■:;~--^ ^.1 't 4&J^ • a^^Jc. GENERAL CLASSIFICATION GENERAL CLASSIFICATION In the general market are found over fifty different kinds of rugs, most of which are named after the towns or districts ia which they are made, from which they are marketed, or after the people who make them. There is generally also some slight difference in the weave, the material, the color, the design or the finish, which gives each class its distinguishing, technical character. Of late years, however, there has been such an intermingling of races and transmission of ideas from one country to another, that even the expert is often unable to identify a rug with the place in which it was made. There is occasionally a dealer who has many of his own names which he uses to the extinction of all others and some of the names used in Western cotmtries would not be recognized in the countries from which the rugs come. Under such circumstances classification becomes rather diffi- cult and it is not to be wondered at that author- 11 161 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS ities sometimes disagree. Importers and dealers in Oriental rugs would find it greatly to their advantage if they had a strict rug nomenclature based on facts and if they discountenanced every- thing in the trade which tended towards charla- tanism or inspired distrust in the minds of buyers. In the classification to follow we wiU consider rugs from a geographical stand-point. To begin, we will consider them in the follow- ing order: 1st, Persian; 2nd, Turkish; 3rd, Cau- casian; 4th, Turkoman; 5th, Beluchistan; and 6th, Chinese. No reference will be made to Indian rugs for the reason that, outside of the fact that they are made in India, they can nowadays hardly claim a right to be classed as Oriental products, inas- much as they are wholly modern creations made merely upon a trade basis, often by machinery, and after designs furnished by American and European designers. 162 BOKHARA TENT BAG Size 4' X 2'10" PROPERTY OF MR. J. H. STANTON, AUBURN, N. (See page 284) GENERAL CLASSIFICATION Pebsian or Iranian . . Azerbijan . Ardelan . Irak-Ajemi . Farsistan or Fars. . Khorasan . r Bakhshis Herez \ Gorevan I Serapi (a) Kara Dagh (b) Kashan Souj-Bulak (c) Tabriz Bijar, Sarakhs, (d) Lule (e) Kermanshah Senna (c) f Feraghan (f) Hamadan Ispahan Joshaghan (g) Saraband (h) If-yj^,, , / Mahal (i) Sultanabad I jj^^^^^^j (jj f Niris, Laristan (j) (^ Shiraz [ Herat (k) 1 Khorasan proper I Meshed Kirman { Kirman Eastern Kurdistan. | Kurdistan proper. (a) After the village of Serab. (b) Mountains. (c) A Kurdish product, named after a city. (d) More commonly called Sarakhs, after the city by that name, which is situated on the border line between Persia and Turkestan and within a few miles of Afghanistan. They are so called because the people who make them for- merly came from this district. (e) A corruption of the Persian word " roules," which means a pearl. (f) A province. (g) A district. Joshaghan is the English way of spelling it and Djoshaghan the French way of spelling it. 163 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS (h) A corruption of the word " Sarawan," the name of a district in Persia just south of Feraghan. The name has no connection whatever with the " Saraband Dance." (i) Terms used for the different grades of rugs from the Sultanabad district. (j) Laristan is a province in the Kirman district just south of Niris. (k) Named after the city of Herat, which is not situated in Elhorasan at all, but is across the Persian border in Afghanistan. They take this name for two reasons: first, because they are woven by people who formerly lived in Herat, but who, owing to political disturbances, settled in Khorasan; and second, because they are mar- keted at Herat. Angora. ^ | Er Shehr Brousa . . | Oushak r Karaman Konieh proper Konieh.^ ] Mujur Ladik (a) Yuruk (b) TCTBEISH . . . Anatolian . .Smyrna Ak-Hissar Anatolian proper Bergama Ghiordes Kulah Meles (c) Makri Smyrna proper Kurdistan. | Mosul . . . | Mosul proper (a) A corruption of the word " Laodicea." (b) The word "Yuruk" means mountaineer, f c) A corruption of the word " Milassa." 164 GENERAL CLASSIFICATION Cattca- SIAN... Caucasia { Daghestan Trans- . Caucasia (Daghestan proper Derbend Kabistan (a) Tchetchen, Chiclii, Tzitzi (b) I Baku proper Shemakha, Soumak (c) Kashmir (d) Shirvan (e) E.izabethpol{«*Gania(f) Erivan .... Kazak (g) (a) Should be Eubistan or Kuban, as they are made at Kuba. (b) Named after a tribe of people who inhabit the mountains north of Daghestan. (c) A corruption of the word " Shemakha." (d) Sometimes called Kashmir from the resemblance of the under side to that of Cashmere shawls. (e) A province. (f ) Named after a tribe of Turkomans who live in the vicinity of Elizabethpol. Sometimes called Ganja, after the ancient name of Elizabethpol. (g) Named after a tribe of Nomads inhabiting the hills around Lake Goktcha. Turkestan ok tukkoman . Turkestan. Eastern Turkestan Khiva Bokhara Beshir Bokhara Tekke Bokhara (a) Yomud Bokhara (b) {Kashgar Yarkand . Russian Turkestan | Samarkand Bemtchistan I Beluchistan proper (c) (a) Made by the Tekke-Turkomans who inhabit the plains to the west of the Oxus. 165 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS (b) The name of a tribe of Turkomans who inhabit the western end of Turkestan. (c) Although these rugs are made in a region far distant from Turkestan, they are so similar to the Turkoman class that they are classified as such by several authorities. Genghis, of the Caucasian class, being made by a tribe of Turkomans in the Caucasus and resembling closely the Turkoman productions, are classified as such by several prominent writers. SARUK RUG Size6'4''X4'l» FBOM THE COLLECTION OF THE AUTHOB Knot : Senna. Fourteen to the inch horizontally and seventeen to the inch vertically, making two hundred and thirty-eight to the square inch. The design is characteristic but the colors are imusuaJ for a Saruk. There is a central pole medallion within another medaUion. The predominating color of the former is an old rose with figures in hght and dark blue, white and yellow, especially the latter. The outside medallion has an old ivory background and is strewn with beautiful imdulating vines covered with flowers of various colors, those at one end being principally in old rose while at the other end a rich red seems to predominate. Each corner of the field outside of the me- dallion has a rich blue background with scroll figures and large flowers, differing considerably in color at the two ends. There are tour border strips, the outside one being of plain ivory. The main border consists of alternate white and old rose floral forms connected by a meandering line upon a dark blue background and on both sides of this main border stripe is the reciprocal trefoil in red, blue and white. (See page 200) THE PERSIAN CLASSIFICATION AND DESCRIPTION PERSIA THE PERSIAN CLASSIFICATION AND DESCRIPTION From the earliest time to tlie present the Per- sian has excelled all others in the designing of flowers and in color decoration, therefore the Persian textiles have always shown complex floral designs and harmonious arrangement of colors. Unlike the Turkish fabrics, they almost invariably have a full straight fringe at each end which is composed of loose warp threads. In Persia both the Senna and the Ghiordes knots are used, and the latter has been adopted in some localities where the former alone was once in vogue. The weavers of Persia are usually composed of women and children of both sexes. The latter, however, do not take up the work at nearly so early an age as they do in Asia Minor. In Persia 169 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS they seldom begin earlier than ten years of age, while in Asia Minor thousands of little children from four to six years of age may be seen work- ing at the loom. The usual pay in Persia is fifteen tomans ($0.91) a year for the first two years of their apprenticeship. This amounts to about $13.65 of our money. After the expiration of two years they are paid at the rate of one toman for every 30,000 stitches. The Persian government has endeavored to uphold the quality of its rugs in the face of demoralizing influences, but alas, Persia too is get- ting the commercial spirit and aniliue dyes are being smuggled into and secretly used all over the country. One correspondent in Teheran says, "Good rugs are hard to get and are very expensive. There are quantities of the commercial variety, but those can be bought in London as cheap as in Persia." During the recent revolution quite a number of the palaces were sold out by their owners at auction. At these sales the good rugs were quickly picked up at fabulous prices by European residents in Teheran. There are no rug factories in Persia, but there are several establishments owned by foreigners, especially at Sultanabad and Tabriz, where the 170 INSPECTING RUGS AT ISPAHAN PERSIAN VILLAGERS NEAR HAMADAN THE PERSIAN CLASSIFICATION wool is dyed and given out to the weavers to take home and weave according to the designs and specifications furnished. PERSIAN RUG PROVINCES The following is a short description of the various Persian provinces from which rugs come : AzEBBijAN is the most northeastern province of Persia. It includes a part of Ancient Armenia and its present population consists mostly of Turks, with some Armenians and Kurds. Tabriz is the capital. Its present output of rugs is very large. Aedelan is the province just south of Azer- bijan. Its inhabitants are mostly Kurds and its capital is Kermanshah. Ieak Ajemi is the largest province of Persia. It practically occupies the centre of the country. Its principal city is Teheran, which is the present capital of Persia. Irak Ajemi has a larger output of rugs than any other province of Persia. Faesistan oh Faes, as it is sometimes called, lies in the southern part of Persia west of Kirman and south of Irak Ajemi. Shiraz is its capital and it produces a wool which is not excelled, if equalled, by that of any other country in the world. 171 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS Khobasan is Persia's most southeastern prov- ince and, next to Irak Ajemi, its largest one. It is sometimes called "The Land of the Sun," and is inhabited by Arabs, Turkomans, Kurds, Afghans, Baluches, and Jews. The western portion is a desert. Meshed is the capital. It is one of the last of the Persian provinces to be affected by outside influences. KiEMAN is the most southerly province of Persia and the least known. Being so difficult of access, it is seldom visited by the traveller; con- sequently its products are free from outside influ- ence. It has for its capital the city of the same name. A complete description of each rug of the Persian class is given in the following pages. HEREZ CARPET FROM THE COLLECTION OP MR. A. U. DILLEY M -^ THE PERSIAN CLASSIFICATION HEREZ A name applied to all carpets made in the moun- tainous district of Herez and to some from Tabriz and Sultanabad. The different products of this class are so similar in many respects that it is often difficult and sometimes impossible for the expert to differentiate. There is a great preva- lence of Mongolian influence in their designs. Until quite recently the Herez district was one of the few districts from which the modern rugs were a decided improvement on the antique, but they have deteriorated considerably of late. They are marketed at Tabriz. THE EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATED In exception to most of the Herez weaves this piece has no medallion centre with corner pieces to match, but the style of the floral motifs which fill the field is somewhat characteristic of the region in Northern Persia where it is made. The Herez products are extremely serviceable. BAKHSHIS Why So Named. — After the village by that name in the Herez district where they are made. Knot. — ^Usually the Senna, sometimes the G^hiordes. Number vertically six to fifteen ; num- ber horizontally five to twelve; number to the square inch thirty to one hundred eighty. 173 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS Wabp. — Always cotton. Woof. — ^Always cotton, sometimes dyed brown. Nap. — ^Usually a good quality of wool, trimmed short, but rarely lustrous. Sides. — Nearly always overcast with different colored yarns. Occasionally finished flat. Ends. — Short, fringe with loose warp threads at each end ; occasionally they are knotted. BoBDEB. — ^Usually consists of two narrow and one wide central stripe. The latter frequently carries the Herati design. Pbevailing Coloes. — Different shades of red, blue, and green. Also ivory, white, brown, old rose, and sometimes yellow. Dyes. — ^As a rule are good. Aniline dyes are found in many of the very new pieces. Designs. — ^Usually the medallion centre with or without corners to match. Characteristic angular ornamentation. Shah Abbas, Herati, and Sardar designs frequently used. Cost.* — From $1.00 to $2.50 a square foot. Sizes. — Six to ten by ten to twenty-six feet. Seldom in small sizes. * The retail prices given in this book with the description of each rug refer only to the different grades of such pieces which are ordinarily found in the market and in no way allude to antiques, upon which it would he impossible to set a fixed value. 1.'4 GOREVAX CARPET LOANED BY H. B. CLAFLIN & CO. THE PERSIAN CLASSIFICATION Ebmaeks. — Eather rare compared with the rest of the Herez products. Among the most desirable of the large carpets. Until very recently they have been perfectly free from outside influences. GOREVAN Synonyms. — Goerivan, Ghorevan. Why So Named. — After a small village in the Herez district. Whebe Made. — Throughout the Herez district. Knot. — ^Usually the Senna, occasionally the Ghiordes. Number vertically from eight to fif- teen; number horizontally from six to twelve; number to the square inch forty-eight to one hundred eighty. Waep. — Always cotton. Woof. — ^Always cotton, sometimes dyed brown. Nap. — A rather coarse wool, clipped short. Sides. — ^Usually overcast, as a rule with differ- ent colored wool, seldom selvaged. Ends. — ^Always a short fringe with loose warp threads at each end. Occasionally they are knotted. Boeder.— From three to five border stripes, generally three, one wide central stripe with a narrow one on each side. The central stripe fre- quently carries the Herati design. 175 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS Pbevailing Colors. — ^Blue, red, and green in all their shades ; brown, old ivory, terra cotta, and occasionally yellow. Dyes. — Of the best excepting in some of the new pieces. Designs. — Similar to those of the Bakhshis. A shaded background is a characteristic feature. Cost. — From $1.25 to $3.50 a square foot. Sizes. — Six to ten by ten to twenty-six. Seldom smaller than carpet sizes. Eemaeks. — Excellent carpets to wear. THE EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATED Like most rugs of its class its field presents a medallion with corners to match, all of which is covered with rectilineal flowers and vines. Like most of the Herez products its main border carries the tortoise design. SERAPI Synonyms. — Serab, Serabi, Sirab. Why So Named. — ^After the village of Serab in the Herez district. Whebe Made. — Sometimes in the Herez dis- trict, sometimes on the looms of Tabriz and some- times on those of Sultanabad. Knot. — ^Usually the Senna, occasionally the Grhiordes. The finest ones are tied with the Senna knot. Number vertically ten to eighteen; 176 SERAPI RUG BY COTJRTESY OP HABDWICK & MAGEB COMPANY, FHELADELFHIA An elaborate rendition of this well-known class of Feisian rugs. A medallion or central figure of unusual magnificence sur- rounded by an elaborate vine or floral pattern natura^y claims first attention. Tlje eye will linger longer, however, over the beautifully fashioned {jorder. The artist iri designing the rug evidently had in mind a central jewel from which light sparkles in all directions — how clearly the con- ception was carried out a study of the rug reveals. THE PERSIAN CLASSIFICATION number horizontally eigM to twelve ; making from eighty to two hundred sixteen to the square inch. Waep. — ^Always cotton. Woof. — Always cotton, sometimes dyed. Nap. — Eather coarse but durable wool, which is generally clipped short. SmBS. — ^Nearly always overcast, seldom sel- vaged. Ends. — Short fringe and loose warp threads at each end. Occasionally knotted. BoBDBB. — Similar to that of the Bakhshis and Gorevan. From three to five border stripes, most usually three. PbevahiIng Coloes* — Similar to those of the Bakhshis and Gorevan but, as a rule, somewhat brighter. Dyes. — ^Usually excellent. Designs. — Similar to those of the Gorevan, but there are usually more floral elements added to the ground. Frequent inscriptions. Sizes.— Eight to fifteen by ten to twenty-five. Very few runners and seldom smaller than carpet sizes. Pbices.— $1.50 to $4.00 per square foot. Eemabks.— The best grade of the Herez prod- ucts. Usually of a finer weave and with more detail in design than the Gorevan. 12 177 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS THE EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATED It is rather difficult to distinguish between the Serapi and the Goreran. The principal difference is one of quality, although the former usually has more detail in design and usually more floral elements added to the ground. This carpet presents a peculiar medallion with four pear- shaped offshoots upon a light ground which is strewn with many rectilineal flowers and leaves. Like nearly all of the Herez products it has three border stripes, one wide one with a narrow one on each side. The former carries the tortoise border design with an arrangement similar to the Herati border design and the latter small flowers in profile alternating with buds. KARA DAGH Why So Named. — The words "Kara Dagh" mean Black Mountains, the name of a range in the northern part of the Azerbijan province, vrhere they are woven by shepherd tribes of the most bigoted Shiah sect. Knot. — Ghiordes. Number vertically eight to fourteen; number horizontally eight to eleven; number to square inch sixty-four to one hundred fifty-four. Warp. — "Wool. "Woof. — Natural brown or dyed wool. Usually extra woof threads. Nap. — ^Wool of medium length, sometimes camels' hair. Sides. — ^Usually selvaged, occasionally over- cast 178 SERAPI CARPET LOANED BY H. B. CLAFLIN * CO. THE PERSIAN CLASSIFICATION Ends. — One end selvaged and turned back, the other selvaged and finished with a fringe of loose warp threads. The selvage is usually dyed red. BoBDEE. — ^Usually from three to six border stripes of more or less floral character. Prevailing Colors. — Similar to those of the Karabagh, but more diversified. The ground contains considerable natural-colored camels' hair. Dyes. — ^Usually good. Occasionally an aniline dyed one. Designs. — More of the Persian character than the Karabaghs, resembling somewhat the rugs of Kurdistan. The field is usually covered with small floral forms, which are thrown broadcast. Prices. — From $2.00 to $3.00 per square foot. Sizes. — From three to four by five to seven feet. Eunners two and one-half by eight to fifteen. Eemabks. — Seldom seen in the American market. They have kept pretty well up to their original standard. In many respects they are similar to the Karabagh, to which they are some- what superior. THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS KASHAN Why So Named. — ^After Kashan, a city of 30,000 inliabitaiits between Teheran and Ispahan, where they are made. Kashan is the centre of the silk rug industry in Persia and it was here that the famous Ardebil carpet was woven. Knox. — Ghiordes. Number vertically twelve to thirty-five; number horizontally ten to twenty; number to square inch one hundred fifty to five hundred. Waep. — Cotton, frequently silk or linen. Woof. — Cotton, frequently silk or linen. Nap. — Fine short wool, frequently silk. Weave. — As a rule very evenly and tightly woven. Sn)ES. — Overcast with wool, sometimes with silk. Ends. — Short web with loose warp threads at each end. BoEDEB. — ^From three to seven border stripes. Peevailing Coloes. — ^Dark blues, reds, and greens; rose, turquoise, deep wine color, and ivory. Dtes. — Good. Designs. — Similar to those of the Saruk. Exclusively floral with many connecting vines; medallions ; no plain fields. 180 - ly *-sJ^ag^^ SARABAND RUG Size 3'4"X5' PROPERTY OF MRS. THOMAS E. MATTHEWS^ MX. CLEMENS, MICH. THE PERSIAN CLASSIFICATION Dyes. — ^As a rule are excellent. In the modern products some of these colors are liable to be aniline, especially the greens. Designs. — The field is almost invariably cov- ered with the pear design arranged in rows, the stems of each successive row running in the oppo- site direction. This is nearly always the case and with the exception of the Shiraz it seems to dis- tinguish the field from that of other rugs such as the Khorasan products, where the same design is frequently used but where the stems usually run in the same direction. The Mir Saraband sometimes has a Herati centre. Sizes. — Three to five by four to nine, three to nine by twelve to twenty-four. Pbices. — $2.00 to $6.00 per square foot. Ebmaeks. — Sarabands are usually firm in text- ure, lie well, never grow monotonous, and, on the whole, are most satisfactory. THE EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATED This piece beautifully illustrates the most common Saraband designs. The field is covered with rows of the pear motif upon a background of rich dark red. The main border stripe carries the characteristic Saraband border design upon a background of old ivory. The woof is dyed light blue, which shows in the webbing at each end. 190 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS SARUK Synonyms. — Sarouk, Sarook. Why So Named. — ^After Samk, a small village in the Feraghan district, from whence they come. Knot. — ^Always the Senna and usually as many to the square inch as any rug excepting the Senna. Number vertically eight to twenty-two; number horizontally six to twenty; mmiber to square inch forty-eight to four hundred forty. "Waep. — ^As a rule cotton, occasionally linen. Woof. — ^As a rule cotton, occasionally linen. Nap. — Fine silky wool cut short. Weave. — Close and hard. Sides. — Overcast with dark wool or silk. They frequently curl on account of the tightness of the weave. Ends. — Narrow web and loose warp threads at each end. BoBDEK. — Three to five border stripes, usually three. Generally the Herati border, occasion- ally the modern form of the Shah Abbas border design. Prevailing Coloss. — ^Usually dark seal browns, greens, and reds. Generally a field of ivory, blue or red. Dyes. — Generally good except in some of the modern pieces. 200 MAHAL RUG BY COUBTEST OF HASSWICE tc MAQEE COHPANT, FHHADEURBIA An excellent example of this class of rugs known under the gen- eral term of "Mahal" — ^Persian for "Made to Order." The coloring is exceptionally good and the field (while it contains nothing of a striking or distinctive nature) is well covered. The bowMr reveals a wealth of detail not usually found in rugs from this busy com- mercialized region of the Orient. THE PERSIAN CLASSIFICATION Designs. — There is always a medallion. Flow- ers freely iatrodueed. Often queer-shaped floral figures. Sizes. — Three to five by five to twenty feet. Usually oblong. Pbices. — $2.50 to $6.00 per square foot. Eemaeks. — Sometimes called the "Modern Ispahan. ' ' THE EXAMPLES ILLUSTRATED Two plates in color of Saruks are given — at pages 40 and 166, with description accompanying each. SULTANABAD Synonyms. — Classed as Muskabad, Mahal and Savalan, according to grade. Why So Named. — Muskabad is named after the village by that name and Savalan after a range of mountains in the northern part of the Sultanabad district, while Mahal is but a trade name. Wheeb Made. — ^In the Sultanabad district, which is the centre of rug weaving under Euro- pean control. Knot. — Generally the Ghiordes, sometimes the Senna. Number vertically five to eight; number horizontally six to fourteen; number to square inch thirty to one hundred twelve. Wabp. — Cotton. Woof. — Cotton. 201 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS Nap. — Good quality of wool, usually of medium length. Sides. — Overcast. Ends. — Short web and loose warp threads of medium length. BoEDEE. — Usually three border stripes, one wide one with a narrow one on either side. The Herati border design is the most frequent. Peevailing Coloes. — Bright reds, browns, blues, pinks, and greens with white. Dyes. — A large percentage are aniline dyed. Designs. — Usually large scrolls and floral pat- terns. The Herati design is quite common. Sizes. — Carpet sizes only, eight to fifteen by ten to twenty. Pbices. — From $1.00 to $3.00 a square foot. Eemaeks. — Those with good dyes are quite satisfactory, but at the present time most of the products of Sultanabad are purely commercial products. THE EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATED This piece most beautifully shows in its field the Guli Henna design, which is so commonly employed in the Sultanabad products. NIRIS Synonyms. — ^Laristan, Luristan. "Why So Named. — After the salt lake Niris in the province of Laristan, where they are made by the hillmen who inhabit the uplands of that section. 202 MAHAL CARPET (GULI HENNA DESIGN) LOANED BY MR. A. U. DILLEY THE PERSIAN CLASSIFICATION Knot. — Glhiordes. Number vertically eight to twelve; number borizontally five to eight; number to the square inch forty to ninety-six. Waep. — Best stout wool. Woof. — Best stout wool. Nap. — Best wool of short or medium length. Weave. — Not so closely woven as the best Shiraz, which they very much resemble. Sides. — Overcast. Ends. — A checked selvage at each end with a short fringe of warp, like the Shiraz. BoBDEB, — Generally from three to five border stripes, some of which are quite elaborate. The barber-pole stripe is commonly used, but generally consists of several colors instead of only two as in the Caucasian fabrics. Peevahjng Coloes. — Usually rather crude. Madder red predominates. Dyes. — ^As a rule good. Designs. — The pear pattern is commonly em- ployed and when used it suggests the crown jewel, being an assemblage of points rather than of lines and more minutely worked out than are the smaller forms so common to the Saraband. No regularity of design, but quite similar to the Shiraz. Often a pronounced striped effect. Alter- nating rows of geometrical and floral designs. 203 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS Pbices. — From $1.50 to $3.00 per square foot. Eemabks. — Strong and durable. Few reach America. They seem more like products of Turkestan than of Southern Persia. THE EXAMPLE nXUSTRATED This particular design consisting of rows of pears with stems of alternate rows turned in the opposite direction is quite common in rugs of this class. The main border stripe in this piece also consists of the pear motif on each side of which is a barber-pole stripe. SHIRAZ Synonym. — ^Mecca, so called because they were so frequently taken by the shriners to the holy city of Mecca. Why So Named. — ^After the city of Shiraz, where they are made. Knot. — Generally the Senna, sometimes the Ghiordes. Number vertically seven to sixteen; number horizontally six to twelve; number to square inch forty-two to one hundred ninety-six. Wabp. — Generally heavy wool, sometimes goats' hair in the modems, and frequently more than two woof threads between each row of knots. "Wgop. — ^Always wool, frequently dyed. Nap. — ^Lustrous, soft, short wool. Weave. — Rather loosely woven as a rule. Sides. — Overcast or braided with wool of two 204 NIRIS (LARISTAN) RUG PROPERTY OF MR. FREDERIC P. WARFIELD, NEW YORK CITY THE PERSIAN CLASSIFICATION or more colors. Little tassels of wool frequently project from the overcasting on the sides. Ends. — ^Web of medium width at each end which is often dyed red, white, and blue, or a plain red selvage with rows of colored yarns rim- ning through it. BoEDEB. — From two to seven border stripes, some of which frequently carry a vine to which are attached oval-shaped flowers in alternate red and blue. The barber-pole stripe is frequently employed. Prevailing Colors. — Eich colors like wine, autumn foliage, the plumage of birds, deep rich blues, reds, yellows, greens ; usually dark blue field. Dyes. — Good. Designs. — Pole medallions almost universal. Has as a rule more figures of birds and animals than any other class of rugs. Pear pattern very common. The centre field is frequently filled with diagonal stripes. Flowers scattered throughout the field. Sizes. — ^Usually medium, four to five by six to eight. Also carpet sizes. Saddle bags are very common. Prices. — $1.25 to $3.00 per square feot. Eemakks. — They seldom lie well. They are often crooked and puffed up. The Bergama is the only ottier rug made with tassels along the sides. 205 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS THE EXAMPLES ILLUSTRATED The field carries an unusual double arrangement of the pear motif, alternating with small tree forms. The outside border consists of small bird forms, each alternate row facing in the opposite direction. Note the elaborate webbing at each end. (See also page 104.) Prayer rugs of this class are exceedingly rare, in fact they are seldom seen in this country. This one is a gem, but has lost its principal Shiraz character in that the sides have been reovercast with wool of one color instead of with two or more colors, as it originally was. Another very unusual feature is the absence of two of the border stripes on the lower end. (See also color plate at page S2 and doubletone at pa^e 208.) HERAT Synonyms. — Herati, Heratee. Why So Named. — Probably so named because the Herati design, which, is characteristic of the rug, originated in the city of Herat. By Whom Made. — It is also said that the weavers of these rugs were origiaally from Herat. Whebe Made. — In the province of Khorasan. Knot. — Usually the Ghiordes. Number verti- cally six to twelve ; number horizontally eight to twelve ; number to square inch forty-eight to one hundred forty-four. Wabp. — Cotton. Silk in some of the antiques. Woof. — Usually cotton, sometimes wool. As a rule dyed brown. Nap. — Soft, glossy wool of medium length. Weave. — Very closely woven. Sides. — Overcast. 206 SHIRAZ RUG Size 3'6"X4'8" PROPERTY OF MB. J. H. STANTON, AUBURN, N. T. THE PERSIAN CLASSIFICATION Ends. — Narrow web with, loose waxp threads at each end. BoEDEB. — ^Usually from three to seven border stripes. The Herati design is common. Green is usually the background of the main border stripe. Pbevailing Coloes. — Brilliant reds, greens, blues, and yellows, also ivory. Often a purplish pink cast. Dyes. — ^Unsurpassed. Designs. — Similar to those of the Feraghan. Most always the Herati design, the leaves of which are generally shaded on one side. Occasionally the pear pattern with the stems all facing in one direc- tion. Once in a while a medallion centre. Sizes. — Seldom small. Medium sizes are most common. Some runners and occasionally a saddle bag. Peices. — $2.00 to $5.00 per square foot. Eemaeks. — Durable and heavy. Resemble the Khorasan in most respects. Aiyin and Kayin are names sometimes given to a coarse form of Herat. Many of the Herats of the 16th and 17th centuries are now erroneously called Ispahans. KHORASAN Why So Named. — ^Af ter the most northeastern province of Persia from which they come. Knot. — Senna. Number vertically eight to 207 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS fifteen; number horizontally ten to twenty-five; number to square inch eighty to three hundred seventy-five. Waep. — ^Always white cotton. Woof. — Usually cotton, occasionally wool. Nap. — Fine wool of varying lengths. Weave. — Characteristic, there being four or more rows of knots with no weft threads between, then several weft threads, etc., giving a peculiar look to the back of the rug and when it is bent the knots are shown in groups. Sides. — Usually overcast. Occasionally an added selvage. Ends. — Fringe of loose warp threads at each end. BoEDEE. — Usually from three to seven border stripes, most frequently three, one wide one and two narrow ones. Some have as many as sixteen. The Herati border design is common. Peevailing Colobs. — Magenta is a prominent color; reds, blues, greens, pinks, and white. Usually a background of rich red, blue, or white. Dyes. — Antiques all good. Modern pieces are usually poor. Designs. — Pear designs common. Animals and birds frequently depicted. The Herati design is the most frequently seen. Medallion centre 208 OTJS lilAaAflQHa liiiyuflsd sti lol fenvroit')! '^-^oiJO'.) b lo R-iijsb 'fe/ui diid aili grsuw ■ -ioloo I)iTt3 i^giBsI) 'iT c?jiiftL3o b^hflq odi vla'vi'n saJafila -iwwao A TtobwS hr*i.jo9X9 ■scf'xtkj'ipxa «f!+ bne fiEaS aJj-iTcodJiia add nssvrtsd 9goi!l neve dn \rr,iyiiihp.i .obnAse — floHla&in ''iiilnso-^H"' gnibimo-n;.'! KHORASAN RUG BT COUBTEST OP HABDWICK & MAGEE COMPANY,' VhILADBLPHIA A good example of the freedom with which the Persian artists have called to their aid the myriads of plants, buds and-blooms gem- ming the hills and dales of a country renowned for its beautiful scenery and fertile lands. A cursory glance reveals the perfect balance, of de^gn and, color between the elaborate field arid the exquisitely executed border bands. Much admired by connoisseurs is the rose tinted ground surrounding the central medallion — a shade, indeed, which even these master colorists find difficulty in approsdmating. ,> .^;ii 'O'd Ea*5SH.*iMliV«*UK»it'l''i4.'-A;'.»-iM«T'»UJi^ THE PERSIAN CLASSIFICATION with, corners to matcli. Two small pears resting their stems upon a larger one is a design also commonly used. The field is often plain. Sizes. — All sizes but mostly large, seven to fifteen by ten to twenty-five feet. Prices. — $1.50 to $3.50 per square foot. Eemabks. — ^Antiques durable, pliable, and soft. Especially suitable for living rooms, libraries, and halls. Modern ones are good in every respect excepting the dyes. THE EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATED For description see tissue accompanying color plate, at page 32. MESHED Synonyms. — Mashhed, Meshad. Why So Named. — ^After Meshed, the capital of Khorasan, where they are made. KifOT. — ^Usually the Senna, seldom the Ghiordes. Number vertically nine to twenty; number horizontally eight to twelve; number to square inch seventy-two to two hundred forty. Waep. — Nearly always cotton, seldom wool. Woof. — Usually wool, frequently cotton. Nap.— Soft, silky, even wool of varying lengths. Weave. — Characteristic with its uneven dis- 14 209 THE PEACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL BUGS tribution of woof threads, even more so than in the Khorasan proper. Sides. — Overcast with wool. Ends. — Short web with loose warp threads at each end. Boeder. — From three to seven border stripes. The Herati design very common. Pbevailing Colors. — The antiques have soft, subdued shades of blue, green, and pink, also ivory, while the modem ones have rather bright shades of the same colors. Dyes. — ^In the antiques good. In the modems poor. Designs. — Similar to those of the Khorasan proper. The pear design predominates. The Herati is common. Animals and birds are fre- quently represented. Medallion centre common. Sizes. — ^AU sizes from three to ten by four to twenty feet or even larger. Peices. — $2.00 to $4.00 per square foot. Eemaeks. — Similar in design to the Khorasan proper, but usually of a finer grade. Also heavier and more durable. THE EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATED A color plate of this beautiful rug may be seen on page 22. Its description is given on the accompanying tissue. 210 KIRMAN PRAYER RUG Size6'X4' PROPERTY OF MRS. E. N. TRUMP, [SYRACUSE, N. T. THE PERSIAN CLASSIFICATION KIRMAN Synonym. — ^Kerman. Why So Named. — After the province and city of Kirman from whicli they come. By "Whom Made. — By the wandering tribes of Afghars. Knot. — ^Always Senna. Number vertically ten to twenty-four; number horizontally eight to twenty; number to square inch eighty to four hundred eighty. "Waep. — Cotton always. Woof. — Usually wool, frequently cotton. Nap. — Fine silky and durable wool. Weave. — ^Very fine and close. SmES. — verca st. Ends. — Narrow web with fringe at each end. Bobdeb. — Three to eight border stripes, usually three, one wide one with a narrow one on either side. Frequently there is a narrow strip of plain rose color all around the outer edge. Peevailing Colobs. — ^Light, soft, delicate blue, green, rose, old gold, and fawn. Dyes of the best. Designs. — Tree of life, birds, fruit, bouquets, vases; more naturalistic and less geometrical than any other Oriental rugs. Frequently a medallion centre. 211 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS Sizes. — ^All sizes from mats to carpets. Peices. — From $2.00 to $5.00 per square foot. Eemabks. — Genuine Kirmans are rather scarce because of the remoteness of the district from the centres of trade. They are not to be compared with the Kermanshahs or the Turkish Kirmans. The latter are coarse, modem, com- mercial products. Kirman rugs are soft and durable. THE EXAMPLES rtLUSTRATED Holmes Rug (page 212). — The field design, consisting of rows of vases filled with red roses, is quite common to this class of rugs, but the border is rather unusual, being a mixture of Persian and Chinese motifs. Tetjmp Etjq (page 210) . — ^A masterpiece both in workmanship and design. In the prayer field is the Tree of Life resting in a large urn. Note the medallion with Arabic inscriptions. KiBMAN Saddm Bag (page 326). — The field is filled with the ordinary Kirman rendition of the rose. On one end of the Ghileem part is a piece of leather put there by the proud owner to prevent it from wearing by friction on the donkey's neck. Underneath will be found the original girdle and buckle. KURDISTAN PROPER Why So Named. — ^After the country in which they are made. A province occupying the eastern part of Turkey in Asia and the western part of Persia. By "Whom Made. — By the Nomadic tribes who live in the mountains of Kurdistan. 212 KIRMAN RUG PROPERTY OF MRS. C. B. HOLMES, WATERBURY, CONN. THE PERSIAN CLASSIFICATION Knox. — ^Always the Ghiordes. Number ver- tically six to eight; number horizontally six to ten; number to square inch thirty-six to eighty. Waep. — Dark twisted wool or goats' hair. Usually gray. Woof. — As a rule wool, sometimes goats' or camels' hair. Usually several woof threads be- tween each row of knots. Nap. — Usually good heavy gray wool which is cut long; sometimes goats' hair, camels' hair, or kurk. Weave. — Generally good, the knots being well tied. Sides. — Always overcast, frequently with dif- ferent colored wools, most frequently brown. Ends. — Usually a thick narrow selvage witn knotted fringe or loose warp ends. Nearly always one or two lines of colored wool run through the selvage. This is a Kurdish characteristic and is a distinguishing feature. Often the web of one end is turned back and hemmed. BoEDEE.- — From two to nine border stripes, usually from three to four, one wide one with one or two narrow ones on each side. The main border stripe usually carries designs in profile. Peevailing Coloes. — ^Usually dark rich reds, greens, blues, yellows, pinks, and terra cotta, 213 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS beautifully varied. The shading of colors is also a Kurdish characteristic. Dyes. — Usually of the best. The Kurds have clung to the old colors more than any of the other rug-making people. Designs. — Generally wild, irregular figures of various sizes scattered carelessly and the inter- vals filled with small indistinct figures. Lattice designs with each division filled with floral forms. The Herati and the pear designs are occasionally used. Sizes. — Seldom large. From four to five by seven to eight feet and occasionally in carpet sizes. Pbices.— Usually from $0.75 to $3.00 per square foot. The prayer rugs are rare and expen- sive. Eemabks. — Freest of all from outside influ- ences. Hard when new but most durable and satisfactory. In fact it is the best moderate priced rug now on the market. THE EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATED Owner's Descbiption. — Upon a rich blue ground the Mina Khani design is accurately wrought, and the five-petaled Henna blossoms are symmetrically placed in their customary relation to the dark red, blue and golden yellow floral rosette forms dis- tributed over the field. Three rather narrow borders surround the field, the middle one of which is yellow. The inner and outer borders carry tawny colors and small patterns. 214 KURDISTAN RUG (MINA KHAXI DESIGN) PROPERTY OF THE TIFFANY STUDIOS, NEW YORK CITY THE TURKISH CLASSIFICATION KULAH HEARTH RUG Size, 7'2'X4'4' BY COURTESY OF NAHIQIAN BROS., CHICAQO, ILL. Owners' Description. — No rug of any type that has come to our notice has had a color tone that was so subdued and mellow as this rug. The artist who conceived and created this masterpiece seems to have woven into it a suggestion of his dreamy nature. He used shades where others would have used colors and the result is a beautiful study in browns. The points at both ends of the field indicate its use as a hearth rug or family rug, an heirloom about which one generation after an- other gathered and told and retold the tales of their ancestors. It is such rugs aa this that were the sanctuary in that turbulent land; strangers were far from safe, and especially members of some op- posing tribe, but let them once gain access to the tent in which was spread the hearth rug, and let them place foot upon it, and they be- came at once the guest of not only the chief but his whole tribe, and the entire tribe was pledged to their safe keeping until they had been safely sped upon their way. The narrow ribbon stripes on the border of this rug, with the small floral conceits woven throughout them, are typical of the old Kulahs. (See page 239) TURKEY THE TURKISH CLASSIFICATION The term "Turkey" includes all portions of Asia Minor, the principal rug-weaving districts of which are Anatolia and Kurdistan. The annual importations of rugs into the United States alone from Asia Minor amount to from $2,500,000 to $3,000,000, most of which are shipped directly from Constantinople. In many parts of Asia Minor, especially in Oushak, Smyrna, Ghiordes, Kulah, and Sivas, nearly every home has a loom, some two or three, and in many places factories have been established by Euro- pean and American capitalists; the weavers are almost all Armenian women and children, the latter ranging from four to thirteen years of age. Moslem women and children will not work in fac- tories. As a rule these people earn barely enough to clothe and feed themselves, but those who have 217 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS been able to lay by anything generally invest tbeir earnings in carpets, as people of other countries often do in diamonds and precious stones, hand- ing them down from generation to generation and selling one when hard pressed for money, so that the tourist is often surprised to find in the homes a collection of very valuable rugs. The Ghiordes knot is used exclusively and both warp and woof are always of wool or goats' hair. Fully four-fifths of the present output are aniline dyed. The weave is coarser and the nap longer than in the Persian class and many of them are crooked. The designs, which vary little, are more geo- metrical than are those of the Caucasians. The Turks never weave figures of birds, animals and human beings, as their religion forbids it. Those with a cross are always Armenian, as the Turks do not decorate with the cross, while those with the prayer niche are always Turkish, as the Arme- nians never pray on their rugs. Green, the sacred color of the Mohammedans, is seldom used except in the prayer rugs or those designed for mosques. Most of the large Turkish carpets are modem and are made near Smyrna. Many of the modem fab- rics bear no relation to antiques of the same name. The southern part of Armenia is called Kur- distan. It is inhabited by wandering, warlike 218 THE TURKISH CLASSIFICATION tribes of Nomads, who pasture their flocks in the southern plains in the winter and go to the moun- tain districts in the summer time. The Kurds possess the skill of shading their colors, but this they have abandoned of late. They also scatter small bits of color through a space otherwise unoccupied. Eed is their favorite color. On the following pages is given a detailed de- scription of the various Turkish rugs. THE PKACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS KIR SHEHR Synonyms. — ^Kirit Shehr, Kirsliehir, Kirsh- cher. Why So Named. — ^After a town of that name in Turkey just southeast of Smyrna, where they are made. Knot. — Grhiordes. Numher vertically seven to twelve; number horizontally six to ten; munber to square inch forty-two to one hundred twenty. Wabp. — ^Wool, dyed the predominating color of the rug. Woof. — ^Wool, dyed the predominating color of the rug. Nap. — Long, fluffy wool. Sides. — Colored selvage, sometimes added. Ends. — ^A colored web of various lengths at each end, also a fringe of loose or braided warp ends. Some of the smaller mats have on these webs several parti-colored tufts composed of aU the different colored yarns which are used in the body of the rug. BoEDEE. — From five to eight border stripes, most frequently five, the main stripe carrying the most pretentious form of ornamentation. Peevailing Coloes. — ^Brilliant reds, blues, and greens, especially the latter, of which there are phenomenal shades skilfully blended. 220 KIR SHEHR PRAYER RUG PROPEKTY OF E. B. GUILE, UTICA, N. T. THE TURKISH CLASSIFICATION Dyes. — As a rule splendid. Designs. — ^Attempted Persian designs. Prayer design witli one cross panel at the bottom instead of at the top as in the Kulah. Sizes. — Medium sizes only, two and one-half to four by four to six feet. Pbices. — From $1.50 to $2.50 per square foot. Eemakks. — They are very scarce in the United States. They resemble the Bergama and are thick and durable. THE EXAMPLES ILLUSTRATED Owner's Desceiption. — Ghiordes knot, 7 horizontal by 10 vertical. An unusual specimen of Kir Shehr in prayer design, marked by a radical departure from the accepted type of prayer arch formation peculiar to this weave. The flatness of the arch and the multiplicity of borders and stripes suggest Kula influence. The outer border, on ivory, has a conven- tionalized floral design, green, yellow and pale blue flower devices on waving vine tracery. Two medium stripes in different red values enclose the second border, which carries the S device in lavender and blue on black. The inner border displays the carnation in blue, lavender and red on canary. The prayer field is flat and non-serrate at top, border outlined in an ancient K-ir Shehr motif in red and ash white on light blue. About the mihrab is an arrangement of carnations, while the top of arch and on outer side of fleld are more pinks and a small shrub device. The field is in shades of rose, the softened end result of an original magenta, and carries three plateaus superposed, each sustaining four trees; two bearing fruits outlined against soft green foliage, and the other two, coniferse. Between each outer pair of trees is a little temple. Above and below in the 221 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS field are curious devices evidently picturing some presumably eacred edifice. This rug bears evidence of age and use, while the chromatic ensemble is soft and refined. Technically, it has a two strand yellow selvage; two red wool weft threads between each row of knots, and a two strand cream wool warp. Both ends are finished with a short, light brown web and plain, long fringe. SiEGEi, KuG. — This piece is similar to one exhibited in the Berlin museum under the name of Kir Shehr, although it has some characteristics of other Anatolian products, such as the Kulah, the Konieh and the Meles. Having only the photo- graph to assist us in the classification, we are obliged to ac- cept that of the Berlin connoisseur. Stanton Bug (page 130). — ^The small border stripes in this piece are Kulah in character, while the main stripe is found more or less in all the Anatolian products, especially the Ghiordes. OUSHAK Why So Named. — After the city of Ousliak, one of the greatest rug markets of Asia Minor, on account of its railroad connection with the Medi- terranean seaboard. By Whom Made. — Mostly by Greek Moham- medans who reside in the vicinity of Oushak. Knot. — Ghiordes. Number vertically four to eight; number horizontally four to ten; number to square inch sixteen to eighty. Wabp. — ^Wool of the same grade as that in the pUe. It is generally dyed the predominating color of the rug. Woop. — ^Wool, same as that used for the warp and pile, and it also is dyed. 222 KIR SHEHK HEARTH RUG PROPERTY OF MR. HENRY BIEUEL, BOSTON, MASS. THE TURKISH CLASSIFICATION Nap. — Good wool of varying lengths. Weave. — Loosely woven. Sides. — ^No rule. Ends. — ^No rule ; most frequently a short green or red web with, loose warp threads. BoKDEB. — ^No rule; usually three border stripes, one wide one with a narrow one on each side. Prevailing Colobs. — ^Usually bright reds, greens, blues, browns, and yellows, with more or less white. Dyes. — ^Aniline mostly. Designs. — ^No rule. Generally large medal- lions and geometrical figures. Some are patterned after the Persians and some after the Turkish designs, but the great majority are European. Sizes. — Mostly carpet sizes from ten to twenty- five by fifteen to fifty feet. Usually nearly square. Peices. — $0.75 to $2.00 per square foot. Eemaeks. — There are several varieties which in order of excellence are named Gulistan, Enile, Kerman, Yaprak, and Sparta. KAEAMAN Synonym. — ^Kaba Karaman. Why So Named.— After the town of Karaman, southeast of Konieh, where they are made by 223 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS Nomadic tribes of Turkoman descent. The word "Kaba" means coarse. Knot. — Ghiordes. Number vertically four to six; number horizontally four to eight; number to square inch ten to forty-eight. Wabp. — Coarse wool. Usually dyed red. Woof. — ^Always coarse wool. Usually dyed red. Nap. — Of medium or long, coarse wool. Weave. — ^Very loosely woven. Sides. — ^Usually overcast, sometimes selvaged. Ends. — No special rule. Frequently short web with loose warp threads. BoEDEE. — ^Usually from three to five border stripes, one wide one with one or two narrow ones on either side. Peevailing Coloes. — Usually a great deal of white with dark reds, blues, greens, and yellows. Dyes. — Good in antiques, poor in the modems. Designs. — ^Rather bold Caucasian designs. Sizes. — Most of those which come to America are small. Peices. — ^Very cheap, from $0.50 to $1.50 per square foot. Eemaeks. — Coarse and unattractive but rather durable. 224 KONIEH PRAYER RUG Size5'3"X3'10" FROM THE COLLECTION OF DR. E. B. GUILE, UTICA, N. Y. THE TURKISH CLASSIFICATION KONIEH Stjstontm. — ^Koniaii. Why So Named. — After the city of Konieh (the ancient Iconium), capital of the province of the same name, where rug weaving is an impor- tant iadustry. Knot. — Grhiordes. Number vertically eight to twelve ; number horizontally seven to ten ; number to square inch fifty-six to one hundred twenty. Wabp. — Fine wool in the antiques ; coarse wool in the modems; frequently dyed. Woof. — ^Fine wool in the antiques ; coarse wool in the moderns. Nap. — Fine selected wool of medium length. Weave. — ^Antiques evenly and tightly woven; modems loose and irregular in weave. Sides. — Antiques usually selvaged, modems usually overcast. Ends. — ^Web and selvage, sometimes fringe of loose warp ends. Boeder. — ^As a rule there are from three to four border stripes, one wide one and two or three narrow ones. Pbevailing Colobs. — ^Antiques have soft shades of blue, red, and yellow. No rule iu the moderns. Often there are two colors in one yarn. 15 225 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS Dyes. — Splendid in tlie antiques. Some of the modern ones are aniline dyed. Designs. — Rather crude. Generally plain centre. Prayer design common. Sizes. — Three to five by four to seven. Also mats. Pbices. — ^Antiques rare; from $2.00 to $10.00 per square foot. Moderns from $1.00 to $2.25 per square foot. Eemabks. — The modern pieces are large and thick. They resemble the Oushak carpets. Some of them are of sterling texture and good color and design, while others are very coarse and cheap in every way. THE EXAMPLES ILLUSTRATED Maj. L. B. Lawton's Desckiption. — ^A most unique and rare specimen of an obscure Anatolian weave. Good Koniehs are quite as scarce as good Kulahs or Ghiordes, are less known and have .therefore less demand. The right and left Rhodian lilies are green, the centre one is azure — ^all on rose pink. The space above shades from Nile green to sea green. Main border is golden buff. This old rug is as thick as a Kazak. For softness of tone it rivals the most delicate silk rug. Mekceb Rug (page 13&). — ^This is a rug of considerable age, and a very fine specimen of its kind. The center is in soft tints of undyed wool, while the peacock blues of the field above the niche are almost metallic in their brilliancy and lustre. The delicate form of the Rhodian lily is used with much nicety of feeling throughout the border and to break the mass of the centre. (Owner's description.) 226 MADEN PRAYER RUG Size4'5"X3'3" PROPEBTY OF DE. E. B. GUILE, UTICA, N. Y. THE TURKISH CLASSIFICATION. MUJUR Synonym. — ^Maden. Why So Named. — ^After the city of Mujur in the Kir Shehr district of the Province of Konieh, from which they come. Knot. — ^Always the Ghiordes. Wabp. — ^Always the wool. "Woof. — Wool, dyed red. Nap. — Short wool. BoEDEBS. — Usually three border stripes, one wide one, with a narrow one on either side. The main stripe usually carries floral forms arranged in square or diamond shaped medallions. The reciprocal saw teeth design is frequently employed. Ends. — ^Usually a wide red web with or with- out short knotted warp ends. Sides. — Finished with a three or four corded selvage. Prevailing Coloes. — ^Red, green, blue, cream, and yellow. Designs. — This class of rug nearly always comes in the prayer form. There is generally a cross panel above the prayer niche and the field is, as a rule, filled with designs. Sizes. — ^From two and a half to five feet wide by four to seven long. 227 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS Pbices. — ^Rather high on account of their scarcity. From $2.00 to $10.00 a square foot. Eemabks. — This class of rugs is so rare that it is not mentioned hy any of the American or Eng- lish authors. THE EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATED Owner's Description. — This rug comes from the town of Maden, in the Kir Shehr district of Konieh province. Mudjar, a better known rug producing town, is within twenty miles. It has the remarkable wool and dye qualities that make the production of Kir Shehr. This rug is so very bright that the assertion that it is fifty to seventy-five years old might be disputed, but the unequal color erosion, the remarkable bald shine of the back, and the well marked thinning of the pile where the knees of the devotee rested while at his devotion, evi- dence its antiquity. The panel of lavender above the prayer arch is notable, as is the pigeon blood ruby of the field. While this rug has evidently done duty for many years, it was prob- ably folded away after use at prayer, and given little exposure to sunlight. LADIK Why So Named. — A corruption of the word Laodicea, the name of a most primitive old town of 500 population in the midst of a mound of ruins near Konieh, where they are made. Knot. — Ghiordes. Number vertically eight to twelve; number horizontally eight to fourteen; number to square inch sixty-four to one hundred sixty-eight. 228 LADIK PRAYER RUG Size5'10"X3'll" PROPERTY OF COLONEL GEORGE G. BRIGGS, GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. THE TURKISH CLASSIFICATION Waep. — ^Always wool, generally of a fine text- ure and dyed the predominating color of the rug. Woof. — Always wool and usually dyed the predominating color of the rug. Nap. — In the antiques the finest, selected, lustrous wool, which is generally cut short. In the moderns a coarse wool of loose texture. Weave. — ^Antiques closely and evenly woven. Moderns loosely woven. Sides. — ^A fairly wide colored selvage, made by weaving the woof threads upon three or four of the outside warp threads. Sometimes the selvage is added. Ends. — Usually a two- or three-inch red web at each end, which is frequently striped with yellow or blue. A fringe formed by the loose warp ends. Border. — ^From three to five border stripes, generally three, one wide one with a narrow one on each side. The main border stripe in many of the oldest specimens has the Ehodian lily design alternating with the rosette. Prevailing Colors. — Subdued rich colors. Usually greens, reds, blues, and yellows, with more or less old ivory or white. Magenta is very frequently employed. Dyes. — Good, as a rule. 229 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS Designs. — ^Prayer design most frequent. The pattern is so characteristic as to be unmistakable. Figures are usually bold and large in comparison to the size of the rug. The prayer niche always contains five tree-like branches alternately capped with a floral and a geometrical design. A mosque lamp usually hangs from the niche. Sizes. — Prayer rug sizes and mats similar to the so-called "Anatolian" mats. Peices. — From $1.75 to $3.50 per square foot. Eemabks. — ^Not many modern ones. They somewhat resemble the Bergama, but are some- what brighter and heavier. THE EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATED Maj. L. B. Lawton's Descbiption. — Choice antique Ladika are considerably rarer than either Kulahs or Ghiordes. Many collectors owning all other Anatolians have never seen a Ladik. This weave almost invariably shows the Bhodian lilies both above and below the niche. The specimen here shown has a rich red field doubly hooked with gold; spaces above and below are gentian blue, main border is yellow. This latter color has until recently been in disfavor with American collectors; but the French and German critics have always shown a great liking for yellow, and it is now coming into its own in America. See also color plate at page 74. 230 YURUK liVG Sizc4'2"XlJ'3" PROPERTY OF MR. F. A. TUKiNEH, BOSTON, MASS. THE TURKISH CLASSIFICATION YURUK Synonyms. — ^Yurouk, Yamk. Why So Named. — The word "Yuruk" means mountaineer, and the rugs are so named because they are woven by the mountaineers who wander with their flocks on the southern and middle ranges of Anatolia. Knot. — Ghiordes. Number vertically six to twelve ; number horizontally seven to ten ; number to square inch fifty-six to one hundred twenty. Waep. — Brown wool or goats' hair. Fre- quently dyed. Woof. — ^Brown wool or goats' hair. Fre- quently dyed. Nap. — Fine, long, fluffy, lustrous wool, some- times mixed with goats' hair. Weave. — ^Loosely woven as a rule. SroEs. — Selvaged with goats' hair or overcast with colored yarns. Ends. — Narrow colored webs with warp ends braided. Boeder. — ^Usually two or three stripes, which are, as a rule, rather narrow in proportion to the size of the rug. PeevaHiIng Coloes. — ^Brilliant dark colors. Browns and blues seem to predominate. 23 li THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS Dyes. — Generally good. Designs. — Large, irregular, rude geometrical designs, somewhat similar to those of the Kazak. The latch hook is frequently employed. Sizes. — ^Usually small. Pbices. — ^From $1.50 to $3.00 per square foot. Eemaeks. — ^Antiques glossy and rare. The modem ones are invariably crooked and lack symmetry, but wear well. In many respects they resemble the Kazaks. THE EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATED In design this piece is more Caucasian than Turkish. The main border design is similar to those so frequently found in the old Shirvans. Note the letter S, borders, the tarantulas and the swastikas. AK HISSAR Stnontm& — ^Akhissar, Aksar, Axar. Why So Named. — ^After a town by that name lying in the mountains less than one hundred miles north of Smyrna, where they are made. Knot. — Ghiordes. Number vertically four to eight; number horizontally four to ten; number to square inch sixteen to eighty. Waep. — Coarse wool. Woof. — Coarse wool. Nap. — Thick wool and mohair. Weave. — ^Loosely woven. 232 >..-,^',> Alv HISSAR PRAYER RUG Size 5'9"X3'7" PROPERTY OF COLONEL GEORGE G. BEIGGS, GRAND RAPIDS, MICH, THE TURKISH CLASSIFICATION Sides. — ^Usually overcast, occasionally sel- vaged. Ends. — Narrow web at each end with loose warp threads. BoBDEB. — Similar to those of the Ghiordes. Peevailing Coloes. — Mostly dark green, red, and blue, with some white. Dyes. — ^Like most of the Turkish rugs, the moderns are apt to be chemically dyed. Designs. — Similar to those of the Ghiordes and Oushak. Sizes. — ^Prom four to six by six to eight feet. Peices. — ^Usually cheap. Eemabks. — Similar to the modern Grhiordes. Very few reach the United States. THE EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATED Maj. L. B. Lawton's Description. — A Epical specimen, showing double and single latch hooks in the niche. The eight borders might cause a beginner to name the rug Kulah, except for the reason that Kiilahs are paler in tone and usually much larger, and decidedly thinner. A good Ak Hissar is intrinsically worth as much as a Kulah of same quality, but, being less rare, may be had for about ten per centum of the cost of a Kulah. This Ak Hissar is a study in rose and green; the niche is rose, the oblong field is green; inside border is canary, next is black; other borders alternate rose and ivory. The pattern above the niche is a Ghiordes conceit, as is the main border. 233 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS ANATOLIAN PROPER Synonym. — ^YesteMik, a name frequently applied to the mats. Why So Named. — ^Af ter the country of Ana- toUa, which is another name for Asia Minor. Whebb Made. — Most of them come from the province of Angora and Konieh. The so-called Anatolian mats come from all parts of Anatolia. Knot. — ^Always Ghiordes. Number vertically six to fifteen; number horizontally six to ten; number to square inch thirty-six to one hundred fifty. Waep. — ^Always wool. Woof. — ^Always wool, which is usually dyed. Nap. — Usually a long, shaggy, soft wool. Sometimes mohair. Weave. — ^Very good as a rule, but apt to be somewhat irregular. SroES. — ^Always selvaged. Ends. — Nearly always a wide red webbing with loose warp threads at each end. BoBDEB. — ^From one to six border stripes, most usually three. Pbevailing Colobs. — Eich reds, yellows, greens, and blues, with more or less white. Dyes. — Good in the antiques. Few modern pieces that are not aniline dyed. 234 BERGAMA RUG BT COtTRTEST OF HABDWICK & MAGEE COMPANY, FHILADECPHIA A splendid specimen of the rare old weaves of the Beigamas in which nch tones of madder, tawney yellow, blue, green and ivoty are marvellously blended. The "Tribal" border abounds in material for the attention of the student of ancient symbolism and contributes greatly to the beauty of this exquisite floor covering. Note the irregularities appearing in the inside and outside border bands in ihe lower right-hand side. ; k % Ul ---^■w V 6 ,-/T< >-M-'v^ -#*( tA-^ '^J "WUfT ^"^^^^ '■-.-**, V ~.- V V' THE TURKISH CLASSIFICATION Designs. — ^Usually bold geometrical designs. Every sort of a device both curved and rectilineal. The latch hook is especially common. The prayer rugs are patterned somewhat after the Ghiordes and Ladik. Sizes. — From one to four by one and one-half to six feet. Seldom larger. Pbices. — From $0.25 to $3.00 per square foot. Remaeks. — ^Frequently crooked. Attractive on account of their oddity. Very serviceable. Some of the antique Anatolians are made in sec- tions and afterwards sewed together. THE EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATED See color plate at page 60 with accompanying description. BERGAMA Synonyms. — Bergamo, Pergamo. Why So Named. — ^A corruption of the word Pergamo, which is the name of a small village of 3000 inhabitants, about forty miles northeast of Smyrna, where they are made. Knot. — Ghiordes. Number vertically ten to fourteen ; number horizontally six to twelve ; num- ber to square inch sixty to one hundred sixty- eight. Waep. — ^Always dyed wool, usually of a splen- did quality. 235 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS Woof. — ^Always dyed wool. Nap. — Tlie best soft, silky wool, usually quite long. Weave. — Frequently several woof threads between each row of knots. Sides. — ^Usually broad red selvaged sides, made by weaving the woof threads upon three or four outside warp threads. Frequently have small tassels of wool along the sides. The only rug that has these excepting the Shiraz. Ends. — Eather broad web with braided fringe at each end. The web often carries a woven design or blue stripes. Until recently the Ber- gama was the only rug which sometimes had rosettes woven on the webbing. Nowadays an occasional Anatolian may be found with this feature. BoEDEE. — From three to five border stripes, usually three. They are generally wide with flow- ers in profile. Peevailing Coloes. — Eed, green, blue, yellow, ivory, and orange. Eather dark. Dyes. — Nearly always of the best. Designs. — The Bergama designs are somewhat characteristic. The Bergama weavers are invent- ors of patterns rather than copyists. Medallions frequent, with a well covered field. Sometimes the checker-board pattern. Figures generally bold and large in proportion to size of the rug. 236 GmORDES PRAYER RUG PBOPEKTY OF MR. HABRT J. PERKY, SPKINGnELD, MASS. In this beautiful specimen of Anatolian weaving various well- known features are evident. Tlie high, poinited, step-like niche, the oblong panels at the top and bottom of the field, the gorgeous floral designs in the space which is penetrated by< the niche, and the artistic lamp which hangs from its apex, are all Ghiordes characteristics, while the seven alternating red and white central stripes which carry the so-called "fleck" design are Kulah characteristics. The guard stripes carry a lace-like serrated or water motif while the main woollen stripes are of a nomadic nature. THE TURKISH CLASSIFICATION Sizes. — ^Usually nearly square. One and one- half to four by two to six feet. Antiques usually run smaller than the modern ones. Peices.— Eather high. From $2.00 to $10.00 per square foot. Kemabks. — ^Very scarce. THE EXAMPLES ILLUSTRATED Beegama Rug. — The unusual medallion in this piece is characteristic of the Bergama, only. In its centre is the octagon and eight-pointed star of the Medes, a motif which is found more or less in nearly all classes of rugs, but in none more frequently than in the Bergama. The main border stripe is composed of lily blossoms in profile and in full. Bbrga-ma Prayer Rug ( see page 46 ) .—Knot : Ghiordes. Num- ber to the inch, horizontally seven; vertically seven; to the square inch, seventy-seven. Bergama prayer rugs are not often seen in this country and this particular piece is a very uncommon and choice one. The designs are unusual, the colors the best and the nap has the hammered-brass appearance so common in many of the old Bergamas. The prayer field is of a beautiful terracotta; the space just above the niche is in light and dark blue; the panels carry most peculiar geometrical designs in white, yellow, blue and brown, the upper one on a ground of terracotta and the lower one on a ground of old rose. The main border stripe carries a variety of nameless geometrical designs in red, yellow, blue, brown and drab upon a white background. The outer border stripe consists of an eight-petaled flower alternating with a motif which might have been intended for the wine glass, bo frequently found in the Caucasian fabrics. 237 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS GHIORDES Stnontms. — Ghiordez, Gurdiz, Guerdi, Tour- dez, Turdi, and many others. Why So Named. — ^Af ter tlie city of Ghiordes, fifty miles north of Smyrna, where they are made. It is the ancient Gordinm from which was named the Gordian knot that Alexander the Great cut. Knot. — ^Always the Ghiordes knot. Number vertically eight to fourteen; number horizontally eight to twelve ; number to square inch sixty-four to one hundred sixty-eight. Wabp. — Usually wool, antiques occasionally cotton or silk. Woof. — Usually cotton, occasionally wool or linen. Nap. — Short, fine, lustreless wool, occasionally cotton. It has the shortest nap of any of the Turkish rugs. Seldom acquires sheen. Sides. — ^Frequently finished with an added silk selvage in pale colors. Ends. — The fringe on the upper end, as a rule, instead of being a continuation of the warp threads, is a separate piece sewed on. BoEDEB. — ^From three to ten border stripes, usually one wide and one with from one to four narrower ones on each side. A favorite arrange- ment is to alternate light and dark border stripes. 238 GHIORDES PRAYER RUG PROPERTY OF THE TIFFANY 8TDDI0S, NEW YORK CITY THE TURKISH CLASSIFICATION Prevailing Coloes. — Light blues, yellows, reds, and greens. Usually considerable white or ivory. Dyes. — Of the best. Designs. — ^A great majority of them are of the prayer designs. Usually with a centre of solid color and two cross panels, one at each end of the field. Sizes. — Usually prayer rug sizes. Modern ones run larger than the antiques. Pbices. — ^Antiques exceedingly high. Ebmabks. — ^Antiques are among the best, while the modem ones are among the poorest. THE EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATED Owner s Description. — ^The field of this old Ghiordes rag ie of jade green, edged with small flower forms in cream, canary color, and brown. The high prayer niche penetrates the light blue space in which is a most symmetrical and formal arrangement of a leaf worked in light green, brown and red. The outer and inner border stripes carry the Ghiordes "Tarantula" design, and in the main border the design is squared off in tile fashion, a stiff leaf in light blue filling one-half the square and two red blossoms with yellow centres the other half. The stems are wrought in dark brown. See also color plate, page 66. KULAH Synonyms. — Koula, Coula. Why So E'amed. — ^After the town of Kulah, which is southeast of Ghiordium and east of Smyrna, in the vicinity of which they are made. Knot. — Grhiordes. Number vertically eight to 239 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS twelve; niiinber horizontally eight to fourteen; nmnber to square inch, sixty-four to one hundred sixty-eight. Waep. — Always fine wool. Woof. — ^Usually fine wool. Modems occasion- ally of cotton. Nap. — Fine, short, silky wool in the antiques, mohair in some of the modem ones. Weave. — Generally close, well tied knots. Sides. — ^Antiques always selvaged, modems usually overcast and occasionally selvaged. Ends. — Narrow web with loose warp ends. Generally dyed yellow. BoEDEE. — From seven to fourteen border stripes, having as a rule more than any other class of rugs. Usually one wide stripe with a multi- plication of peculiarly marked small ones, which alternate in colors and carry minute designs. A distinguishing feature is the so-called "Kulah" border stripe, which consists of the repetition of a figure which somewhat resembles an alligator and is quite Chinese in character. Prevailing Coloes. — ^In the antiques, red, blue, golden brown, and yellow are the prevailing colors. The modern ones have a purplish tint instead of crimson. Dyes. — ^In the antiques the dyes are of the 240 KULAH PRAYER RUG PROPERTY OP THE TIFFANY STDDI08, NEW YORK CITY THE TURKISH CLASSIFICATION best. Anilines are frequently used in the modern product. Designs. — The great majority of the Kulah rugs are of the prayer variety. The inner field is frequently filled, or partly filled, with small floral patterns. A figure resembling the Sham- rock is quite common. Usually one panel above the prayer field, whereas the Ghiordes generally has two panels: one above and one below the prayer field. Sizes. — ^Antiques from three and one-half to five by five to seven feet. Moderns all sizes from mats to carpets. Prices.— Antiques costly, from $5.00 to $20.00 per square foot. Modem ones cheap, from $1.50 to $4.00. Eemaeks. — So similar to the Ghiordes that it is sometimes difficult to differentiate. Of the modern ones the better grades are made by the Christians, while the poorer grades are made by the Mohammedans. The distinguishing features of the Kulah are first its characteristic border stripes, second the filled or partly filled centre field, while in the Ghiordes the centre field is gen- erally of a solid color, and third, the single panel, while the Ghiordes generally has two panels. THE EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATED OwNBE'a Description.— The coloring in this rug has a gem-like brilliancy combined with great refinement. The field is of deep rich 16 241 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS blue, and the flower forma that rest upon it are of soft canary and azure. Seven borders alternately of tan and blue surround the fidd and carry the "fleck" design commonly found in borders of this style. Occasional touches of blood red are also distinctive features of these Kulah fabrics. MELES Synonyms. — Melhaz, Melace, Milas, Carian, Karian. Why So Named. — ^A corruption of the word Milassa, the name of a town a few miles southwest of Smyrna, where they are marketed. Wheee Made. — In some of the seacoast towns south of Smyrna and on many of the scattered islands in the Gulf of Makri. Knot. — Grhiordes. Number vertically five to ten ; niunber horizontally four to nine ; number to square inch twenty to ninety. Wakp. — ^Wool, often colored at the end. Woof. — Cotton or wool, most frequently the former. Nap. — Coarse, loose, lustrous wool, generally cut short. Sides. — Selvaged. This selvage is formed by the woof threads when they are wool and added on when the woof threads are cotton. Ends. — ^Web of varying length at each end with fringe of loose warp threads. 242 ANTIQUE MELES RUG Size 6' X 4' PROPERTY OF MRS. LIBBER WHITTIC THE TURKISH CLASSIFICATION BoEDEB. — Grenerally six or more border stripes ; the wider one usually carries flowers in profile. Prevailing Colobs. — The antiques are noted for their rich golden yellow combined with blues, reds, and greens. Dyes. — Generally good. Some of the modern pieces are dyed with brilliant chemical dyes. Designs. — Mostly Caucasian in character. The latch hook is prominent. Besides the usual prayer designs, perpendicular stripes of yellow, red, and blue, with zigzag lines running through them, are characteristic designs of the Meles. Many small detached figures. Sizes. — Usually small and almost square. Three to four by four to five feet. Peices. — ^Antiques are rare and few of the modern pieces reach the United States. From $1,50 to $3.00 per square foot. Remaeks. — They are similar to the so-called Anatolian, but are lighter in color and woven better. In some respects they resemble the Ber- gama. Getting scarce as few new ones are woven. THE EXAMPLES ILLUSTRATED Owner's Descbiption. — This rug comes from a city of great antiquity in Southwestern Asia Minor, near the coast, opposite the island of Rhodes. The design and coloring are archaic in simplicity and sug- gest the interests of a people dwelling by the sea. Observe the turtle figures interspersed between the curves of vine in the 243 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS panels; also the fin-like appearance of the leaf-forms attached to the Tine, the line of fish-hook heads bordering the panels and wave design on either side of same. The striped character of the field is a feature to be noted in this rug, also the introduction of an exceptional design in the fourth stripe. The border is seen to be very inconspicuous and of re- markably few stripes for a product of the Anatolian country. The simple nature of the small detached floral forms indicates an early origin, before the enriching influence of the Persian invasion. Brilliant colors were chosen for use in the rug, though of such mellow tone as to be in excellent, subdued harmony. The predominating colors are golden canary-yellow, madder red, and green, with blue, violet and white as secondary tones. The shades in which these colors appear are quite inde- scribable, doubtless on account of careless methods of dyeing or the chances of home-made mixtures. Thus the green is of a bluish cast, the blue is mottled with lighter shades (a well- known characteristic of this variety of rug) and the violet, which, as the most typical and exclusive of Meles colors, should be pure in tone, is of dingy look, apparently having succeeded brown in the dye-pot. All the colors have remained absolutely fast, despite the long exposure of time. The kaleidoscopic efi'ect which has been noted as a quality in many old Meles rug patterns, may be easily detected in this specimen. Stanton Rug. — ^A much finer weave than the averse rug of this class and a very attractive design. Note the peculiar shape of the field which is notched in instead of out, as in the majority of hearth rugs. The yellow and the plum colors in the main border stripe are seldom found in any other class of rugs. 244 • 1. ',/,//,/ ^ .- , v' ' T 'A ,i ^'|i° tC'j i' MELES RUG Size3'3"X4'7" PROPERTY OF MR. J. H. STANTON, AUBURN, N. Y. THE TURKISH CLASSIFICATION MAKRI Synonym. — Megri. Why So Named.— After the Gulf of Makri. Where Made. — On the islands in the Gulf of Makri and in the towns along its coast. Knot. — ^Always the Ghiordes. Number verti- cally four to eight; number horizontally four to eight ; number to the square inch sixteen to sixty- four. Weave. — Quite similar to that of the Meles, but a trifle coarser. Wabp. — ^White or gray wool. Woof. — ^White or gray wool. Nap. — Of long wool, usually from % to % of an inch long. SroEs. — ^Usually finished with a three or four corded selvage. Ends. — A wide web through which generally run blue and red stripes with or without a knotted mesh and loose warp ends. BoBDEEs. — Usually three stripes, the designs of which are, as a rule, less floral in character than are those of the Meles. Peevailing Coloes. — Quite similar to those employed in the Meles, especially the yellows, 245 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS reds, blues and plum color. Unlike the Meles, they usually carry green. Designs. — A sort of a mixture of the Meles and Caucasian designs. The field is most fre- quently composed of two or three panels which very much resemble those of cathedral windows. SiZES.^From three and a half to four and a half feet wide by five to seven feet long. Pkices. — As they are seldom found in the market it is difficult to place any stated value on them. Remaeks. — One of the rarest rugs in existence. THE EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATED The weave, the tawny yellow and the motives in the right nand panel are typically Jleles; the motives in the left hand panel are more like those found in the Bergama products; and the cross panel at the upper end of the field is a Kulahor Ghiordes feature. The wide web at either end with the vari- colored stripes is B. E. B. QVU^, UTtCA, N. T. 3'3'x4'6''. Gluordes knot. Knots 10 x 10, equalling one hundi«d knots to the square inch. A charming small example of a weave extremely rare in "collec- tor's quality." About one hundred years old, yet in perfect condition. Soft tans and baby blues with madder red and dark blue form the color scheme. This rug, long used as a wall piece, was purchased from an old couple in Batoum over twenty-five years ago, and had been in their possession for many years. THE CAUCASIAN CLASSIFICATION Prices. — Rather high priced on account of their scarcity ; $1.50 to $4.00 per square foot. Eemabks. — Not very common in the United States. THE EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATED The design of this piece, the large pear motif with central serrated medallion and comer pieces to match, is the most common one employed in the Baku district. In contrast to the Persian rendition of the pear design those in the Baku are larger and more rectilineal. Like the Saraband the stems point in the opposite direction in alternate rows. All of the border stripes are purely Caucasian, the central one being 'a form of latch hook border. SHEMAKHA Synonyms. — Soumak, Snmak, Kashmir, Cash- mere. Why So Named. — After the city of Shemakha, the capital and principal commercial city of the ancient Khanate of Shirvan, which was ceded to Persia in 1813. Soumak is a corruption of the word Shemakha. Sometimes called Kaslunir or Cashmere on account of the resemblance of the weave to that of the Cashmere shawl. By Whom Made. — By the Nomadic tribes of Shirvan. Stitches. — In antiques ten to twelve rows of stitches to the inch. In moderns seven is the average. Waep. — ^Always wool. Usually white in the antiques and coarse grayish brown in the moderns. 203 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS Woof. — Always wool. Weave. — ^Woven in the same primitive fashion as of old. The only pileless Oriental rug besides the Grhileems. The different colored woof threads are twisted over and under the warp threads by means of a needle in such a way that each stitch is made diagonally, taking in two of the warp threads and leaving every alternate row of stitches to face in the opposite direction after the herring-bone pattern. On the under side the shaggy ends of the colored woof threads are left loose. They never have any lustre. SmEs. — ^Usually overcast in dark wool, some- times selvaged. Ends. — ^A long fringe at both ends formed by the loose warp ends. Usually white in the antiques and grayish brown in the moderns. BoEDEE. — From two to . five border stripes, usually four, the main one carrying a zigzag design. The Georgian border design is common, as is also the Chinese fret. Peevailing Coloes. — ^Light and dark blue, green, yellow, red, orange, black, and white. The field is most frequently of dark blue or red. Dyes. — Good in antiques and poor in moderns. Designs. — Similar to those of the Daghestan and Shirvan and have remained unchanged for centuries All designs are outlined in black and 264 SHEMAKHA, SUMAK OR CASHMERE RUG Size6'2"X4'9" PROPERTY OF MR. H. J. GAYLORD, SYRACUSE, N. Y. THE CAUCASIAN CLASSIFICATION the Mongolian influence is quite perceptible, the knot of destiny, naountains, etc., being very frequently used, together with the usual Cau- casian designs such as the latch hook, octagon, and various other geometrical devices. Animals are frequently portrayed. Sizes. — From three to seven by four to twelve feet. Seldom larger than seven by ten. Antiques were not made in carpet sizes. Pbices. — ^From $0.75 to $1.75 per square foot. Eemaeks. — Durable, but they lack animation compared with other rugs. THE EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATED Unlike other classes, the Shemakha has no pile but has a flat stitch made by winding the dyed woof thread around the warp yarn. This piece is one of the finest, having thirteen stitches to the inch. Like in most rugs of its class, the designs are typically Caucasian, among which are freely interspersed plenty of eight-pointed stars, swastikas and knots of destiny. The latter motif is nearly always present in this variety. SHIRVAN Why So Named. — After the district of Shirvan, south of Daghestan and extending from the Cas- pian Sea to the river Kur. Marketed at Baku, the trade centre of the district. Bx Whom Made. — ^Woven by the Lesgie tribes. Knot, — Grhiordes. Number vertically six to twelve ; number horizontally five to nine ; number to square inch thirty to one hundred eight. Waep. — Generally white or gray wool or a 265 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS mixture of the two in the antiques, while the mod- erns are of brown or white wool or a mixture of the two. Sometimes the warp is of cotton or goats ' hair. Woof. — ^Usually wool in the antiques. In mod- ern pieces, usually of wool, occasionally of cotton and sometimes cotton and wool strands will be twisted together in such a manner as to cause more or less puckeriag of the fabric, especially after same has been wet. Nap. — "Wool, cut short. Weave. — Cheaply and roughly woven. SroEs. — Overcast or salvaged. Ends. — ^Usually both ends are finished alike with a short web and an extra large fringe of loose or knotted warp threads. BoBDEB. — Three to five border stripes, gen- erally four, one wide one and several narrow ones. As a rule they carry small designs either of a Caucasian or Persian character. The latch hook, the tarantula, the scorpion, and the wine glass designs are common. Pbevailing Colors. — Quiet tints of red, blue, yellow, and salmon, with considerable white. Dyes. — Moderns very apt to be chemical. Designs. — Quite similar to those of the Dag- hestan and Kabistan, but more inclined to imitate the Persian designs without the connecting vine or meander effect and inclined to be rather large in 266 SHIRVAN RUG Size 5'6"X3'6" PROPERTY OF DR. B. B. GUILE, UTICA, N. T. THE CAUCASIAN CLASSIFICATION proportion to the size of the rug. The tarantula, the swastika, the link, the S form, and the palace patterns are commonly employed. Sizes.— From three to five by four to seven feet. No carpet sizes. Pbices. — ^Among the cheapest of the Caucasian products. From $0.50 to $2.00 per square foot. Eemabks. — Moderns made only to sell. THE EXAMPLES ILLUSTRATED COLOR PLATES with accompanying description at pages 158 and 250. DOUBLETONB Owneb's Descbiption. — ^Unusually fine for Shirvan. This rug is in the century class. The three borders are not often seen, but are characteristic of the older rugs of the Daghestan district. The glory of this rug is in the marvelous centre. At first sight one might think of the famous " rose " Kirmans. The treatment of the roses, lilies, peonies, etc., merit more than a passing glance. No weaver could possibly show greater fidelity to nature in the shading of leaf and petal than did the now for- gotten factor of this unusual rug. The erosion of time has given the surface an appearance of brocade velvet. Casual examination would indicate a. green background, but in reality it is black, the profusion of green being an intricate and realistic arrangement of leaves. GENGHIS Synonyms. — Guenja, Guendja, Guenges, Turk- man. Why So Named. — ^Authorities differ greatly as to the origin of the name. Some say that the 267 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS proper name should be Gruenja, which was the ancient name of Elizabethpol, from whence they came. Others insist they should be called Genghis, which is the name of the tribe of Nomads living in the vicinity of Elizabethpol who weave them. Knot. — Ghiordes. Number vertically six to ten ; number horizontally five to eight ; number to square inch thirty to eighty. Waep. — ^A three-strand thread of brown wool or goats ' hair. Woof. — Gray or brown wool, frequently dyed. Generally several woof threads between each row of knots. Nap. — ^Usually rather long wool or goats' hair. Of a much finer quality in the antiques. Weave. — ^As a rule coarsely woven. Sides. — Selvaged or overcast, with different colored wool, most frequently the former. Ends. — Web with small knotted fringe on one or both ends. Sometimes the web is wide as in the Turkoman rugs. Boeder. — From two to five border stripes, most frequently three, one wide one with a narrow one on each side, all carrying geometrical designs. Pbevailing Colobs. — Similar to those of the Kazaks. Usually considerable white with rather bright red, light and dark blue. 263 GENGHIS RUNNER Size 8' 9" X 2' 8" PROPEETY OF THE ADTHOH THE CAUCASIAN CLASSIFICATION Dyes. — ^Apt to be inferior. Designs. — Similar to those of the Kazaks and Earabaghs. Geometrical as a rule, sometimes flowers and vines. The pear is frequently em- ployed, usually in alternate rows of red and blue. Birds and animals. Sizes. — Seldom square, mostly runners three to five by four to nineteen feet. Pkices. — The lowest priced Caucasian rug as a rule. From $0.50 to $2.00 per square foot. Eemabks. — Durable. Often sold as Kara- baghs. THE EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATED Knot: Ghiordes. Nine to the inch vertically and seven horizontally, making sixty-three to the square inch. This is a very old piece. Note that the outer border appears in the ends and is lacking on the sides, having been cut off on account of its worn-out condition. The field is covered with the pear design in alternating rows of light and dark colors upon a rich red ground. The inner border carries the Greek meander in red and white upon a blue ground, while the main stripe is filled with the octagon and the eight-pointed star of the Medes in different colors upon a white ground. The third border, which remains on the ends only, carries the Greek meander in blue and white upon a red ground. Both warp and woof are of wool. KAEABAGH Synonym. — Carabagh. Why So Named. — ^After Karabagh, the name of a province in Transcaucasia just across the 269 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS Persian border northi of Tabriz, where they are made. Knot. — Ghiordes. Number vertically six to twelve; number horizontally five to ten; number to square inch thirty to one hundred twenty.' Wabp. — Coarse white or brown wool. Woof. — Coarse wool, sometimes dyed. Gen- erally several strands between each row of knots. Nap. — ^Long, heavy wool or camels' hair. Weave. — Coarsely woven and carelessly knotted. Sides. — ^Antiques usually selvaged. Modems nearly always overcast with colored wool. Ends. — Short webs, one of which is generally turned back and hemmed. The other end has a fringe of loose or twisted warp threads. BoBDBB. — From two to fourteen border stripes with a large range of geometrical designs. The reciprocal trefoU is especially common. Fre- quently a border of camels' hair. Pbevailing Colobs. — ^More subdued in antiques than in the modems. Magenta is used lavishly. Strong reds, yellows, and blues, with considerable white. Dyes. — ^Nearly all of the modem pieces are chemically dyed. Designs. — Similar to the Kazaks, only a trifle 270 KARABAGH RUG Size5'X3'3" PROPERTY OF DR. E. B. GUILE, tJTICA, N. T. THE CAUCASIAN CLASSIFICATION more Persian in character, that is, more Persian floral forms are introduced. Sometimes the field is plain, sometimes it is filled with some tree patterns or with numerous floral and geometrical figures. In some of the antiques the field is cov- ered with black and tan spots, giving it the appear- ance of a leopard's skin, which no doubt it was intended to represent. Sizes. — Two to six by four to eight feet. Usually small. Never in carpet sizes. Peices. — ^Antiques rare and rather costly. Moderns among the cheapest of the Oriental weave. From $0.50 to $1.50 per square foot. Eemaeks. — One of the most inferior products of the Eastern loom, but artistic. Have deterio- rated considerably of late years. THE EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATED Owner's Description. — ^An exceptional Karabagh. The design shows evident attempt at Persian elaboration, this weave being about the only Caucasian that shows such tendency. The floral display in tha centre; the beautiful old ivory of the cor- ner pieces, and the exquisite canary, coral and blue of the three borders, evidence that the artisan that wrought this fabric had thoroughly mastered the harmony of color. The blacks in this piece have gone fully down to the knot. Such Karabaghs have not been made for a hundred years. 271 THE PEACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS KAZAK Synonym. — Small Kazaks are called Kazakdjie. Why So Named. — ^A corruption of the word Cossack. Where Made. — ^In the Transcaucasian district of Erivan, near Mt. Ararat, where Russia, Persia, and Turkey meet. By Whom Made. — ^By the Cossack Nomads, whose origin seems to be unknown. They were probably related to the Cossacks of Eussia. Knot. — Ghiordes. Number vertically six to twelve; number horizontally six to ten; number to square inch thirty-six to one hundred twenty. Fawer than any of the other Caucasian fabrics. Warp. — ^Always wool. Woof. — Nearly always wool, usually dyed. A characteristic feature is the number of woof threads between each row of knots, usually four or more. Nap. — Fine lustrous wool, which is usually cut long. The great number of woof threads causes the nap to lie so that the side of the yarn is ex- posed more than the ends. SmES. — ^Usually a wide selvage in colored wool. Occasionally overcast. Ends. — Usually a short colored selvage at each end, one of which is sometimes turned back and 272' KAZAK RUG (PALACE DESIGN) PROPERTY OF MR. FREDERIC P. WARFIELD, NEW YORK CITY THE CAUCASIAN CLASSIFICATION hemmed. A fringe of knotted or braided warp ends. When braided the ends of the rug are apt to be drawn and twisted so that it does not lie well. BoEDEE. — ^From three to four border stripes, usually three. The crab, wine glass, reciprocal saw-teeth, reciprocal trefoil, tarantula, and latch hook variations are common. Peevailing Colobs. — ^Bather bright shades of red, green, yellow, brown, and rose, with more or less ivory or white. These colors are more sub- dued in the antiques. Dyes. — Poor in some of the modern pieces. Designs. — Similar to those of the Shirvan and Genghis. Bold geometrical figures which are characteristic of the people who weave them. The tarantula, diamond, palm, animals, and hu- man beings are profusely portrayed. The Greek cross is almost always present and the Eussian coat of arms common. Sizes. — Small and medium, three to six by five to eight feet. Usually square or nearly so. Peices. — ^Antiques few and valuable. The moderns are among the cheapest of the Oriental products. From $0.75 to $2.00 per square foot. Eemaeks. — ^As a rule thick and heavy though soft and durable. 18 273 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS THE EXAMPLES ILLUSTKATBD COLOB PLATES with accompanying descriptions at pages 94 and 144. DOUBLETONE (page 272) The field design is known as the Palace or Sunburst. It is common in the Kazaks and Shirvans, but never used in any other rugs. This piece shows the most common form of Kazak with the Palace design in the centre and the Crab border, on each side of which is the reciprocal saw-teeth. BESHIR BOKHARA PRAYER RUG PROPERTY OF LIBERTY & CO., LONDON, ENGLAND Quite dissimilar to any other form of prayer rug although the niche resembles very closely that of the Males. The designs are unlike those used in the other Turkoman products and the color combination is quite pleasing. This piece is evidently of some age as the woof threads in the lower end are gone, leaving a fringe of loose warp threads instead of a variegated webbing as on the other end. (See page 280) THE TURKOMAN CLASSIFICATION THE TURKOMAN CLASSIFICATION The territory from which the so-called ' ' Turk- oman" rugs come is that part of Central Asia consisting of Turkestan, Eastern Turkestan and Eussian Turkestan lying north of Persia and Afghanistan and west of the Caspian Sea. It comprises thousands upon thousands of square miles and is inhabited by numerous rug- making tribes of Nomads. The distinguishing marks of the Turkoman products are their wide web, their octagon and medallion designs and their old traditional colors of predominating red with patches of white, brown, and green. The dyes are usually fast and the knot is always Persian with the exception of an occasional Yomud or Samarkand, which may be tied with the Turkish knot. The rugs of Eastern and Eussian Turkestan are really Chinese, but geographically should be classed with the other Turkoman prod ucts. Having been in the past less accessible they are now found in relative abundance and are therefore the least costly. 277 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS KHIVA BOKHARA Synonym. — ^Afghan. Why So Named. — After the city of Khiva, in the province of Bokhara, from the vicinity of which they come. The name Afghan is sometimes used because some of the inhabitants of northern Afghanistan contribute to the supply. By "Whom Made. — ^By the Kirzig tribe of Nomads living in the province of Bokhara and in Northern Afghanistan. Knot. — Senna. Number vertically seven to twelve; number horizontally six to eight; niunber to square inch forty-two to ninety-six. Waep. — Dark wool or goats' hair. Woop. — Black or gray wool or goats' hair. Nap. — Fine lustrous wool or goats' hair of various lengths. Weave. — ^Loosely tied so that on the back it has the appearance of the Ghiordes knot. SmEs. — Usually a wide selvage of black or dark brown goats' hair, sometimes containing as many as seven cords. Ends. — Wide selvage at each end in plain red or striped with blue lines. The long, shaggy fringe of the loose goats' hair warp is a char- acteristic feature. 278 %r . r:^ m-'-^ ^^f.?^-^^ '*> '' ■* W i W t' i , ii >y : ,,jj i ati W LW >plf!l^^ KHIVA BOKHARA (AFGHAN) CARPET PROPERTY OF PROF. DELMAR HAWKINS THE TURKOMAN CLASSIFICATION Boeder. — From two to four narrow border stripes, usually three. Peevailhstg Coloes. — ^A lavish use of the Turk- oman reds in the field with designs in blue, orange, brown, green, and white. Dyes. — Good in the antiques. Nearly all of the new pieces are chemically dyed. Designs. — The octagon is almost universally employed and is quartered by alternating colors. Animal forms are seldom seen. The prayer form is also seldom found. Peices. — $1.25 to $2.00 per square foot. Sizes. — They are the largest of the Turkoman rugs, being nearly always in carpet sizes and almost square, six to nine by eight to eleven feet. Eemaeks. — One of the best inexpensive rugs on the market. Coarser and heavier than the other Turkoman products and in damp weather they are liable to have more or less of the smell of goats. The Khiva is about the only antique carpet now on the market. THE EXAMPLES ILLUSTRATED Knot: Sefnna. Ten to the inch vertically and seven horizontally, making seventy to the square inch; unusually close for a rug of this class. This piece is of an unusually fine grade with a long nap and beautiful colors. The field, like that of nearly all Khivas, is filled with conventional octagon and diamond forms with a small eight-pointed star between each. 279 THE PEACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL BUGS Shobteix. Rug (page 120). — ^Prayer rugs of this particular class are extremely rare and the peculiar prayer niche in this one is certainly most imique and unusual. Note the hands in the two upper comers of the field. It is on these that the worshipper is supposed to place his hands while prostrating himself in the act of prayer. BESHIR Why So Named. — ^After the words "Bech Schehr," meaning " Five Villages," being woven in five adjoining villages west of Kliva on the shores of the Amour Daria Eiver in Turkestan. « Knot. — Either the Senna or the- Ghiordes, usually the former. Number vertically five to ten; number horizontally six to twelve; number to the square inch thirty to one hundred twenty. Wasp. — ^Wool or goat's hair. Woof. — ^Wool or goat's hair. Nap. — ^Wool. BoEDEBS. — Few stripes and narrow in propor- tion to the size of the rug. The designs are usually Tekke in character. The reciprocal saw teeth design is a feature. Ends. — ^A fairly wide web which is usually dyed red through which generally pass blue stripes or strands of colored yarn. Knotted or loose warp ends. Sides. — ^A three or four corded selvage. Pkevailing Colobs. — The free use of yeUow 280 BESHIR BOKHARA RUG PROPERTY OP MR. L. A. SHORTELL, BOSTON, MASS. THE TURKOMAN CLASSIFICATION is characteristic. Browns, brownisli reds and blue with very little white, as a rule. Designs. — Those of the border are Tekke in character while those of the field are usually com- posed of tree motifs arranged ia strips with alternating colored background. Caucasian and Mongol designs are commonly employed. Occa- sionally the field is filled with Chinese cloud bands. Sizes. — From three to eight feet in width by five to twelve feet in length. Pbioes. — From $1.75 to $5.00 a square foot. Eemabks. — One of the rarest of the Turkoman products. Most of those brought to this country are antiques. THE EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATED Owner's Description. — This rug differs from the Bokhara commonly seen, as it has the Tree of Life pattern drawn in the conventional form of the Bokhara weavers, but very artistically done, the wool used being the very best, very silky, and the eelvage is finished in a very workmanlike manner. It was a skilful weaver who made this rug and it probably was his masterpiece. See also color plate at page 274. TEKKE BOKHARA Why So Named. — Because they are made by the Tekke Turkoman tribes of Nomads, one of the most numerous and powerful of the Turko^- man tribes, who inhabit the country extending 281 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS to Afghanistan on the southi and Khorasan on the west. Knot, — Senna. Number vertically eight to twenty-eight; number horizontally five to twenty- five ; number to square inch forty to four hundred. "Waep. — Splendid wool. Woof. — Wool, dyed red or brown. Nap. — Splendid soft, velvety, closely clipped wool. Sometimes some goats* hair or silk. Weave. — Eenowned for its close texture. Sides. — Overcast in wool which is dyed the predominating color of the rug. Occasionally selvaged. Ends. — ^A web from ten to twelve inches in width at each end which is colored the same as the body of the rug. This is finished with a fringe of loose warp ends. Sometimes there are twisted ropes at one end, showing that it was intended for hanging. This is especially common in the prayer Tekke. BoBDEB. — One to five border stripes, usually three. Designs. — Elongated octagon forms arranged in rows alternating with rows of diamond forms with straight lines connecting the centres of the octagon, each of which is divided into four equal parts. In the centre of each octagon is frequently 282 iu ^ 1 ''' ' "') muf^T' jj '1.1 MmmmmmM ^^^JU'im TEKKE BOKHARA RUG BY COURTESY NAHIGIAN BROS., CHICAGO, ILL. THE TURKOMAN CLASSIFICATION found the eight-pointed star. Sometimes the field is covered with octagon or the diamond forms alone without the alternate arrangement. In the prayer rug the field is covered with little candle- stick patterns and divided into four sections by a large cross, the arms of which carry designs similar to those found in the border stripes. Pbevailing Colors. — Ground usually of a rich dark mahogany red with designs in blue, green, orange, old rose, wine, and pink, with more or less white or cream. Dyes. — Usually good. Of late years some ani- line has been used. Prices. — The antiques are rather scarce and are of good value. From $2.00 to $5.00 per square foot. Sizes. — Mats to carpet size. Two to eight by three to eighteen feet. The prayer rugs are nearly square, from four to four and one-half by five feet. Eemabks. — Their durability is phenomenal. The modern pieces are vastly inferior to the antiques. The prayer rugs differ so greatly from the others of their class that they might almost be arranged under a separate heading, in fact they are separately classed by some authorities under the name of Hardjli or Princess Bokhara. 283 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS The Armenians call them Khatchlie Bokhara for the reason that the bands that divide the field into four sections form a cross, and the word "khatchlie" in the Armenian language means a cross. This class of rugs is gi'owing rapidly scarce. THE EXAMPLES ILLUSTRATED Page 284. This is the prayer Tekke, the so-called Hardjli, Khatchlie or Princess Bokhara. The Greek cross divides the field into quarters, each one of which is filled with rows of candle sticks. The niche, the "Tekke border design" and the "Indian fish bone" are here employed as in most prayer rugs of the class. Page 282. In design this piece is quite characteristic of its class. The octagon is invariably present, sometimes alone, sometimes in an alternate arrangement with diamond forms or with smaller octagons as in this example. Here the smaller octagons only are quartered. The peculiar arrangement of the "fish bone " design, the wide web and the loose warp threads at each end are also characteristic features. Page 150. Knot: Senna. Number to the inch horizontally sixteen, vertically eighteen, to the square inch two hundred eighty- eight. The predominating color throughout is a beautiful terracotta. The four diamond forms through the centre are filled with geometrical figures in buff and terracotta upon a dark blue ground. Of the semi-diamond forms the first and third upper and the second lower have an old ivory background, while the second upper and the first and third lower have a background of a most beau- tiful buff shade. The figures on all of these are in blue, terracotta and white. The first and third border stripes carry an S form on the top and bottom, while on the sides they carry a form of barber- pole stripe, all upon a dark blue backgroimd. The main border stripe carries a peculiar rectilineal eight-petaled flower in differ- ent colors upon an old ivory background; the loose yam ends hang- ing alternate in red and blue every four inches. The color combi- nation and sheen of this piece are unexcelled. Stanton Rug (page 162). — The predominating dark mahogany color and long thick nap, together with a touch of blue in the octt^ gone, makes this piece most attractive. See also frontispiece. 284 i^ifg^^mjmwf'^mmmm TEKKE BOKHARA PRAYER RUG (PRINCESS BOKHARA, KHATCHLIE) BY COURTESY OF NAHIQIAN BROS., CHICAGO, ILL. THE TURKOMAN CLASSIFICATION YOMUD Synonyms. — Yamoud, Yamut. Sometimes called yellow or brown Bokhara. Why So Named. — ^After a tribe of Nomadic Turkomans by that name who dwell in tbe western part of Turkestan on the plains along the shores of the Caspian. Knot. — Either the Senna or the Ghiordes. Number vertically eight to fifteen; number hori- zontally seven to twelve; number to square inch fifty-six to one hundred eighty. Warp. — Brown wool or goats' hair. Woof. — Good wool of medium length or goats' hair. Frequently dyed red. Nap. — Fine wool of medimn length or goats' hair. Sides. — ^A coarse selvage of two cords which are colored in alternate squares of red and blue, red and brown, or two shades of red, giving it a checker-board effect. Ends. — ^A wide web at each end in plain red or with blue stripes. Frequently stripes of colored wool are worked into the web with apparently as much care and skill as that given to the body of the rug. Finished with a fringe of loose warp threads which are occasionally twisted at irregu- lar intervals. 285 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS Boeder. — There are usually three border stripes, one medium sized one with a narrow one on each side. The barber-pole stripe, the recip- rocal saw-teeth, and the latch hook variations are the predominating border designs. Pbevailing Colors. — Ground almost invari- ably of a rich brownish red which is softer and deeper in tone than that of the Klhivas and Tekkes. Figures in drab, blue,^ green, and yellow. Dyes. — ^Usually the best. Designs. — The tribal patterns show great indi- viduality and combine the Turkoman octagon with many of the Caucasian designs. A common arrangement is that of octagons and elongated diamond forms in alternate rows with plenty of latch hook variations. Very frequently the field is covered with the diamond forms alone. Prices. — From $0.75 to $2.50 per square foot. Sizes. — Seldom smaller than five by eight or larger than eight by eleven feet. Eemarks. — They resemble the Bokharas in some respects and the Caucasian products in others. About the only antique, in carpet sizes, now found m the market. THE EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATED Maj. L. B. Lawton's Descejption. — This weave is the rarest of the Turkomans. So rare is it that Mr. Mumford in his article in the Century Magasine, January, 1910, states that to Mb 286 •t"^:,,. w-^ ^;'a VX'^. - YOMUD RUG Size 57"X4'4" PROPERTY OF COLONEL GEORGE G. BRIGGS GRAND RAPIDS. MICH. THE TURKOMAN CLASSIFICATION knowledge no bales of antique Yomuds had been imported for seven years. Nearly all Yomuds have the cross pattern, are usually deeper in tone than their cousins the prayer Bokharas, and lack the little niche. Yomuds are silkier than prayer Bokha- ras, and have the color of the Delavrare grape. This specimen has an unique pattern as a panel across the end, otherwise it is typical. Yomuds adhere more closely to their type than do any other weave. KASHGAR Why So Named. — ^After the city of Kashgar, a city of Eastern Turkestan which enjoys a great caravan trade and is one of the richest markets in Central Asia. Knot. — Senna. Number vertically five to nine ; number horizontally four to seven ; number to square inch twenty to sixty-three. Waep. — Coarse cotton. Woof. — Four-stranded cotton. Nap. — ^Wool of medium length, frequently part silk. Weave. — Coarse and poorly tied. Sides. — ^An added yarn selvage. Ends. — Selvage of varying lengths with a fringe of loose warp threads at each end. Boeder. — Chinese in character. Swastika border common. Pkevailing Colors. — Usually strong yellow, blue, red, pink, green, and orange with white or old ivory. Pale terracotta is common. 287 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL, RUGS Dyes. — Good as a rule. Designs. — Climese in character. Grenerally fretted groiinds or trellis covered with figures of bats, butterflies, cranes, dragons, fish, and trees. The knot of destiny is very commonly employed. Pbices. — $1.00 to $3.00 per square foot. Sizes. — From three to six by six to twelve feet. Eemabks. — Not very many found in the markets. YARKAND Why So Named. — ^Af ter a city of that name m Eastern Turkestan, in the vicinity of which they are made. Knot. — Senna. Number vertically five to nine ; number horizontally four to seven ; number to square inch twenty to sixty-three. Waep. — Coarse wool or cotton. Woof. — Coarse wool or cotton. Generally four strands between each row of knots. Nap. — Coarse wool of medium length, some- times more or less silk. Sides. — A selvage of two cords. Ends. — ^Web of varying lengths with loose warp threads at each end. Bobdeb. — ^Usually three border stripes, one of medium width with a narrow one on each side. 288 HAVING A POT OF TEA AT BOKHARA A STREET IN SAMARKAND THE TURKOMAN CLASSIFICATION As a rule the borders are small in proportion to the size of the rug. The swastika border design is commonly employed. Pbevailing Colors. — ^Resemble those of the Bokhara with a field of rich brownish reds. Some- times the field is of tan color. The designs may be in blue, red, green, yellow, pink, and terracotta. Designs. — ^Resemble those of the Bokhara and Kashgar. Fretted groimds with figures of ani- mals, dragons, bats, butterflies, circles, and octa- gons. A common design is the arrangement of four dragons in the form of a swastika. Peices. — $0.75 to $2.50 per square foot. Sizes. — From three to six by six to twelve feet. Eemaeks. — Quite similar to the Kashgar. The modern ones are not attractive. SAMARKAND Synonym. — The trade name of "Malgaran" is given to an inferior grade. Why So Named. — ^After the city of Samar- kand, a city of "Western Turkestan in the valley of Zarab-Shan, one himdred miles east of Bok- hara, which was once the centre of learning in Asia, having had several universities there. Wheee Made. — In the vicinity of Samarkand. Knot. — Nearly always the Senna, seldom the 19 289 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS Ghiordes. Number vertically five to seven; number horizontally six to ten ; number to square inch thirty to seventy. Wakp. — ^Wool, cotton or siLk, usually dyed blue or yellow. Woof. — In the antiques cotton or wool. In the modems cotton. Like the Kazaks there are three or four woof threads between each row of knots. Nap. — Good, heavy, loose, lustrous wool. Sometimes silk or a mixture of silk and wool. Weave. — Loosely woven. Sides. — ^Antiques have a narrow selvage added sometimes with two colors like the Yomuds. Modern pieces are overcast. Ends. — Similar to those of the Turkoman products. Wide web with fringe of loose or twisted warp threads. BoBDEB. — From three to five border stripes, usually three. The inner border usually carries the Greek meander, the outer one floral designs and the middle one figures corresponding to the central designs. The undulating vine and lotus pattern are frequently used. Pebvailing Coloes. — Field usually blue, red, or golden brown. Bokhara reds and yellows are lavishly used. 290 SAMARKAXD RUG PROPERTY OF AIR. A. U. DILLEY THE TURKOMAN CLASSIFICATION Dyes. — Of the best. Designs. — There are usually five medallions (circles of happiness), one at each corner of the field and one in the centre bearing some dragons, animal, or floral forms. Very little trace of Per- sian, Turkish, or Caucasian influence; Mongolian characteristics predominate with some trace of Turkoman. Chinese fret, swastika, dragon, fish, and floral forms. Sizes. — From three to nine by nine to fifteen feet. Prices. — Antiques rare and costly, modems from $1.00 to $2.50 per square foot. Eemabks. — The moderns are much inferior to the antiques. They are suitable for library and hall use. THE EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATED Although made in Russian Turkestan, Samarkand weavings are Chinese in every respect. This particular piece displays three round medallions or circles of happiness, also butterflies and various Chinese plant forms. The first and third border stripes are composed of one of the Chinese lotus bud border designs, while the central stripe consists of the swastika fret. 291 DAGHESTAN PRAYER RUG Size, 4'8'X4'2''. BY COURTESY OF NAHIQIAN BBOS., CHICAGO, ILL. Owners' Description. — ^In all the rugs that we have im- ported from the Caucasian provinces we do not recollect having seen one with a finer texture than this Daghestan. It has as many knots to the square inch as the finest Keshan rugs, which, as is well understood, are the finest products of the Persian looms. The "^arber pole" stripes in the border, the reciprocal Van Dyke design, and the " wine glass " figure in the widest border are all characteristic designs found in Caucasian rugs. Even the niche is similar to other Daghestan prayer rugs. But we see at once Persian influences in the field of the rug. The "flame" design as it is called here, which is in reality a variation of the familiar "river loop" or "El-Ayassi" pattern, and which is distinctly a Persian figure, is here used throughout the field. As if to emt>hasize the theory that the flame, which the early Persians worshipped, is represented by this design, each individual figiire is made to give off rays of light and warmth. Another interesting and noticeable feature in this rug is that while in Persian fabrics like the Sereband, where this or a very similar design is used, the figures are almost all exactly alike, whereas here they differ considerably and no two are alike in detail. (See page 254) ^^'4^v\. .^\..:\i^i:^A\^ W:-' -W^. SAX ' \i\^S \^fk:': li^^t^lji'F/^ THE BELUCHISTAN RUGS BELUCHISTAN RUG BY COUBTEST OF HABDWICK & MAOEE COMPANT, PHILADELPHIA The geometrical or mosaic design is of secondary importance to one who studies this rug. All of the attention is claimed by the charm of the deep mahogany coloring. The delighthil sheen of the Angora wool contributes no small share toward making it a most desirable furnishing. ^'-^.^ THE BELUCHISTAN RUGS Beluehistan is a vast, wild and moimtainous country extending from Kirman to India and from Afghanistan to the South Arabian Sea, partly under Persian rule and partly under the protec- tion of Great Britain. It has an area of about 146,000 square miles with but 800,000 popu- lation. The capital, Kelat, has a population of 15,000. The inhabitants are principally Nomad tribes of primitive habits and of the Mohammedan faith. The rugs of Beluehistan are taken way across Afghanistan to Bokhara to be marketed. On this account and also because of their great likeness to the Turkoman products they are classi- fied as such by several prominent writers. Like the latter they invariably have a wide web at each end, usually with a woven design. The colors and designs are similar to those of the Turkoman class and the dyes are good, but nowadays unwashed ones are extremely scarce. 295 THE PBACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS BELUCHISTAN Synonyms. — ^Balooch, Baloochee, Bilooz, Bi- louche, etc. Sometimes wrongly called "Blue Bokhara." By Whom Made. — ^By the Nomadic tribes of Beluchistan and by Beluches residing in Afghan- istan and Eastern Persia. Knox. — ^Always Senna. Number vertically six to ten ; number horizontally five to twelve ; number to square inch thirty to one hundred twenty. Wasp. — Usually wool, frequently goats' hair. "Woof. — Always dark wool. Nap. — Fine, long, compact, lustrous wool, goats' and camels' hair. Sides. — Overcast or selvaged, usually with goats' or horses' hair. Ends. — ^Wide ornamented selvage with loose or twisted warp ends. Often a row of colored yams run through the web. BoBDEB. — ^From three to four border stripes, usually one wide one and two narrow ones. PEEVAn^iNG CoLOES. — Usually dark reds and dark browns with a sprinkling of white. Tan is frequently employed in the field and is generallj the undyed camel's hair. 296 ^^;''^^^^^l^?W.Tf > ^ SENNA GHILEEM (HERATI DESIGN) PROPERTY OF A. U. DILLEY & CO GHILEEMS, SILKS, AND FELTS and are finished with a fringe at each end. As a rule they can be distinguished by their prayer niche or by a seam through the centre, the larger sizes, which do not come in the prayer design, usually being made by sewing two long, narrow pieces together. KIS GHILEEM Kis Ghileem, which means "girl rug," are Turkish Ghileems made by the Mohammedan girls for their suitors, it being a Turkish custom for a girl, as soon as she becomes engaged, to weave one of these rugs to present to her future husband in order to show the quality of her handiwork; therefore, being judged to a certain extent by the grade of her weaving, she naturally does her best. For this reason many of the so-called Kis Ghileems are of excellent workmanship. They carry typical Turkish designs and are finished with a fringe at each end. In size they vary from two and one-half to seven by four to fifteen feet, the smaller sizes usually being of the prayer style, while the larger ones are made of two parts sewed together, little care being taken to make the patterns of the two pieces match well. Frequently we will find small tufts of wool, beads or a lock of the weaver's hair attached to the warp threads as a talisman. 313 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS SHIRVAN GHILEEM Shirvan GMleems are always recognized by their designs, whicli are like those of no other Ghileem, being composed of numerous stripes run- ning across the whole width of the rug and cov- ered with geometrical devices similar to those of the Daghestan. These stripes are from eight to twelve inches wide with narrow plain blue, green, or red stripes between. They are nearly always woven in one piece and of good wool, but are heavy and coarse, with large openwork spaces. In size they vary from three to eight by six to twelve feet, the average being five by nine feet. KURDISH GHILEEM Kurdish Ghileems, like other Kurdish rugs, rank among the best of their class, being made of the finest of wool and closely woven. They usually consist of two or more pieces sewed together or joined by embroidered geometrical designs and many yam ends are left loose on the under side, giving a shaggy appearance like the imder side of the Shemakha rugs. In this respect they are unlike any of the other Grhileems. The colors are as a rule subdued, dark shades of crimson, blue, yellow, and green, with more or less black and 314 W\/2^S'\/^y\/i^s^^\^^ KURDISH GHILEEM BY COURTESY OF NAHIGIAN BROS., CHICAGO, ILL. GHILEEMS, SILKS, AND FELTS white. The prayer design is frequent, with a niche like that of the Ghiordes. The ends are finished ■with a web upon which an attractive design is woven or through which runs a parti-colored thread similar to that in other Kurdish rugs. The antiques are very scarce. In sizes they vary from four to six by seven to twelve feet. THE EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATED This is one of two strips whicli were originally sewed together like many of the Ghileems of this class. The pre- dominating colors are green, red, dark brown and white. Each end is finished with a short web and braided warp threads. It also has many loose yarn ends on the back side, which is a characteristic feature of the Kurdish Ghileems. MERVE GHILEEM Merve Grhileems are made in the vicinity of Merve, in the Turkoman district. They differ from all other Ghileems in that the colors are divided diagonally instead of vertically or horizontally with the warp or woof threads. For this reason no open spaces are left. The colors are few and subdued, white especially being seldom used, and in design they are most modest, the field as a rule being divided transversely into three or four parts by ornate line patterns resembling in some re- spects the Kurdish Ghileems. They frequently 315 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS come in prayer form witli designs less striking than those of the Kurdish Ghileems and strongly resembling those of the Beluchistan. Some are of great size. THE EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATED One of two strips which were originally sewed together. Like many of its class the field of this piece is divided trans Tersely into a number of stripes, each about a foot wide. Each stripe is of a different color, being tan, green, white and brown, and the whole field is covered with a trellis of serrated latch hook designs in red, the divisions of which contain diamond forms in different colors. There is a. short web at each end, one with loose warp threads and the other knotted. SILK RUGS Silk rugs were first made in China and after- wards in Anatolia and Northern Persia, where silk is produced in great quantities. They were formerly made for mosques, for royalty, or for very rich people, expert weavers being hired for the occasion and the material being furnished by the one who ordered the work done. Fine silk rugs are unsurpassed in beauty, rich, exquisite coloring, and rare sheen, but they have never been practical as floor coverings; first, because they require such luxurious surround- ings, and second, because the wearing quality of silk does not compare with that of wool. The genuine Persian silk rugs are getting scarce and almost priceless. Strange as it may 316 MERVE GHILEEM SizeiO'X2'8" KURDISH GHILEEM Size 15'4"X2'6" PROPERTY OP MR. JOSEPH SHEHADI GHILEEMS, SILKS, AND FELTS seem, few of these pieces have been sought by either the museums or collectors of America. Those made at Kashan in Northern Persia are the best of the present day products. As a rule they are made entirely of silk having a narrow web and a fringe of loose warp threads at each end and with beautiful shades of red, rose, turquoise, old ivory, and green. In Persia they sell for from $10.00 to $15.00 per square foot and in the United States for from $15.00 to several hundred dollars a square foot. A much cheaper and a purely commercial product comes from Kaisarieh or Caesarea, in Asia Miaor. These, as a rule, have a cotton warp and weft and are copied after the old Persian and Ghiordes designs, especially the so-called "Mosque design" with the hanging lamp. These rugs are undesirable in color, dyes and workman- ship and are invariably worth much less than the prices asked for them. The great majority of them can be detected by the direction in which the pile runs, it being inclined towards the top instead of towards the bottom. It is easy to go astray in the purchase of silk rugs on account of the numerous mercerized and wool silk imitations, many of them not even being hand-tied but machine made. 317 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS FELT RUGS Felt rugs are made to a certain extent in nearly every part of Persia, but cMefly at Ispahan, Astrabad, and Yezd. They are made of wool, goats' hair or camels' hair or of a combination of two or all of these substances, according to the color desired. As no dyes are employed and the finished product is the same in color as that of the materials used, they are usually gray, white or buff, most frequently the latter. The material is matted together by being pounded, occasionally sprinkled with water in which rapeseed-oil cakes have been soaked for a long time, and then pounded more until it becomes compact and solid. The finished product varies in thickness from three-quarters of an inch to three inches and is as soft and pliable as cloth, but too heavy for expor- tation, consequently few come to Western markets. In the Orient they are used as floor coverings on top of which ordinary pile carpets are placed. In this country they have been used in bedrooms, also as a covering for dining tables, and as silence cloths, but they will not stand the wear of chairs and are an easy mark for moths. They can be purchased for from $7.00 to $10.00 per yard. 318 INDO-ISPAHAN RUG IN TEE! COLLECTION OF MR. JAMES F. BALLASO, STL LOUIB, HO. CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO THEIR INTENDED USE CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO THEIR INTENDED USE PRAYER RUGS (NAMAZLIK) In all ages fine rugs have been used for reli- gious purposes by the faithful followers of the prophet. Every Mohammedan has his prayer rug, more or less valuable according to his means, which he always carries with him and upon which he prostrates himself five times a day when the appointed hour for prayer arrives. By means of a small compass he spreads his rug so that the mihrab or niche points towards Mecca, where Mohammed's body lies. Then after removing all jewelry and money from his person, in order to appear before God in the most abject humility, he combs his beard, produces a rosary of ninety-nine beads and a dried cake of earth which came from Mecca. These he places just under the niche and then, resting his head on the earth with his hands outstretched on either side, he performs his devotions. The mihrab or niche on which the worshipper places his head represents the door of a mosque 21 321 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS and reminds those who use it of the sacred mosque at Mecca. Occasionally prayer rugs will be found with three or more niches, especially among the Cau- casian products. These are intended for children or for family worship. Others may have instead of a prayer niche, three small medallions, one each for the hands and one to receive the forehead. For convenience the prayer rug is of small size, usually from two and one-half to four by four to six feet. Those intended for personal use fre- quently have the name of the owner on and are of the very best workmanship. Combs and other objects used in the act of worship are frequently depicted in or near the prayer niche. The prayer niche takes various forms in differ- ent kinds of rugs, seldom more than one class having the same form. As a rule that of the Per- sians is formed by curved lines, while aU others are formed by straight lines, those of both the Persian and Turkish classes being pointed, while those of the Caucasian and Turkoman classes may either be pointed or flat at the top, usually the latter. In differentiating between these different classes we are assisted not only by the shape of the mihrab, but also by the various field designs, 322 /\^nr 10 ^^ r^/\/\ 12 Zl Za 23 24 25 26 27 30 VARIOUS FORMS OF THE PRAYER-NICHE IN RUGS 1. Persian 11. Kulah 21. Konieh and Meles 2. Persian 12. Kulah 22. Ladik 3. Persian and Konieh 13. Kulah 23. Ladik 4. Meshed and Saruk 14. Ghiordes 24. Kaisariyeh 5. Tabriz 15. Ghiordes 25. Bergama, Genghis, Daghe* 6. Kirman 16. Ghiordes Stan, Bokhara 7. Kirman 17. Ghiordes 26. Bergama 8. Kirman and Kulah 18. Anatolian 27. Meles 9. Herez and Kulah 19. Anatolian 28. Meles 10. Kulah 20. Konieh 29. Daghestan and Kazak 30. Kazak and Beluchistan CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO USE such for instance as the panels above and below the prayer field, the lanterns or pendants which hang from the centre of the niche, etc. Single Panels. — ^When only one panel is used it is invariably above the prayer field. The Kulah nearly always has but one, the Anatolian gen- erally, and the Ghiordes seldom. Double Panels. — The Ghiordes nearly always has two, the Bergama generally, and the Kulah seldom. Hanging pendants are always present in the Kaisarieh, frequently in the Ghiordes, and seldom in the Kulah. Pillaes are always present in the Kaisarieh, frequently in the Kulah, and only occasionally in the Ghiordes. Plain pbayek fields (excepting the lamp) are most frequent in the Turkish rugs. Filled peayeb fields are invariably present in the Caucasian and Turkoman rugs and generally in the Persians. HEARTH RUGS (ODJAKLIK) Hearth rugs may be distinguished by the shape of their field, each end of which resembles the niche of the prayer rugs belonging to the same class They are usually from three and one-half 323 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS to four by five to seven feet and are very precious to the family, who always spread them before the fire upon the arrival of a guest, and once a fugi- tive, fleeing from his enemies, enters a tent and sets his foot upon the hearth rug, the owner and his people were bound to defend him. GRAVE RUGS (TURBEHLIK) Grave rugs are usually the combined handi- work of all the members of the household and, in accordance with an ancient custom, are used to cover the dead before interment and the grave after interment, having practically the same import as flowers do with us. They are usually woven in sombre tints to express grief and in light colors to denote resurrection. The cypress tree, which is symbolic of sorrow, is usually the leading feature of the design and there are gen- erally some inscriptions from the Koran. DOWRY OR WEDDING RUGS (KIS GHILEEM) Dowry or wedding rugs are woven by the Eastern maiden for her dowry. They are usually small in size and are seldom seen in America, as they are always greatly prized by the Oriental. A more definite description of them will be foxmd under the heading of Ghileems. 324 SADDLE CLOTH, SADDLE BAGS AND POWDER BAG CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO USE MOSQUE OR MECCA RUGS Mosque or Mecca rugs are sometimes called Tribute rugs. The wealthy Mohammedan rulers vied with each other in taking with them on their pilgrimage to Mecca rugs of the finest materials and choicest designs for presentation to the mosque, the whole interior of which was usually hung with carpets, beautiful and costly beyond description. Many of these so-called mosque rugs were of the Shiraz class. It is still the custom in some parts of the Orient to give rugs to the mosque as thank offerings for special blessings received and frequently the Mohammedan be- queaths a rug when he dies to the mosque where he worshipped. BATH RUGS (HAMMANLIK) Bath rugs are usually about three feet square and have a peculiar lustre due to their frequent contact with soap and water. One of these bath rugs is usually presented to the bride by her parents on her wedding day. PILLOW CASES (YESTEKLIK) Pillow cases are known in the United States as Anatolian mats and are described as such in the chapter on Turkish Classification. 325 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS SAMPLE CORNERS Sample comers are mats about two feet square and are woven for the purpose of showing the variation of border, color, and design to some wealthy ruler who wishes a carpet woven. They are afterwards used in the weaver's family and seldom reach the market. (See p. 328.) SADDLE BAGS (HEHBELIK) Saddle bags always come in pieces of varying widths, according to the kind of animal for which they are intended. Those intended for donkeys usually run from one to one and one-half by one and one-half to two feet, while those intended for horses or camels usually run from one and one- half to two and one-half by five to six feet or more. Those from Persia and Anatolia are usually small and nearly square, while those from Bok- hara and Beluchistan are usually large and oblong. These saddle bags are quite appropriate for bach- elor apartments, artists' studios, or smoking rooms and are sometimes used on a suitable standard as a newspaper or magazine receptacle. (See illustration at p, 326.) 326 A CONVENIENT PERIODICAL HOLDER (See page 212) CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO USE SADDLE COVER (SEMERLIK) Saddle covers are used by the wealthy class. They are nearly square, ranging from two and one-half to three by four to four and one-half feet, and have an opening at one end for the pommel of the saddle to pass through. The finest ones are from Senna. FLOOR ^COVERINGS Sedjadeh is the Persian name applied to those of the larger size, while Hali is the name applied to those of medium size. Oriental carpets are of modern make with very few exceptions, most of them being just as well made as were the antiques, although they show considerable deterioration in dyes. Those which are commonly foimd in the Western market are the Feraghans, Gorevans, Hamadans, Kermanshahs, Khorasans, Kirmans, Kurdistans, Sarabands, Sennas, Sultanabads, and Tabriz among the Persians; the Kazaks and Shemakhas among the Caucasians ; the Gulistans, Oushaks, and Smyrnas among the Turkish; and the Khivas and Yomuds among the Turkoman, Large rugs cost more per square foot, as a rule, than the small ones, as their size makes heavier construction imperative and increases the diffi- culty of weaving as well as the amount of yarn required. 327 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS RUNNERS (KENNAR) Runners properly belong to this class, as they are used in the Orient mostly to lay along the sides of a room. In this country they have been found extremely convenient as hall rugs. HANGINGS (BERDELIK) To this class belong all of the silk rugs as well as many of the delicately colored and ex- tremely light fabrics, especially those that picture gardens and portraits or have on them quotations from the Koran. GhUeems may also be classed under this head. A BIJAR SAMPLE CORNER (Showing colors, designs and different borders) PROPERTY OP COL. A. S. LUDLOW, WANKESHA, WIS. FAMOUS RUGS THE ARDEBIL MOSQUE CARPET (See page 333) FAMOUS RUGS The interest in the very old weavings is not as manifest in the American cities as in many of the European cities, such for instance as Vienna, London, Paris, and Berlin. This is due to several reasons. In the first place, Europe began the importation of Oriental textiles many years before the United States did. In the second place, most of the choice pieces in the United States belong to private individuals instead of to museums, con- sequently they are seldom, if ever, seen by the public. In the third place, many of the European cities, especially London and Vienna, have given a number of public exhibitions of old rugs, while the recent exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Fine Arts in New York City was the first one ever held in the United States. At this exhibit there were forty-seven pieces of the 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, pieces that would compare favorably with those of any country, aU owned by private collectors in the Eastern States. Great credit is due Dr. Wm. E. Valentiner and his assistants for the promotion and success- 331 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS ful management of this exliibition. Let us hope that it is but the beginning of a series of such exhibits which will stimulate a more formal inter- est and desire to know more about these wonderful products of the Eastern loom. The age of old rugs can be at least as accu- rately determined as the age of old paintings and in many cases even more so. According to Dr. Valentiner the so-called Polanaise and Ispahan rugs belong to the 17th century and the Persian animal or hunting rugs belong to the 16th century, while the so-called dragon rugs belong to the 15th century. Many of the rugs from Armenia and the eastern part of Asia Minor date back as far as the 13th and 14th centuries. Every old rug has its individual character manifest by its designs, colors, weave, and mate- rial, all of which are peculiar to the time when it was made or the locality in which it was made, so that it can be located and dated with greater accuracy than would be supposed. Many early rugs were used for decorative pur- poses in the pictures of the early Italian and Flemish painters. According to recognized authorities the so- called Polish carpets were not woven in Poland at all, but were products of Persia, and the so- 332 BERLIN DRAGON AND PHCENIX RUG (See page 334) FAMOUS RUGS called Ispahan rugs were not made at Ispahan or even in Persia, but came from the city of Herat in Western Afghanistan. Of the former several hundred are still in existence, the best of which are in the European courts and museums, about forty being in the United States, while nearly every collection contains one or more of the Herats. The Aedebil Cabpet. — Without a doubt the most famous Oriental carpet now known is the mosque carpet of Ardebil owned by the South Kensington Museum in London. It is a Persian masterpiece and was made in 1536 by one Maksoud for the Ardebil Mosque. In size it is thirty-four and one-half by seventeen and one-half feet and contains in the neighborhood of 32,000,000 knots, about 530 to the square inch, and was purchased by the South Kensington Museum for $12,500, although, if put up at auction to-day, it would doubtless bring many times that sum. The ground is of a rich blue and is covered with the most intricate of old Persian floral designs. It has a central medallion in pale yellow with corners to match. There are three border stripes, one wide one with a narrow one on either side of it. The ground of the outer stripe is of a tawny yellow with small floral designs ; the groimd 333 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS of the inner stripe is cream colored and that of the main stripe is of a rich brown with round and elongated panels alternating and surrounded by a profusion of floral lines. Within these panels are to be found in Arabic the following inscrip- tion: "I have no refuge in the world other than thy threshold; My head has no protection other than this porch way; The work of the slave of the Holy place, Maksoud of Kashan." In the year 942 (which corresponds to A.D. 1536.)* The Dbagon and Phcenix Eug of the Kaiser Frederich Museum, Berlin, is a Central Asia Minor weave of the 14th century and is probably the oldest existing rug that has been identified with the representation of a similar fabric in a painting. It was purchased for the Berlin museum by Dr. Bode, from a church in Central Italy on account of its resemblance to a rug in the fresco painting representing the " Marriage of the Foundlings," one of the series painted by Domenico di Bartolo in Spedale di Santa Maria della Scala in Senna about 1440. In design it represents a dragon and a phcenix in deadly combat. • In 1892 Robson & Sons, of London, published a monograph on the Ardebil mosque carpet by Edward Stebbing, who describes it ably. 334 EAST INDIAN HUNTING RUG IN THE BOSTON MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS BY COURTESY OP MR. SIDNEY N. DEANE (See page 335) FAMOUS RUGS The Austbian Eoyal, Hunting Carpet. — Next in prominence to the Ardebil Carpet comes the Eoyal Hunting Carpet of the Austrian Imperial and Eoyal Court, which is said to have been pre- sented by Peter the Great. It is a Persian rug of great antiquity and shows Chinese influence in the design, which includes elaborately woven horse- men in pursuit of deer and other animals and winged gods in contest with lions and buffaloes. The Indian Hunting Eug of the Boston Mu- seum of Fine Arts is perhaps the most noted of the forty-seven pieces which were in the recent Metropolitan exhibit. It was made in India about 1640, is eight feet three inches long by five feet three inches wide and contains about three hun- dred and sixty knots to the square inch. Its pre- dominating color is red. In the upper left-hand corner are a couple of buildings in which are seated in Oriental style several individuals. Be- low these buildings are several deer, a chained leopard in a cart drawn by a bullock, hunters, a winged elephant, tigers, and goats, all of which are interspersed with floral and tree forms. There are three border stripes, the centre one of which is the wider and carries leaf-shaped panels containing faces. Each one of these panels is separated by a bird and small floral forms upon 336 THE PRACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS a cream-colored ground. The two narrow stripes carry designs ia light and dark blue, pink and red. This rug was purchased at $35,000 by the late Governor Ames of Massachusetts and presented to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. The AiiTMAN Pbateb Eug, owned by Mr. Benjamin Altman of New York City, was made in North Persia about 1580, It is similar to one which was in the Yerkes sale and to another one which was shown at the recent Munich exhibition of Mohammedan art. It has beautiful floral designs with arabesques and Chinese motifs in deep shades of red, blue, and yellow, many of the designs being worked with light yellow or sUver thread in the ghileem style. The Mihrab is the Persian style, from which hangs a mosque lamp which is covered with red, yellow, and pink flowers on a green ground. The lower part of the field is covered with various floral and tree forms in yellow with pink blossoms. There are two border stripes. The inner one has a yellow ground, the lower part of which is covered with arabesques and the upper part with Arabic in- scriptions in blue which read '"May the Blessing of God rest upon them all. There is no God but AUah (the true God) ; Mohammed is the prophet of God. Ali is the saint of God. God the exalted 336 THE ALTMAX PRAYER RUG BY COUKTEST OF MR. BEXJAjnX ALTMAX FAMOUS RUGS one says : Verily Q-od and His angel shower their blessings upon the prophet. Oh ye faithful send your blessings with Him, as well as offer your salutations unto Him." The outer border has a blue ground upon which are rounded octagons and oblong panels in gray, the latter containing inscriptions from the Koran in black. Size five feet five inches by three feet three inches. The Metkopolitan Animal Rug (see illus- tration at p. 26), from the Ardebil Mosque, was made in Northern Persia about 1530. It was pur- chased by the Metropolitan Museum of Art from the Yerkes collection. On a claret colored ground are the repeated figures of a lion, a jackal, and a spotted deer in deadly combat. There are also running boars amid a profusion of flowers. There are three border stripes, a wide one with a narrow one on either side. The former is filled with arabesques and cloud bands in blue and pink on a ground of dark blue. The inner stripe car- ries a green design on a yellow groimd and the outer stripes carry a floral design on a red ground. In size it is ten feet eleven inches long by five feet ten inches wide and has in the neighborhood of four hundred knots to the square inch. The Bakee Hunting Eug (see illustration at page 338), owned by Mr. George F. Baker of 22 337 THE PEACTICAL BOOK OF ORIENTAL RUGS New York City, is also one of the four fa- mous mosque rugs of Ardebil. It was woven about the middle of the 16th century; it is about fourteen by six feet and contains upwards of five hundred knots to the square inch. It is a harmo- nious blending of red, blue, green, piok, brown, old rose, cream, white, and silver, the predomi- nating color of the field being a dark red. It has three central medallions, one large one and a smaller one just above and below it, with a quarter segment of a cusped circle in each corner of the field to match. Intermediate spaces are fiUed with flowering branches, fish and animals, the latter being worked with silver thread in the ghileem stitch. There is one wide border stripe with a narrow one on either side. The former has a back of cream and carries alternately round and oblong medallions which contain verses from the Koran in silver. THE BAKER HUNTING RUG BY COURTESY OF MH. GEORGE F. BAKER (See page 337) GLOSSARY GLOSSARY* Abbashes. The name applied to an irregularity in weaving in which the color of the groundwork in a rug is suddenly changed, giving it the appearance of having changed weavers' hands at that part. This is a Kurdish characteristic. Afghan (Af-gan), see Khiva. Afghanistan (If-giu'is-tan). Bounded on the north by Tur- kestan, on the south by Beluchistan, on the west by Persia, and on the east by India. It covers about 215,444 square miles and has a population of nearly five millions. It is generally mountainous and the climate is severe, being hot and dry in the summer and cold and stormy in the winter. The government is an hereditary absolute monarchy of an Oriental despotic type. AiNE. A Persian word meaning an oasis or fountain. It is sometimes used by retailers, but is not a specific trade name. Ak Hissae (A-khis-sar'), Akhissar, Aksar, Axar. A city of Western Anatolia, near Smyrna, with a population of 12,000. The meaning of the name is " White Fortress." For descrip- tion of the so-called Akhissar rug, see Turkish classification. Aesab, see Ak Hissar. Anatoua (An-a-to'lia). Another name for Asia Minor. Angoba (An-go'ra). Name of a province and a city, the latter being the capital of the former with a population of 28,000. The province is noted for the so-called Angora goats. Abdebil (Ar-dS-bel'). Name of a Persian town on the west shore of the Caspian Sea in the Azerbijan province. It is from here that the celebrated Ardebil carpet, which is now in the South Kensington Museum, came. *1q the Tuikiah and Persian languages the vowels are frequently silent and the characters do not stand for single consonants, but represent combinations of sounds as in short-hand, so that the same word is spelled in a great variety of ways when it is translated into English; therefore, the result is rather misleading, and each person must, to a certain extent, interpret the phonetic spelling to suit himself. 341 GLOSSARY Abdelan (Ar-de-lan'). A province in Western Persia in the Kurdish district. It furnishes the highest grade of rugs. Abmenia (Ar-me'ni-a) is situated partly in Transcaucasia, partly in Persia, and partly in Turkey in Asia. On the west it is bounded by the Black Sea, Asia Minor, and the Taurus Mountains; on the south by Mesopotamia, and on the east by Persia, while on the north it extends almost to the Cau- casian Mountains. It is a mountainous country and gives rise to nearly all of the great rivers of Western Asia. It is a country of special interest to the world inasmuch as it is supposed to have been " the cradle of the human race," the Garden of Eden, in all probability, having been located among its mountains near the head of the river Euphrates, and it also contains the celebrated Mount Masis, better known as Ararat, upon which the Ark of Noah rested when the waters of the great flood subsided. It has an area of more than 70,000 square miles, but the population is less than two and one-half millions. Asia Minor. That part of Turkey in Asia bounded on the east by Kurdistan and Persia, on the west by the Mediterranean Sea, on the north by the Black Sea, and on the south by Arabia, the Mediterranean and Bed Seas. It is sometimes known as Anatolia. ASKABAD (As-kii-bad'). A town in Persia peopled by wandering Turkoman tribes who make numerous rugs of the usual Persian variety. A name sometimes used by retailers, but it has no commercial meaning. The Tekke rugs are usually marketed at Askabad. AXAB, see Ak Hissar. AzEKBiJAN (Az-er-bl-jan'), Azerbiajan, Aserbaijan. An agricul- tural province in Northwestern Persia, bordering on Lake Urumiah, of which Tabriz is the principal city. It covers 40,000 square miles and has a population of 1,000,000. Many fine rugs come from this province. 342 GLOSSARY Bagdad (Bag' dad). The name implies " Abode of Peace." The name of a province and a city of Mesopotamia on the Tigris. The province covers 54,503 square miles and has a popula- tion of 850,000. The city has a population of 145,000 and is a market for the products of Western Persia. Bakhshis, Bakshaish. A small village east of Tabriz in the Herez district. A great rug centre for the so-called Herez rugs. See Persian classification. Bakshaish, see Bakhshis. Baku (Ba-ko'). The name signifies "Place of the Winds." A province and a city. The former covers an area of 15,095 square miles and has a population of 790,000. The latter is a port on the Caspian Sea in the heart of the Russian petroleum district with a population of 112,000. Many Caucasian rugs are marketed here. For description of the so-called Baku rugs, see Caucasian classification. Beluchistan (Be-loo' chis-tan), Baluchistan, Beloochistan, Bel- loch. A mountainous and desert country bounded by Persia on the vyest, Afghanistan on the north, India on the cast, and the Arabian Sea on the south. It has an area of about 130,000 square miles and has a population of about 800,000. For description of the Beluchistan rug, see page 296. Bebqama ( Ber' ga-ma ) , Bergamo, Berghama, Pergamo. A city in Anatolia, forty miles north of Smyrna. Pergamo was the ancient name. For description of the so-called Bergama rug, see Turkish classification. BiJAB (Be-zhar'). A town in Western Persia in the province of Kurdistan. The Bijar rug is sometimes known as the Sarakhs or Lule. BiBJAMD. The so-called Birjand rugs are woven in the village of Daraksh, about fifty miles northeast of Birjand. Bokhaea (Bo-kha'ra). Meaning " Treasury of Science." A city of Russian Turkestan. It is the capital of the khanate by the 343 GLOSSAEY same name. This province has an area of 142,000 square miles with a population of less than half. For description of Bokhara rugs, see Turkoman classification. Beoitsa (Bro' sa), Brusa. A city in the northern part of Anatolia near the sea of Marmora. It is the capital of the province by the same name and has a population of 76,000. Cabistai)', see Kabistan. C^SASEA, see Kaisariyeh. Cababaoh, see Karabagh. Cabian, see Meles. Cashmere, see Shemakha. Catechu (KSf e-chu). A dry, brown, astringent extract, obtained by decoction and evaporation from the acacia catechu. From it a brown dye is frequently obtained. Caucasus (Ka-ka'sus). An isthmus joining Europe and Asia. It is bounded on the west by the Black Sea, and on the east by the Caspian Sea. The Caucasian Mountains extend through it from its northwestern to its southeastern ex- tremity, dividing it into two parts, Caucasia proper to the north and Transcaucasia to the south. It has an area of over 180,000 square miles and the population is over nine million. Chichi, see Tchetchen. CiECASSiAN (Ser-kash-an), see Tcherkess. Ctbus. Founder of the ancient Persian monarchy. Daqhestan (Da'g6s-t5n). A district in Russian Caucasia on the Caspian Sea, north of Baku. It covers 11,352 square miles and has a population of 587,000. For description of the so-called Daghestan rug, see Caucasian classification. Demibdji (Da-mer'ji). Means "ironsmith" or "blacksmith." A city of Anatolia. Debbend (Der-bSnt'), Derbent, meaning "a fortified gate." A city in the province of Daghestan on the Caspian Sea. Tha 344 GLOSSARY inhabitants are mostly Tartar. For description of Derbend rugs, see Caucasian classiflcation. Djidjum, see Ghileem. Djijtjm, see Ghileem. Djoshaghan, see Joshaghan. EuzABETHPOL. Name of a province and a fortified city, the latter of which was formerly known as Ganga. Ekile, Inely. One of the better type of rugs woven at Oushak. Fabs (Fars), see Farsistan. Fabsistan or Faks (Far-sis-tan'). A province in Northwestern Persia with a population of 1,700,000, composed mostly of the wandering Arabs and Kashkais, who make high-class rugs of the softest and best dyed wool. Shiraz is the leading town. Febaidan. a Persian district ruled by Ispahan. The rugs made there are woven in imitation of the Feraghan quality. Febaghan (Fer' a-han). A district in Persia near Sultanabad. For description of the so-called Feraghan rugs, see Persian classiflcation. Ganga. A Caucasian city ninety miles southeast of Tiflis. Now known as Elizabethpol. GAEorrs. A district in Persia producing a good quality of rugs. Genghis (JSn'gis), Guenja, Ganga, Guenje, Guendjie. The name of a tribe of Nomads living in the vicinity of Elizabethpol. GnnaaiM, Khilim, Killim, Kilim (Kee'-lum). Names given to a napless rug which is woven in nearly all of the Oriental rug-weaving countries. A full description may be found in the chapter on Ghileems, page 311. GuENJA, see Genghis. Gotestan. Meaning " The Eose Garden," name applied to one of the better type of rugs woven at Oushak. Eamadan (Ha-mS-dan'), Hamadi«, Hamidieh. A city in North- western Persia, southwest of Sultanabad, with a, population of 35,000. It is the ancient Ekbatana where Esther and 343 GLOSSARY Mordeeai were buried. For description of Hamadan rugs, see Persian classification. Hamideh, see Hamadan. Hakdjli, or Princess Bokhara. The name given to a rug made by the Tekke Turkomans. It usually consists of a design of a cross inclosed in a square. Heeat (Her-af) is the capital of Afghanistan, on the Persian border, and its principal trade is with Meshed. For descrip- tion of Herat rugs, see Persian classification. Heeez ( H6' rees ) , Heriz, Heres. A mountainous district in Northwestern Persia. For description of Herez rugs, see Persian classification. Inely, see Enile. Ibak Ajemi (E-rak' iij' e-me). The largest province in Persia. It is situated in the central part of the country, its largest city being Teheran, the Persian capital. Iran (K'ran). The Persian name for Persia. A name com- monly and wrongfully given to rugs, excepting in referring to Persian rugs in general. Ispahan (Is'pa-han), meaning "Place of Horses." A city of 80,000 inhabitants in the commercial heart of Persia. At one time it was its capital. For description of Ispahan rugs, see Persian classification. Jejium, see Ghileem. Jelium, see Ghileem. Jheltjm, see Ghileem. JooSHAGHAN, See Joshaghan. JosHAQHAN, Jooshaghan. A district in Persia, south of Fera- ghan. For description of Joshaghan rugs, see Persian clas- sification. Kaba-Kabaman, see Karaman. Kabistan (Kab'is-tan), Cabistan. The name given to rugs woven near Kuba on the shores of the Caspian Sea. 346 GLOSSARY Kaisabiyeh, Kaiaarieh, Kaiseriyeh. The Csesarea of the Bible. An Anatolian city of 72,000 population, about one hundred and sixty miles southeast of Angora. An important rug market. Karaman (Ka-ra-man'). A town in Turkey, southeast of Konieh. The name Kaba-Karaman is frequently applied to a class of rugs from this town. The meaning of the prefix Kaba is " coarse." For description of Karaman rugs, gee Turkish classification. Kakabaqh (Ka-ra-ba'), Carabagh, Shemakinski, "Country of the Sun." A province in the southern part of Transcaucasia, just north of Tabriz. For description of Karabagh rugs, see Caucasian classification. Kaba Dagh (Ka-ra-da). Meaning "Black Mountains," moun- tains in Persia, north of Tabriz. Kaba J AH Dagh (Ka-ra-ja' da). One of the principal rug-making districts of Turkey in Asia. Kashan (Ka'chan). City of Persia with 30,000 inhabitants. Located half way between Teheran and Ispahan. For description of Kashan rugs, see Persian classification. Kashmie, see Shemakha. Kazak (Ka-zak'), Kazack. A corruption of the word Cossack. Kazak rugs are made by the Russian Cossack tribes in Transcaucasia near Mt. Ararat. For description of these rugs, see Caucasian classification. Keeman, see Kirman. Keemanshah (Ker-man-sha'), Kirmanshah. A city of mud houses in the Ardelan district of Western Persia. It has a population of some 40,000 and is a centre of commerce, but no rugs are woven there. The so-called Kermanshah rugs come from Tabriz. For description of these rugs, see Per- sian classification. Keemes. An insect found upon oak trees about the Mediter- ranean from which a rich, fast carmine dye is obtained. 347 (GLOSSARY Keb ShehBj see Kir Shehr. Khtt.tm, see Ohileem. EIhiva (Ke'va). A principality or khanate in Turkestan. It covers 23,166 square miles and has a population of 800,000. Khiva Bokhara is the proper name for the so-called Afghan rugs, as these rugs are woven mostly by the Nomadic tribe of Khiva. For a description of these rugs, see Turkestan classification. Khorasan (Ko'ra-san). A large province in the northern corner of Persia, of which Meshed is the capital. For description of Khorasan rugs, see Persian classification. KnjM, see Ghileem. KlixiM, see Ghileem. KiBMAN (Kir' man). Name of a city and a, province in South- eastern Persia. The latter has an area of over 63,000 square miles, has 600,000 population, and is largely a desert. For a description of the so-called Elirman rugs, see Persian classification. KiEMANSHAH, see Kermanshah. KiE Shehr (Kir Shghr'), Ker Shehr, Keer Shehr, Keer Sherir. A Turkish town in the province of Angora, just over the Konieh border. For description of the so-called Kir Shehr rugs, see Turkish classification. Kis, meaning " A girl." Kis Ghileem is the name applied to dowry rugs woven by young girls. Kiz, see Kis. KoNiAH, see Konieh. , Konieh (Ko'n6-a). The ancient Iconium. A city of Anatolia with a population of 44,000. Capital of province by the same name which covers 39,681 square miles and has a population of 1,088,000. For description of the so-called Konieh rugs, see Turkish classification. KotTLAH, see Kulah. KouuruK, see Zangen. 348 GLOSSARY KtiBA (KoS'ba). Name of a village and a district in Trans- caucasia under the Baku government. Eabistan rugs are ■woven here. KULAH (Koo'la), Koulah. A city in Turkey, west of Oushak. For description of the so-called Kulah rugs, see Turkish classification. KuED (Koord). An inhabitant of Kurdistan. KtiBDiSTAN (Ko5r' dis-tan) . A region occupying the eastern part of Turkey in Asia, and the western part of Persia. It has an area of about 74,000 square miles and a population of 3,000,000. KuRK. A very soft wool obtained by combing the sheep in winter. KuTATAH, Kutaria, Kutaya, Kutchia (Ko-ti-ya). A city of Anatolia in the Province of Brousa, about sixty miles north of Oushak, with a population of 22,000. Ladik (La-dak), Ladic, Laodicea, Latakia. Name of a rug made in the ancient village of Laodicea in Anatolia, north- east of Konieh. See Turkish classification. Laodicea (La-od-i-ce' a), Latakia. An ancient village of Ana- tolia, northeast of Konieh, with a population of 22,000. The so-called Ladik rug comes from here. Laeistan (Lar-is-tSn'), see Niris. A moimtainous province in Western Persia. LuLE (Lu'la). A corruption of the Persian word "roulez," meaning " jewel." A term frequently applied to Bijar rugs. LuEiSTAN, see Laristan. Maddee. a dye made from the root of the "rubia tinctorum." From it are made a multitude of reds. Mahal (Ma'hal). A name given to a class of rugs from Sul- tanabad. See Persian classification. MAKSOtTD. The name of the weaver of the celebrated Ardebil carpet- which is in the South Kensington Museum. 340 GLOSSARY Mecca, or Mbkka (Mek'ka), "The Heart of Islam." The holy city of the Mohammedans containing the Caaha, visited annually by multitudes of pilgrims. It has a population of 60,000. The name is frequently applied by retailers to Shiraz rugs. Melace, see Meles. Meles (Me' las). The name given to rugs produced in the Smyrna district. A corruption of the word MUassa, a small town about one hundred miles south of Smyrna. See Turkish classification. Meshed (Mesh-hed'), Meshad. Capital of the province of Khora- san in Northeastern Persia with a population of 70,000. For description of the so-called Meshed rugs, see Persian classification. Mesopotamia. Consists of that triangular portion of the south- eastern part of Turkey in Asia which lies between the Tigris and the Euphrates. It has an area of 131,000 square miles and a population of only six million. MiLASSA. A town in Anatolia on the coast, about one himdred miles south of Smyrna. MiE (Mir). A village in the district of Sarawan, where it is said that the Mir or Mir Saraband design originated. MisKABAD, see Mushkabad. MostTL, Mossoul, Mousoul. A city of Mesopotamia on the Tigris. Kurdish tribes market their rugs here. For a description of the so-called JIosul rug, see Turkish classification. Mushkabad (Mus-ka-bad), iliskabad. A name given to a class of Sultanabad products. See Persian classification. NiBis, Laristan, Luristan. Name applied to rugs made by the hillmen in the uplands around the salt lake of Niris in Laristan. See Persian classification. OUCHAK, see Oushak. OusHAK (Oo'shak), Oocuak, Ushak. A city of Anatolia, in the province of Aidin, about one hundred miles east of Smyrna. 350 GLOSSARY It has a population of 100,000 and is one of the greatest rug centres in Anatolia. For description of the so-called Oushak rugs, see Turkish classification. Paba (Pa-ra'). Piece of Turkish money equivalent to about one mill of American money. Peeqamon (Per'ga-mon), Pergamos. The name of the ancient Greek Kingdom in the northeastern part of Asia Minor, which is now known as Bergama. Pebsia. a kingdom of Southwestern Asia occupying the western half of the Iranian plateau, which rises to the height of from six to eight thousand feet between the valleys of the Indus and the Tigris. It has an area of more than a million square miles and a population of over eight million inhabitants. The capital is Teheran. Piaster (Pi-as'ter). A piece of Turkish money equal to less than four cents of our money. Peincess Bokhara, see Hardjli. EouLEZ. Persian word meaning "jewel." See Lule. Samarkand (Sam' ar-kand), Samarcand, "The Head of Islam." Name of province and city in Russian Turkestan. The former with an area of 26,627 square miles, and a popula- tion of 858,000; the latter is a very interesting city with a population of 55,000. For description of the so-called Samar- kand rugs, see Turkestan classification. Saraband (Sar' a-band), Serebend, Selville. Names given to a class of rugs woven at Sarawan, a district in Persia just south of Feraghan. See Persian classification. Sabak, see Sarakhs. Saeakhs (Sa-raks'). A frontier town of 10,000 inhabitants in the northeastern corner of Persia on the Tijend Eiver. Sea Bijar. Sabawan (Sa'ra-wan). A district of Persia just south of Feraghan. See Saraband. SABOtrs, see Saruk. 361 GLOSSAEY Sabuk (Sa-r66k'), Sarouk. A village in the district of Feraghan, not far from Siiltanabad. See Persian classification. Sayat.att (Sa' va-lan). The name of a mountain in Azerbijan province. A name often given in the American market to products of Sultanabad. For description of the so-called Savalan rugs, see Sultanabad, under the Persian classifi- cation. Sedjixes, means a, small rug. Sehna, see Senna. SELTHiE, see Saraband. Senita (Sen' na), Sehna, Sinneh, Sum. A city in Western Persia just north of Hamadan. Here rugs are made which are quite different from those made anywhere else in the Orient. See Persian classification. Sebab, see Sirab. Seeapi ( Se-rap' e ) , Serab, Sirab. Name applied to some of the Herez rugs. See Persian classification. Sebaband, see Saraband. Shah Abbas (Slia- Abbas). A popular Persian ruler of the 16th century. His name has been given to a favorite design which originated during his reign. Shabokh, see Bijar. Shemakha ( She' ma-ka ) , Shemka, Shemaka, Cashmere, Kashmir, Soumak. All names given to a class of pileless rugs which are woven by the Nomadic tribes of Shirvan, near the town of Shemakha, a manufacturing town of the Baku district, Transcaucasia, with a population of 20,000. See Caucasian classification. Sheraz, see Shiraz. Shikaz (She-raz*). A manufacturing and commercial town in the Fars district with a, population of 32,000. It was the former capital of Persia. Shiraz rugs are sometimes erro- neously called Mecca rugs. See Persian classification. 352 GLOSSARY Bhievan (Shir' van). The name of a city and a khanate in Russian Caucasia, just west of the Caspian Sea and along the southern slope of the Caucasian Mountains. Shirvan rugs are woven here. See Caucasian classification. SiNNA, see Senna. SlEAB (Sl-rab'), Serab. A village in the Herez district in Northern Persia. Serapi, a name applied to some of the Herez products, is a corruption of the name Sirab. SiVAS (Se-vas'). The name of a city and a province in Northern Asia Minor, south of the Black Sea; the former with a population of 43,000 and the latter with a population of 1,087,000 and an area of 24,240 square miles. Smtena (Smfir'na). Province and city of Eastern Anatolia. The former has an area of 20,844 square miles and a popula- tion of 1,397,000. The city has a population of 201,000 and is an important rug market, but not a centre of weaving. For description of so-called Smyrna rugs, see Turkish classi- fication. SouMAK, see Shemakha. Souj BiTLAK (Souge Bu' lak). The name of an old Kurdish cap- ital on the border south of Tabriz. For a description of the so-called Souj Bulak rug, see Persian classification. Sultan ABAD (Sul-tan'a-bad). A city in Persia about one hundred and sixty miles east of Kermanshah. It has a population of 25,000 and is the centre of rug weaving under European control. Rugs from this district are known as Sultanabad, Savalan, Muskabad, and Mahal. See Persian classification. Tabriz (Ta-br66z'), Tabreez, "Pinnacle of Islam." A commer- cial city of the province of Azerbijan in the northwest comer of Persia. It is an important centre of rug weaving, and has a population of 180,000. For a description of the so- eaUed Tabriz rug, see Persian classification. 353 GLOSSARY Talim. a drawn or painted copy used by weavers indicating the pattern which they are to weave. TcHECHEN, see Tchetchen. TcHEKKEss, or Circassia. A province in Northwestern Caucasia on the Black Sea, once peopled by a tribe which has become almost extinct. Tchetchen, Tchechen, Tzitzi, Chichi. A tribe of wandering shep- herds who inhabit the mountains north of Daghestan. They make a good quality of rugs. See Caucasian classification. Teheban (Te' he-ran), "The Pure." The present capital of Persia, with a population of 160,000 in summer and 250,000 in winter. Tekke Bokhaba (Te'ka Bo-kha'ra). The name of a rug woven by the Tekke Turkoman tribes who inhabit the country along the Transcaspian Railroad from Askabad to Merv. See Turkestan classification. Ttflis. The capital of Transcaucasia, next to Constantinople, is the greatest rug market in the world, especially for the Caucasian products. It has a population of 161,000, mostly Armenians, Georgians, and Russians. It is said that more than seventy languages are spoken here. TjosHAQHAN, See Joshaghan. Toman (To' man). A piece of Turkish money equivalent to about $0.91 of our money. Transcaucasia. That part of Russian Caucasia south of the Caucasian Mountains. Turkestan is an immense territory lying east of the Caspian. It is bounded on the south by Persia, Afghanistan, and China, on the east by China, and on the north by Asiatic Russia. It is divided into Russian Turkestan on the north with an area of 257,134 square miles and a population of nearly four millions; Eastern or Chinese Turkestan with an area of 550,579 and a population of 1,200,000; and Turkestan proper on the south, which also belongs to Russia. The rug 3S4 GLOSSARY centres are Samarkand of the northern district, Kashgar, Yarkand, and Khotan of the eastern district, and Bokhara and Khiva of the southern district. TxjBKET IN Asia. Comprises Anatolia, Syria, the coast of Arahia bordering on the Red Sea, Armenia, and Mesopotamia. A medley of races and religions. Turkoman (Turk'o-man). Eugs from Turkestan proper and generally grouped under the name Turkoman. TuBKMAN, see Genghis. TziTZi. A corruption of the word Tchetchen. Valonia. The husk of a certain kind of acorn which is used for dyeing. Yamud, see Yomud. Yabkand (Yar' kind). A city of Eastern Turkestan. An impor- tant trade centre with a population of 60,000. For descrip- tion of the so-called Yarkand rug, see Turkestan classification. Yezd (Yazd), "City of Light." Capital of the province by the same name with a population of 55,000. Yomud (Ya'miid), Yamud, Yamund, Yamut, Yamund. Names applied to a class of rugs which are woven just east of the Caspian Sea by the Yomud Turkomans. See Turkestan classi- fication. YouBAGHAN, see Joshaghan. YoUEDEZ, see Ghiordes. YuBUK (Yu-ruk'), Youruck, Yourouk. The word means moan- taineer. Also the name given to a class of rugs woven by a certain mountain shepherd tribe of Anatolia. See Turkish classification. Zanjan (Zan-jan'). A town in the northwest comer of the province of Irak Ajemi, Persia. Rugs from this vicinity are called either Zangan or Koultuk. 355 BIBLIOGRAPHY BIBLIOGRAPHY Architectural Record, March, 1909, " Old Chinese Rugs." Benjamin, SAMtJEi. Gkeen Wheelee. " Persia and the Per- sians" (a). Benjamin, Samuel Gkeen Wheeiee. " Oriental Rugs," Gosmc- poUtan, Feb., 1893. Beeatt, Philupe. 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" Rugs, Their Character and Functions,'' Country Life in America, Jan., 1906. Htjmphbies, Sidney. "Oriental Carpets, Runners and Rugs; Some Jacquard Reproductions" (k). HUNTEB, Geo. Leland. "Animals in Oriental Rugs," Mouse Bea/utiful, Sept., 1907. HuNTEB, Geo. Leland. "The Truth About 'Doctored' Rugs," Country Life in America, July, 1906. HUNTEE, Geo. Leland. " The Use of Oriental Rugs in the Coun- try House," Country Life in America, May, 1906. Lanqton, Maky Beach. " How to Know Oriental Rugs " ( 6 ) . LiABKiN, T. J. " A Collection of Antique Chinese Rugs." MABQtns, W. G. " Oriental Rugs," Brush and Pencil, Sept., 1901. MiCHEAL, Wm. H. "Rug Making in India," Daily Consular and Trade Reports, July 23, 1908. Mdkebji, N. G. " Carpet Weaving in Bengal," A Monograph. MUMFOBD, J. K. "Oriental Rugs," Nation, 1908. Mumtobd, J. K. "Oriental Rugs" (f). MuMFOBD, J. K. " The Oriental Rug Problem," Harper's Bazaar, Nov. 18, 1889. 360 BIBLIOGRAPHY Nahigian Beos. "Oriental Rugs in the Home," A Monograph. Nation, Sept. 27, 1906. "The Disappearing Eastern Rug" {g). Nbugebauee and Okendio. " Handbuch der Orientalischen Teppichkunde " (« ) . Newton, G. W. "More Anent the Oriental Rug," Brush and Pencil, 16, 227. Peesbkey, Feank. "To the Orient in Search of Rugs" {I). PusHMAiT, G. T. "Art Panels from the Hand Looms of the Orient" (m). Reedpath, Robeet J. " Something About Oriental Rugs not Generally Known," Pamphlet. RiCHAEDS, Calvin. " Tapestries for the Floor," Souse Beautiful. Ripley, Maky Chuechill. "The Oriental Rug Book" («.). Ripley, Maey Chuechill. "Antique Chinese Rugs" (o). Robinson, Vincent. "Eastern Carpets,'' A Monograph (c). Robinson, Vincent. " Eastern Art Carpets," Journal of Society of Arts, March, 1906. Russell, Edwabd. " A Lesson in Rugs," Oood Housekeeping, Oct.. 1908. Samuelson, H. K. " Oriental Rugs," Souse Beautiful. Baturday Review, 53, 808. "Persian Carpets" {g). Saturday Review, 54, 289. "Eastern Carpets" {g). Scientifio American, Jan. 6, 1906. " Interesting Facts Concern- ing the Carpet Industry of Persia" {g). Scientific American, Supplement, Jan. 27, 1906. " Artificial Versus Natural Dyes" {g). Scientific American, Supplement, Apr. 25, 1903. "The Rug Industry of the Caucasus and of the Transcaapian Coun- tries" (g). Scientific American, Supplement, Sept. 28, 1901. " Oriental Rug Weaving" (g). Steeling, Ada. "Concerning Rugs," Harper's Bazaar, Nov., 1903. Stoeckel, J. M. "Modern Turkey Carpets," A Monograph (c). Stuboess, Dinah. " Fine Rugs," Overland Monthly, July, 1900. 361 BIBLIOGRAPHY SruBGEss, Dinah. " Carpets," Nation, 2, 363. Sykes, Ella C. " Through Persia in a Side Saddle " (5). TowLE, Mart K. " Concerning Oriental Rugs," New England Magazine, May, 1904. United States Commebce, Special Consular Reports, vol. 1, p. 307. " Report on Carpet Manufacture in Foreign Coun- tries," 1890. Veebeck, Louis A. " How to Tell an Oriental Rug from a Domestic," Country Life in America, Oct., 1907. Wills, C. J. " The Land of the Lion and Sun, or Modern Persia'' (r). WiNTEBS, Lawbence. " Rugs and Carpets from the Orient" (s). WiSHABD, John G. "Twenty Years in Persia" (t). Wright, Leland. " How to Take Care of Oriental Rugs," House Beautiful. (o) Published by Ticknor and Co., Boston, Mass. (5) Published by D. Appleton & Co., New York City. (c) Published by the Royal Avistrian Museum, 1892. (d) Published by Clifford & Lawton, New York City. (e) Published by Dodd, Mead & Co., New York City. if) Published by Chas. Seribner's Sons, New York City. {g) Author not mentioned. {h) Published by Cardinal and Hartford, London. (i) Published by F. Tennyson Neely Co., New York City. {}) Published by A. C. McClurg & Co., Chicago, HI. {k) Published by A. and C. Black, London. (Z) Published by T. Fisher Unwin, London. (m) Published by R. R. Donnelly & Sons Co., Chicago, 111. (n) Published by Frederick A. Stokes & Co., New York City. (0) Published by the Tiffany Studios, New York City. (p) Number unknown. iq) Published by J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia. (r) Published by Macmillan & Co., London. (s) Published by H. B. Claflin & Co., New York City. (t) Published by Fleming H. Revell Co., London and New York City, (u) Published by Karl W. Hiersemann, Berlin. 362 Index Abrashes in design 341 Acid for bleaching 39 Advice to buyers 43 Afghan rugs, see Khiva Bok- hara 278 Afghanistan 341 Age of rugs, how told 36, 332 Age of weaving art 17 Aging of rugs artificially 39 Ak Hissar (city) 341 Ak Hissar rugs (description) . 232 Ak Hissar rugs (illustration) . 232 Alcohol in design 64 Alligator in design, see Kulah border design 116 Almond in design, see Pear. . . 123 Altman collection of rugs .... 38 Altman prayer rug (illustra- tion) 336 Alum used in dyeing 76 Amber beads for testing dyes. 79 Ames collection of rugs ... 27, 38 Anatolia (country) 217 Anatolian Ghileems (descrip- tion) 312 AnatoUan rugs ... 50, 62, 323, 325 Anatolian rugs (description) . . 234 Anatolian rugs (illustration).. 60 Angora (province and city). . . 341 Angular hook in design 101 Aniline dyes.27, 40, 44, 77, 78, 170 Aniline dyes, effect on the wool 78 Aniline dyes, how detected 44,45,47,79, 80 Aniline dyes in the Orient . 77, 78 AniUne dyed rugs 218 Animals in design 99 Anthemion design 102 Antique rugs. .36, 36, 37, 38, 331, 332 Antique rugs. Cost of 26, 39 FAOE Antique rugs. Craze for 35 Antique rugs. Exhibition of . . 331 Antique rugs, how told. ... 35, 47 Antique rug. What consti- tutes an 35,36, 47 Apple in design, see Silibik. . . 131 Arabic figures and letters in design 100 Ardebil (town) 341 Ardebil mosque carpet 26, 37, 333 Ardebil mosque carpet (de- scription) 333 Ardebil mosque carpet (illus- tration) 330 Ardelau (province) 171 Armenia 218, 342 Armenians 56, 217, 218 Artificial aging 39 Asia Minor 342 Askabad 342 Auctions 31, 32 Austria, Antiques in 37 Austrian rqyal hunting carpet 335 Azerbijan (province) 171 B Backs of rugs (characteristic) 153 Bagdad (province and city) . . 343 Baker hunting rug (descrip- tion) 337 Baker hunting rug (illustra- tion) 338 Bakhshis (village) 343 Bakhshis rugs (description) . . 173 Baku (province and city) .... 343 Baku rugs 150 Baku rugs (characteristics) . . 150 Baku rugs (description) 261 Baku rugs (illustration) 262 Bale, Rugs bought by the . 31, 32 Ball and claw design 102 363 INDEX PAGE Ballard collection of rugs .... 38 Barber pole stripe design .... 102 Basket in design 102 Bat in design 103 Bath rooms. Ruga suitable for 51 Bath rugs 325 Bavaria, Antiques in 37 Beads in design 103 Beating of rugs 03 Bed rooms. Bugs suitable for 51 Bee in design 103 Beetle in design 103 Beets used in making dyes. . . 82 Beluchistan (country)... .295, 343 Beluchistan rugs. .50, 51, 52, 70, 106, 326 Beluchistan rugs (characteris- tics) 151, 295 Beluchistan rugs (description) 296 Beluchistan rugs (illustration) 294, 296 Bergama rugs 38, 52, 105, 323 Bergama rugs (characteristics) 150 Bergama rugs (description).. . 235 Bergama rugs (illustration) 46, 234 Berlin, Antiques in 37 Berlin dragon and phoenix rug (illustration) 332 Beshir Bokhara nigs (descrip- tion) 280 Beshir Bokhara rugs (illustra- tion) 274, 280 Bibliography 359 Bijar (town) 343 Bijar rugs 51 Bijar rugs (characteristics) ... 148 Bijar rugs (description) 185 Bijar rugs (illustration) 78, 186, 328 Black (color) 76, 77, 80, 83 Blue (color) SO, 82 Boar in design 104 Bokhara (city) 343 Bokhara, Beshir (description) 280 Bokhara, Beshir (illustration) 274, 280 Bokhara, Camel Bag Half (illustration) 162 Bokhara.Emir of (illustration) 134 Bokhara, Khiva. . .60, 51, 52, 327 PASB Bokhara, Ehiva (characteris- tics) 151 Bokhara, Khiva (description) 278 Bokhara, Khiva (illustration) 278 Bokhara, Tekke 61 Bokhara, Tekke (characteris- tics) 161 Bokhara, Tekke (description) 281 Bokhara, Tekke (illustration) 282 Bokhara, Yomud.50, 51, 105, 327 Bokhara, Yomud (character- istics) 151 Bokhara, Yomud (description) 285 Bokhara, Yomud (illustra- tion) 286 Boquet in design, see Pear. . . 123 Boston hunting rug 26, 335 Boston himting rug (illustra- tion) 334 Bow knot in design 104 Brazil wood used in dyeing . . 82 Brown (color) 76, 77. . 83 Brushing rugs 164 Buckthorn used in dyeing. 83 Budapest, Antiques in 37 Butterfly in design 104, 304 Buyers, Advice to 43 Buying rugs by the bale. . . 31, 32 C Camels' hair 70, 77 Campeachy wood used in dye- ing 82 Canopy in design 105 Care of rugs 63 Carmine (color) 81 Cashmere goat 70 Cashmere rug, see Shemaka 263 Catechu used in dyeing 83 Caucasia 253, 344 Caucasian design 98 Caucasian border design 105 Caucasian classification. .165, 253 Caucasian rugs (characteris- tics) 253, 254 Change in design 36 Characteristics of different rugs.. 147, 148, 149, 150, 161 364 INDEX PAGE Chart of distinguishing feat- ures 156 Checker board in design 105 Chemically treated rugs 39 Chichi rugs (see Tchetchen) . . 260 Chichi border design 105 Children as weavers. . .65, 56, 57 Chinese Cloud band design, see Cloud 105 Chmese colors 306, 307 Chmese designs.. 98, 303, 304, 305 Chinese fret 105, 304 Chinese materials 305 Chinese rugs 106, 112, 301 Chinese rugs (characteris- tics) 154 Chinese rugs. Classification of 302, 303 Chinese rugs (description) . . 303, 304 Chinese rugs. Growing scar- city of 301 Chinese rugs (illustrations) 300, 306 Chinese rugs. Increased value of 301 Chinese rugs of the 16th and 17th centuries 306 Chinese rugs. Weave of 154 Chinese weavers 18, 303 Chinese weaving 154, 305 Circle of happiness in design 106, 304 Circle in design 106 Clark collection of rugs ... 27, 38 Classification of rugs accord- ing to intended use 321 Classification of rugs, Caucas- ian 165, 253 Classification of rugs, Chinese 302 Classification of rugs. General 161 Classification of rugs. Geo- graphical 162 Classification of rugs, Persian 163, 169 Classification of rugs, Turkish 164, 217 Classification of rugs, Turko- man 165, 277 PAGE Claw and Ball in design, see Ball and Claw 102 Cleaning of rugs 63, 64, 65 Cloud band in design, — see Cloud, Chinese 106 Coat of arms, Chinese (illus- tration) 301 Coat of arms, Persian 107 Coat of arms, Persian (illus- tration) 169 Coat of arms, Kussian 107 Coat of arms, Russian (illus- tration) 253 Coat of arms, Turkish 107 Coat of arms, Turkish (illus- tration) 217 Cochineal used in dyeing. ... 81 Cock in design, see Rooster. . 127 Coflfee grounds used for aging rugs. 39 Collection of Rugs, American 27,37, 38 Colors, Fast 40 Colors, Harmony of 48 Colors of different nations ... 79 Colors employed in Chinese rugs. 306, 307 Comb in design 108 Commercial methods of rug making 77 Compass in design 108 Compressed air for cleaning rugs 65 Conch shell in design 108 Cone in design, see Pear 123 Contagious diseases in the Orient 66, 57 Constantinople 217 Convenience of Oriental rugs 28 Cornucopia in design 108 Cost of Oriental rugs. .25, 26, 27, 174 Cotton employed in making rugs 71 Crab in design 108 Crane in design 108 Crescent in design 109 Crimson (color) 82 Crocodile in design 100 365 INDEX Crooked rugs 44, 46, 87 Cross, Greek, in design 109 Crow in design 110 Crown jewel in design, see Pear 123 Curling of rugs 66 Custom house statistics 20 Cypress tree, see Tree.. . . 136, 137 Cyrus (ancient ruler) 344 D Daghestan (district) 344 Daghestan rugs.. .50, 51, 112, 138 Daghestan rugs (characteris- tics) :■■.■■■ 1^" Daghestan rugs (description) . 254 Daghestan rugs (illustrations) 84,254, 256, 292 Daghestan rugs. Weave of . . . 154 Dates in design 100 David's shield in design, see Star, six pointed 132 Davis collection of rugs 38 Dealers and auctions 31 Dealers, Foreign 31, 43 Dealers' profits 25, 32 Dealers, Reliable 43 Decoration of rooms 48 Deer in design 110 Demirdji (city) 344 Den, Bugs suitable for a 51 Department stores 43 Derbend (city) 344 Derbend rugs (characteristics) 150 Derbend rugs (description).. . 257 Designs, Animals in 99 Designs, Caucasian 98 Designs, Change in 36, 97 Designs, Chinese 98, 303, 304, 305 Designs, Dates in 100 Designs, European 98 Designs, Floral... 98 Designs, Geometrical 99 Designs, Humans in 99 Designs, Indian 98 Designs, Inscriptions in 100 Designs, Names in 100 Designs, Persian 98. 169 PAGE Designs, Symbolism of 99 Designs, Transmission of 97 Designs, Tribal or family 97 Designs, Turkish 98 Designs, Turkoman 98 Diamond in design 110 Diaper design, see Lattice de- sign 117 Dining room. Rugs suitable for 51 Disc, Winged, in design, see winged globe 139 Disinfection of rugs 57, 68 Distinguishing features of rugs (chart) 166 Doctored rugs 39, 40 Doctoring rugs. Method of 39, 40. 47 Domestic rugs 43 Dog in design 110 Dove in design Ill Dowry rugs 324 Dragon in design Ill, 305 Dragon and Phoenix rug (il- lustration) S32 Duck in design Ill Durability of Oriental rugs. . . 87 Dust in rugs 46, 69 Dutch rooms. Rugs suitable for 49 Duty on rugs 26 Dye pots (illustration) 80 Dye stuff 75 Dyeing, Method of 76 Dyeing of wool 72 Dyeing, Secrets of 75 Dyes and Dyers 73 Dyes, Aniline 40, 44, 170 Dyes, Fading of aniline ... 76, 80 Dyes, Testing of. . .40, 44, 46, 47 Dyes, vegetable 40, 44, 75, 76, 78 E Eagle in design Ill Eastern rug markets 31 East India rug (illustration) . 834 Egg in design Ill Egyptian carpets 18 Elephant in design Ill 363 INDEX FACE England, Antiques in 87 European designs 98 Exhibitions of Oriental rugs 331, 332 Exorbitant prices for rugs 26, 27 F Factories, Rug. . .55, 57, 170, 217 Fading of rugs 76 Famous rugs 331 Farsistan (province) 171 Fast colors 40 Favorite colors of different nations 79 Feather in design, see Pear. . 123 Felt rugs 318 Feraghan (district) 345 Feraghan design, see Herati design 114 Feraghan rugs 49, 60, 51 Feraghan rugs (characteris- tics) 149 Feraghan rugs (description) . 190 Feraghan rugs (illustration) 114,190, 196 Figures in design 100 Fir cone in design, see Fear. . 123 Fish in design Ill Fish bone in design 112 Flame in design, see Pear. ... 123 Floor coverings 327 Floral designs 98 Flower of Henna in design, see Guli Henna 113 Flower and Knop design, see Knop and Flower 215 Fly in design 112 Folding of rugs 65 Foreign rug dealers 31 Four flower design, see Roses, Four 128 Four roses in design, see Roses, Four 128 France, Antiques in 37 Fret, Chinese or Greek, see Chinese fret 105, 304 Frick collectioD of rugs. . . 27, 38 367 G Gall nuts used in dyeing . . 83, 84 Galley in design 112 Ganga (city) 345 Genghis (tribe) 345 Genghis rugs 60, 166 Genghis rugs (characteristics) ISO Genghis rugs (description) . . . 267 Genghis rugs (illustration) . . . 208 Geometrical designs 99 Georgian border design 112 Germany, Antiques in 37 Ghileems 311 Ghileems (description) 311 Ghileems, Anatolian 312 Ghileems, Kurdish (character- istics) 154 Ghileems, Kurdish (descrip- tion) 314 Ghileems, Kurdish (illustra- tion) 314, 316 Ghileems, Kurdish, Weave of 154 Ghileems, Merve (character- istic) 154 Ghileems, Merve (descrip- tion) 315 Ghileems Merve (illustration) 316 Ghileems, Merve, Weave of . . 164 Gliileems, Seima 52 Ghileems, Senna (description) 312 Ghileems, Senna (illustration) 312 Ghileems, Shirvan (descrip- tion) 314 Ghiordes border stripe 113 Ghiordes knot 169 Ghiordes rugs.. 38, 52, 113, 117, 323 Ghiordes rugs (characteristics) 149 Ghiordes rugs (description)... 238 Ghiordes rugs (illustration) 66, 236, 238 Glossary 341 Glycerine used in rugs 39 Goats' hair 70 Gorevan rugs 120, 327 Gorevan rugs (description). . . 176 Gorevan rugs (illustration). . . 174 Gourd in design 113 Grape juice used in dyeing. . . 84 INDEX Grave rugs S24 Gray (color) 84 Greek cross in design, see Cross, Greek 109 Greek fret, see Chinese fret 105, 304 Greek key, see Chinese fret 105, 304 Greek meander in design, see Meander, Greek 119 Green (color) 79, 80, 83, 218 Guli Henna design 113 PAGE Horn in design, see Anthem- ion 102 Home looms 56 Hook, Angular, see Angular hook 101 Hook, Latch, see Angular hook. 101 Horse shoe in design 115 Hound in design 115 Hour glass in design 115 Human beings in design 99 Hygiene of Oriental rugs 28 Hair used in rugs Hall, Rugs suitable for Hamadan (city) Hamadanrugs. . .50, 70, 120, Hamadan rugs (characteris- tics) Hamadan rugs (description).. Hamadan rugs (illustration) 110, Hand in design, see coat of arms, Turkish, also Pear 107, Hanging rugs 63, Hangings Hardjli Rugs Harmony of colors Havemeyer collection of rugs . Hearth rugs Heliotrope (color) Henna flower in design, see Guli Henna design Herat (city) Herat rugs 114, Herat rugs (characteristics) . . Herat rugs (description) Herati design Herez (district) Herez rugs Herez rugs (characteristics) . . Herez rugs (description) Herez rugs (illustration) Hexagon in design Hog in design Holy carpet, Yerkes 305 50 345 327 149 192 192 123 64 328 283 48 27 323 84 113 346 125 149 206 114 346 51 148 XjfS 172 115 lis 27 I Identification of rugs 147 Importation of Oriental rugs 20, 217 Indian designs 98 Indian fish bone design, see Fish bone 112 Indian hunting rug 26, 335 Indian rugs 162 Indigo used in dyeing 82, 84 Inscriptions in design 100 Inspecting rugs at Ispahan (illustration) 170 Introduction 17 Irak Ajemi (province) 171 Iron filings used in dyeing ... 83 Ispahan (city) 346 Ispahan rugs 50, 51, 332, 333 Ispahan rugs (description) . . . 194 Ispahzin rugs (illustration) 194, 318 Ivy berries used in dyeing ... 82 Jewel in design, see Pear 123 Jones, Mr. Quill 36 Joshaghan (district) 346 Jug in design 115 K Kabistan rugs 50, 51,128, 135 Kabistan rugs (description) . . 258 Kabistanrugs(illustration) 128, 258 Karabagh (province) 347 368 INDEX PAGE Karabagh rugs SO, 126 Karabagh rugs (characteris- tics) 126 Karabagh rugs (description).. 269 Karabagh rugs (illustration).. 270 Kara Dagh (mountains) 347 Kara Dagh rugs (characteris- tics) 148 Kara Dagh rugs (description) 178 Karaman (town) S47 Karaman rugs (description) . . 223 Kashan city S47 Kashan rugs (description) 180 Kashan rugs (illustration) 180 Kashgar rugs (characteristics) 152 Kashgar rugs (description) . . . 287 Kazak rugs. .60, 51, 108, 122, 126, 135, 138, 154, 327 Kazak rugs (characteristics) 150, 154 Kazak rugs (description) 272 Kazak rugs (illustration) . . 94, 144, 272 Kazak rugs. Weave of 154 Kermanshah (city) 347 Kermanshah rugs 50, 327 Kermanshah rugs (character- istics) 148 Kermanshah rugs (descrip- tion) 186 Kermanshah rugs (illustra- tion) 118 Kermes used in dyeing 81 Key, Greek, see Chinese fret 105, 304 Khilims, see Ghileems 311 Khiva (principality) 348 Kiva Bokhara rugs.. 50, 51, 327 Khiva Bokhara rugs (charac- teristics) 151 Khiva Bokhara rugs (descrip- tion) 278 Khiva Bokhara rugs (illustra- tion) 120, 378 Khorasan (province) 172, 348 Khorasan rugs. .50, 78, 114, 120.125,153, 327 Khorasan rugs (characteris- tics) 149 PAGI! Khorasan rugs (description).. 207 Khorasan rugs (illustration) 32, 208 Khorasan rugs. Weave of 153 Kilims, see Ghileems 311 Kirmau (city and province) 172, 348 Kirman rugs. . .49, 104, 120, 327 Kirmau rugs (characteristics) 149 Kirman rugs (description)... . 211 Kirman rugs (illustrations) 210, 212 Kir Shehr (town) 348 Kir Shehr rugs (characteris- tics) 149 Kir Shehr rugs (description) 220 Kir Shehr rugs (illustration) 130, 220, 222 Kis Ghileem 313, 324 Knop and flower design 115 Knot in design 104, 116 Knot of destiny design 116 Knot, Persian or Senna . . 91, 93, 169 Knot, Turkish or Ghoirdes 91, 93, 169 Knots used in weaving (illus- tration) 90 Konieh (city) 348 Konieh field design, see Rho- dian 126 Konieh rugs 117, 127 Konieh rugs (description) 225 Konieh rugs (illustration) 138, 224 Koran 99, 100, 116 Kulah border design 150 Kulah (city) 349 Kulah rugs 38, 52, 323 Kulah rugs (characteristics) . . 150 Kulah rugs (description) 239 Kulah rugs (illustrated) .. 216, 240 Kurdish ghileems 314 Kurdish ghileems (illustra- ^' tion) 314, 316 Kurdish ghileems. Weave of. 154 Kurdish guard (illustration). 124 Kurdish weavers 219 Kurdistan (country) 349 KurdisUn rugs 51, 327 369 INDEX PAGE Kurdistan rugs (characteris- tics) 149 Kurdistan rugs (description). 212 Kurdistan rugs (illustration) . 214 Kurds 78 Kurk 70 L Ladlk rugs 50, 52, 117, 127 Ladik rugs (characteristics) . . 150 Ladik rugs (description) 228 Ladik rugs (illustration) . . 74, 228 Laodicea (village) 349 Large patterns in rugs 49 Laristan (province) 349 Latch hook in design, see an- gular hook 101 Lattice design 117 Lavender (color) 84 Law against use of aniline dyes 77 Leaf in design, see Pear 123 Leopard in design 117 Lemon juice used on rugs. ... 39 Library, Rugs suitable for. ... 51 Lily in design, see Rhodian. . 126 Lime used on rugs 76 Link in design 118 Lion in design 118 Living room. Rugs suitable for SO Lof tus collection of rugs 38 Logwood used in dyeing 84 London, Antiques in 37 Long rugs 49 Loom, Eastern 89 Loom, Persian (illustration) . 92 Looms in homes 56 Loom, Turkish (illustration) . 88 Loop in design, see Pear 123 Lotus in design 118 M Madder used in dyeing. .81, 83, 84 Maden rug (description) 227 Maden rug (illustration) 226 PAGB Magpie in design 119 Mahal rugs SO Mahal rugs (description) 200, 201 Mahal rugs (illustration) .... 2O5: Mahogany furniture,. Rugs suitable with 52 Makri rugs (description) 245 Makri rugs (illustration) 246 Maksoud 37 Marquand sale of antique rugs 26 Material of rugs 45, 69 Material of Chinese rugs 305 Materials, Testing 45 Meander, Greek, in design. . . Hi) Mecca rugs 3!!5 Medallion in design 120 Meles rugs 50, 52 Meles rugs (characteristics) . . ISO Meles rugs (description) 242 Meles rugs (illustrations) . . 242, 244 Merchant, Persian rug (illus- tration) 38 Merve ghileem (characteris- tic) 154 Merve ghileem (description) . 315 Merve ghileem (illustration) . 316 Merve ghileem, weave of 154 Meshed (city) 350 Meshed rugs (characteristics) 149 Meshed rugs (description) . . . 209 Meshed rugs (illustration) ... 22 Metropolitan animal rug (il- lustration) 26 Metropolitan exhibition of antiques 37, 331 Mihrab 121 Milassa (town) 350 Miua Khani design 120 Mina Khani design (illustrat- ed) 214 Mir design 120 MirroD design, see Lattice de- sign 117 Mission rooms. Rugs suitable for 49, 51 Mohair 70 Mohaiomedan calendar. 100, 101 370 INDEX PAGE Monkey in design 121 Mordants used in dyeing. .. . 76 Morgan collection of rugs . . 27, 38 Mosque design 121, 317 Mosque rugs 325 Mosul (city) 350 Mosul rugs 38, 50, 51, 52, 70 Mosul rugs (characteristics) . . 150 Mosul rugs (description) 247 Mosul rugs (illustrated) . .136, 248 Moimtains in design 121 Mulberry fungus used in dye- ing 83 Mujur rugs (description) 227 N Names of weavers in design. 100 Names of rugs, how derived 161, 162 Nap, Direction of the 93 Network in design, see Lat- tice design 117 Niche, Prayer 121 Niche, Prayer (illustrated) , . 322 Niris rugs (characteristics) . . . 149 Niris rugs (description) 202 Niris rugs (illustration) 204 Nomad rugs 52 Nomads 78 Nomenclature of rugs 162 Numerals in design 100 o Octagon in design 122 Odor in rugs 71 Onion skins used in dyeing. . . 82 Orange (color) 80, 83 Oriental rugs. Characteristics of 43 Oriental shrewdness 31 Oriental versus domestic rugs 27 Oushak (city) 350 Oushak rugs (description) . . . 222 Owl in design 122 Ox in design 122 Oxalic acid used for doctor- ing rugs 39 Paint used on rugs 39 Palace design 122 Palace design (illustrated) . . . 272 Palm in design, see Pear 123 Palmette design .'. 122 Palm tree, see Tree 136, 137 Panel in design 123, 323 Paraffin used on rugs 39 Paris, Antiques in 37 Parrot in design 123 Pay of weavers 55. 170 Payne collection of rugs 27 Peacock in design 123 Pear in design. .115, 123, 124, 125 Pearl in design 125 Pease collection of rugs 38 Pekin rugs 303 Pendants, Hanging 323 Peony in design 125 Pergamon (country) 351 Persia 351 Persian berries used in dyeing 83 Persian coat of arms, see Coat of arms, Persian 107 Persian classification 162 Persian designs 98, 169 Persian dye pots (illustration) 80 Persian knot 169 Persian rug provinces 171 Persian village (illustration). 80 Persian weavers 169, 170 Phoenix in design 125 Piaster (coin) 351 Pile of a rug 44, 91, 92 Pillow cases 325 Pineapple in design 125 Pine tree in design 125 Pink (color) 82 Poems in design 100 Polanaise rugs 332 Pole medallion in design, see Medallion 120 Polish rugs 332 Pomegranate in design 125 Powder bag (illustration) .... 324 Prayers of Mohammedans ... 100 Prayer niches (illustration).. . 322 Prayer rugs 321 371 INDEX PAGE Prayer rugs, ClassiBcation of 152 Profits on rugs 25 Purple (color) 84 E Ram in design 126 Reception hall. Rugs suitable for 50 Reception room. Rugs suit- able for 50 Reciprocal saw teeth in design 126 Reciprocal trefoil in design. . 126 Red (color) 76, 80, SI, 82 Reliable rug dealers 43 Rhodian design 126 Rhomboid in design 127 Ribbon in design 1'27 Rice in design 127 River loop in design, see Pear 123 Room decorations 48 Rooms, Rugs suitable for cer- tain 48 Rooster in design 127 Rosary, Mohammedan, see Beads 103 Rose (color) 81 Roses Four, in design 128 Rosette in design 128 Rothschild collection of rugs . 37 Rug exhibitions 331 Rug factories in the Orient 65,57, 170, 217 Rug nomenclature 162 Runners......... 328 Russia, Antiques in 37 Russia, coat of arms, see Coat of arms, Russian 107 S Saddlebags 52, 326 Saddle bag (illustrated) . .324, 326 Saddlecloth 327 Saddle cloth (illustrated) 324 Salmon (color) 84 Samarkand (province and city) 351 Samarkand rugs. . . .106, 116, 134 PAGE Samarkand rugs (characteris- tics) :■■.■■• 151 Samarkand rugs (description) 289 Samarkand rugs (illustration) 290 Samarkand, Street in (illus- tration) 288 Sample corners 326 Sample comer (illustration) . . 328 Saraband border design, see Mir design 120 Saraband dance 164 Saraband rugs.. 50, 51, 125, 154, 327 Saraband rugs (characteris- tics) ,...,.....,.. 149 Saraband rugs (description). . 197 Sarabaudrugs illustration) ]J86, 198 Saraband, Weave of 154 Sarak rug, see Bijar 185 Sarakhs (town) 351 Sarawan (district) 351 Sardar design 129 Saruk (village) 352 Saruk rug.. . .49, 50, 112, 152, 153 Saruk rugs (characteristics). 149 Saruk rugs (description) 200 Saruk rugs (illustration).. .40, 166 Saruk rugs, weave of 153 Saw-teeth, Reciprocal, in de- sign, see Reciprocal 126 Scarabasus in design, see Beetle 103 Scarlet (color) 81, 82 Sceptre in design 129 Scorpion in design 129 Scroll in design 130 Seals on rugs 47 Secrets of dyeing 75 Selection of rugs for rooms. . 48 Selvage of rugs 45 Semi-Persian rug (illustrated) 100 Senna (city) 352 Senna ghileems 312 Senna ghileems (characteris- tics) 312 Senna ghileems (description) . 312 Senna ghileems (illustration) . 312 Senna knot 169 Senna rugs. .49, 50, 114, 125, 153, 327 372 INDEX PAGE Senna rugs (characteristics) 148, 161, 152 Senna rugs (description) 188 Senna rugs (illustration) 188 Senna, Weave ot 153 Serapi rugs (description) 178 Serapi rugs (illustration) 176, 178 Serpent in design 130 Shah Abbas (ruler) 362 Shah Abbas design 37, 130 Shawl design, see Pear 123 Sheen 39,63, 192 Sheeps' blood used in dyeing. 82 Shemakha (town) 362 Shemakha rugs 112, 155, 327 Shemakharugs (characteristic) 155 Shemakha rugs (description) . 263 Shemakha rugs (illustrations) 264 Shemakha rugs. Weave of 155 Shiraz (town) 352 Shu-az rugs. .60, 51, 52, 104, 120, 125, 127, 325, 326 Shiraz rugs (characteristics) . . 149 Shiraz rugs (description) 204 Shiraz rugs (illustrations). 5 2, 104, 206 Shu-van (city) 353 Shirvan design 130 Shirvan rugs 50, 118, 122, 128, 131, 135, 139 Shirvan rugs (description) . . . 265 Shirvan rugs (illustration) . . . 158 Shirvan ghileema (description) 314 Shirvan ghUeems (illustrated) 156, 260 Short rugs 49 Shorten collection 38 Shou design 131, 304, 305 Signet of David in Design. . . 131 Silibik design 131 Silk 71 Silk rugs 316 Sinclair collection 38 Sirab (village) 353 Sixteen lucky squares in de- sign, see Knot of destiny. . 116 Smyrna (province and city) . . 353 Smyrna rugs 327 Smyrna rugs (description) . . . 246 PAGE Snake in design, see serpent. 130 Snow for cleaning rugs 64 Solomon's seal in Design 131 Souj Bulak (city) 353 Souj Bulak rugs (description) . 181 Sparrow in design 131 Spider in design, see Scorpion 129 Spinning the wool (illustra- tion) . 72 Square in design 132 Squirrel in design 132 Stains on rugs 66 Star in design 132, 133 Storing rugs 65 Stork in design 133 Sultanabad (city) 35S Sultanabad rugs 327 Sultanabad rugs (character- istics) 149 Sultanabad rugs (description) 201 Sumac used for dyeing 76 Sumak rugs see Shemakha . . . 263 Sunburst design, see Palace design 122, 133 Swan in design 133 Swastika in design. .133, 134, 304 Symbolism of designs 99, 303 Symbolic Persian silk rug (il- lustration) 48, 98 Symmetry of Oriental rugs. . . 99 T T. forms in design 134 Tabriz (city) 363 Tabriz rugs 60, 327 Tabriz rugs (characteristics) 148 Tabriz rugs (description) .... 182 Tabriz rugs (illustration) .... 182 Tae-kieh design 135 Tags and seals on rugs. Pur- pose of 47 Talim 364 Tarantula in design 136 Tariff on rugs 20,25, 26 Tcherkess (province) 364 Tchetchen (tribe) 354 Tchetchen rugs (characteris- tics) ISO 373 INDEX PAGE Tchetchen rugs (description) 260 Tchetchen rugs (illustration) . 260 Teheran (city) 354 Tekke border design 135 Tekke field design 135 Tekke Bokhara rugs 51, 135 Tekke Bokhara rugs (charac- teristics) 151 Tekke Bokhara rugs (descrip- tion) 281 Tekke Bokhara rugs (illustra- tions) .... frontispiece, 150, 162, 282, 284 Testing of dyes 79 Testing of materials 45 Thibet rugs 303 Tientsin rugs 303 Tiflis (city) 354 Toman (coin) 354 Tomoye design 136 Tortoise in design 136 Transcaucasia 253 Transportation charges on rugs 25 Tree in design 135, 137 Trefoil in design, see Recip- rocal trefoil 126 Trellis in design (see Lat- tice) 117 Triangle in design 137 Tribal or Family designs 97 Tuberculosis in the Orient .55, 57 Turkey in Asia 355 Turkish classification 164 Turkish coat of arms 107 Turkish designs 98 Turkish exportation of rugs . . 217 Turkish or Ghiordes knot ... . 169 Turkish weavers 217 Turkestan 277, 354 Turkoman classification 165 Turkoman designs 98 Turkoman rugs 277 Turkoman rugs (characteris- tics) 277 Turner collection of rugs 38 Turtle border design 136 Turtle in design, see tortoise . . 136 Twin fish design, see Herati. . 114 U Umbrella in design 138 Urn in design, see Vase 138 V Valonia used in dyeing. .76, 83, 84 Value of rugs 25, 32 Vegetable dyes.. 40, 44, 75, 76, 78 Vermilion (color) 82 Vestibule, Rugs suitable for. . 49 Violet (color) 84 Vulture in design 133 W Walnut husks used in dyeing 83 Warp 45, 92 Washed rugs 40, 64, 93 Washing, Legitimate 40 Washing of rugs 64, 65 Wearing qualities of rugs .... 63 Weavers. .55, 87, 89, 91, 170, 217, 218 Weavers, Chinese 18, 303 Weavers, Diseases among 55,56, 57 Weavers, Expert (illustration) 38 Weavers, Kurdish 219 Weavers, Pay of. .55, 88, 89, 90, 170 Weavers, Persian 18, 91, 169 Weavers, Turkish 217 Weavers, Turkoman 91 Weavers, Youthful 55, 57 Weavers, Youthful (illustra- tion) 90 Weaving, Age of 17 Weaving, Biblical reference to 17 Weaving, Chinese 305 Weaving, Methods of . . 89, 90, 91 Wedding rugs 324 Weight of rugs 44 Widener collection of rugs. . . 38 Williams collection of rugs. . . 38 Willow tree in design, see Tree 136 Wine glass border design. . . . 138 374 INDEX PAGB Winged globe in design 139 Wolf in design 139 Woof 92 Wool 69 Wool, Preparation of 71 Y Y form in design 139 Yak rugs 305 Yang' and Yin design (see Tae- kieh) 135 Yarkand (city) 355 Yarkand rugs (characteristics) 151 Yarkand rugs (description) . . . 288 YeUow (color) 76, 80, 83 Yerkes collection of rugs 37 Yezd (city) 355 Yomud (tribe) 365 PAGE Yomud Bokhara rugs . . 50, 51, 105, 327 Yomud Bokhara rugs (char- acteristics) 151 Yomud Bokhara rugs (de- scription) 285 Yomud Bokhara rugs (illus- tration) 286 Yuruk 365 Yuruk rugs 60 Yuruk rugs (characteristics).. 160 Yuruk rugs (description) .... 231 Yuruk rugs (illustration) .... 230 Zanjan (town) 355 Zigzag design, see Meander, Greek 119 S76 THE RUG CARAVAN ...w^"'^^ MAP OF THE ORIENT Towns are indicated by a black dot. Rug na.es are indited by a cro.: son,etin.es these na.es indicate a tribe, district or province By courteay of Metan. CUfford