Antique Oriental Rugs

There are numerous "Coffee table" art books available that serve as a catalogue of some Oriental rugs. Although useful, most of these books tend to leave people confused and are more akin to a museum catalogue than serving as a useful working book for one intending to purchase or identify oriental rugs.

Invaluable for the prospective owner and experienced collector, the Beginner's Guide to Oriental Rugs presents clear illustrations of many of the most common designs found in Oriental rugs. Along with these designs are descriptions of the various rug makers that use the designs. To help refine things, the designs are followed by a detailed description of the rugs produced by each of the major rug producing tribes or towns. Complete advice is also given on evaluating a carpet, what makes one carpet more valuable than another, and how to take care of a carpet once you have it.

Other useful features include a glossary, maps of all major rug producing areas, the history of Oriental rugs and how the carpets are made, etc. Here is the one book you will need to identify, evaluate what makes one carpet more valuable than another, and how to take care of a carpet once you have it.

Other useful features include a glossary, maps of all major rug producing areas, the history of Oriental rugs and how the carpets are made, etc. Here is the one book you will need to identify, evaluate and purchase oriental rugs.

Linda Kline has been collecting Oriental rugs for almost two decades and has traveled extensively in her endeavor. She has encountered hundreds of people in this profession and offers the Beginner's Guide to Oriental Rugs as a way to reduce the amount of time, money and effort the average person faces when considering purchasing oriental rugs. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

"No other book packs all the need-to-know basics of oriental rugs into such an economical package. Its an indispensable resource and the best buy of all rug books."
--Mark Hopkins, President
New Boston Rug Society
For the connoisseur or the once-in-a-lifetime buyer, this unique sourcebook is your personal adviser to the lush world of oriental rugs. From the 1500s to the present day, in countries from North Africa to China, Turkey to the former Soviet Union, The Official Price Guide to Oriental Rugs covers it all--including a fascinating historical overview to this exciting area of collecting.
* COMPREHENSIVE. This invaluable guide covers every class of the most collectible oriental rugs of the world, from classical carpets and tribal weavings to rustic rugs and flat weaves.
* PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. Vital information on how to clean and care for your oriental rug (including spot and stain removal) is included, as well as helpful hints on safe storage and various ways to display your collection.
* WRITTEN BY AN EXPERT. Joyce Ware is a distinguished member of the New York and Connecticut rug societies. She has written for Rug News, Oriental Rug Review, and Fiberarts magazine.
* SPECIAL SECTION. An essential resource featuring names of major auction houses and membership societies, including dealer recommendations and carpet restorers and conservators.
* GLOSSARY. An important dictionary to all the key terms and phrases for the rug collector, from Beating Up to Yarn Ply and Twist.
* FULLY ILLUSTRATED. Packed throughout with photographs for easy identification, including a lavish eight-page color insert.
"The beginning rug collector could not do better than to get and read this book. It contains much good information, some timeless, some of current immediacy, all of it valuable. I believe everyone, newcomer and connoisseur alike, will learn from it."
--Dr. John Sommer, President
San Francisco Bay Area Rug Society

[T]his work is invaluable to the trade and consumer alike. [A] major achievement. -- Oriental Rug Magazine, Spring 2000

Just about anything you need to know about new Oriental rugs is included in this comprehensive book. -- Sacramento Bee, February 24, 2000 --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Murray Eiland III has a doctorate in oriental archaeology from Oxford University. He has spent time working and travelling in many of the Near Eastern and Central Asian countries whose rugs illustrated and described in this book.

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Italian

These two books give the reader tools for understanding, identifying, and selecting Oriental carpets, which have long been staples of elegant home decor. Sakhai, who comes from an Iranian family of experts, presents inside information about the history, traditions, meanings, weaving techniques, and characteristics of carpets from the many tribes of Persia. Readers will gain appreciation for rugs that are part of the everyday life of these people as they learn how to determine quality and authenticity as well as how to care for these treasures. Gorgeous full-color illustrations are accompanied by individual histories and thumbnail maps of the regions of their origins. Stone (Oriental Rug Repair, 1981. o.p.) attempts to define the linguistically confusing terminology of oriental carpets and rugs. In alphabetically arranged entries that are usually brief, with many cross references, he covers rug characteristics, techniques, design motifs, structures, and materials, as well as persons and places. The geographic scope encompasses not only the Middle East but Northern Africa, Central Asia, the Far East, and even southern Europe and North America, presumably because such carpets share "Oriental" designs. Clear black-and-white drawings and small maps punctuate the entries, with 48 rugs shown in color. This long-awaited reference is accessible to the lay reader yet backed by disciplined research. Both books are helpful guides, with Sakhai's reverential text eliciting the exoticism and Stone's lexicon the facts. Together they make an excellent "starter kit" on the topic for large or small academic and public libraries. Indispensable for consumers, dealers, or museums.?Therese Duzinkiewicz Baker, Western Kentucky Univ. Libs., Bowling Green
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.