TURKOMAN OR TURKESTAN RUGS
The geography of the carpets and rugs thus far considered has included a
very considerable area.
Any traveller or collector who may have journeyed in fact to the regions
where they are made may well have stories to tell, for his wanderings will
have led him into strange lands and wild places.
But the remaining classes of rugs, which we are wont to see lying
gracefully in front of our hearths, as tame and peaceful as kittens, have
come from still farther and wilder regions of the world; and the wonder is
that we see them at all or are permitted the privilege of treading on
them. The Turkestan class, so far as our subject is concerned, carries us
east from Persia, through Afghanistan and Beluchistan even into China.
They are Oriental in very truth, and at first blush, it would seem, should
be more crude and barbaric in their art. But as compared with the bold,
rough, and rude weaves and patterns of the Russian Caucasians, they are,
as a class, most refined and delicate in design and fine in texture.
It has been said that "whoever has seen one Bokhara rug has seen them
all." Their set designs and staple colouring have been so long familiar
that we have lost respect for them. There are the well-known geometric
figures for the centre, smaller similar figures for the borders, and a
mosaic of diamonds or delicate traceries of branches for the ends. Choice
examples, like the stars, differ from one another in glory only. The
variations evolved from the one conventional design are almost infinite;
and the many shades and tones of red which are used bring to mind the
paintings of Vibert and his wonderful palette of scarlets, carmines,
crimsons, maroons, and vermilions.
[Illustration:
PLATE X.
ANTIQUE BELUCHISTAN
FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE AUTHOR
Size: 4.10 x 8.3]
Some of the rare old Bokharas come in lovely browns and are almost
priceless in value. Sad to say, it remained for an American vandal to
discover a process of "dipping" or "washing" an ordinary rug so as to
imitate these rare originals, and many dealers unblushingly sell these
frauds. To wear imitation jewelry is far less reprehensible. Happily the
trickery is generally distinguishable because the "dip" or stain, whatever
it may be, is apt to run into the fringe or otherwise betray itself. The
wise buyer will reject with scorn any rug, under whatsoever name offered,
which shows no other colouring than various shades of chocolate brown. No
such uniform brown dyeing ever characterized any class of rugs. Even the
brown Bokharas which are in museums show some other tints with their brown
tones.
Good Bokharas, like good Kirmans, are undeniably beautiful and of great
value, but the mere fact that both are considered staples in the rug
trade tends to detract from their artistic value; and that they are so
generally doctored, disguised, and perverted puts them in bad repute.
The Yamoud-Bokharas come in larger sizes than the others of their type;
are not so fine in texture, but thicker and firmer. Their designs are
larger and bolder, and they show a most becoming bloom. They also display
green and even yellow in their colouring, which is not usual in Bokharas.
Their selvedge is beautifully characteristic. In Bokharas proper the
adornment of the selvedge usually is on the warp; as in the Bergamas and
Beluchistans. In Yamouds the selvedge is almost always carried out in wool
with like skill as that given to the rest of the piece.
The Afghans are a coarser edition of Bokharas, and may be mostly
considered for utility. They come in large sizes, and almost square; have
bold tile patternings, and in the finer examples are plush-like and
silky. These are still to be had, but many modern ones are dyed with
mineral dyes, and their bloom is meretricious. The chemist has waved his
magic wand over them, not wisely but too well.
The Beluchistans are somewhat akin to the Bokharas, and like the latter
rejoice in reds and blues in the darker tones, while they display greater
variety in their designs. These are ordinarily crude and simple, but in
the old exemplars they were of considerable variety, and their wealth of
changing colours in sombre shades was rich beyond the dream of avarice.
"Lees of wine," "dregs of wine," "plum," "claret," "maroon,"--these are
terms which have served to describe their prevailing colours. The
adjectives are still applicable and may give some idea of the colourful
effects which are obtained from their stains of brown and red and purple.
For decorative effect, their deeper tones make most harmonious contrast
with the subdued and softened Persians and old Daghestans. In many
specimens, new and old, white, both blue white and ivory, is used in
startling contrast. It makes or mars the picture, according to the
artistic skill of the weaver. The wool used in the good Beluchistans is
particularly soft and silky, and lends to them their unique velvety sheen.
No other varieties show it so perfectly, although antique Kazaks have
their particular plush, and the Mousuls with their depth of pile have a
shimmer and shifting light which is their especial artistic feature. The
distinction may not easily be formulated; but, nevertheless, the sheen of
the Beluchistan is one beauty, while the play of light and shade on a
Mousul is another pleasure to the eye.
In the Bergama rugs the weaver does not disdain to spend some toil and
time upon the selvedge; and this, even in small specimens, is commonly
four to six inches long, carefully woven in white and colour and with
occasional ornamentation. In this selvedge a small, elongated triangle is
frequently embossed in wool, with the commendable purpose of avoiding the
"evil eye."
But in the Beluchistans the maker "enlarges his phylacteries, and
increases the borders of his garments." He goes even to greater pains and
trouble in the elaboration and finishing of his selvedge. It is often
prolonged to eight or ten inches in moderate-sized rugs, and is woven into
most interesting patterns and stripes of colour. It is literally carried
to extremes. It may seem an act of vandalism, but the wise and stoical
collector will do well to eliminate all but two or three inches of it and
have a skilful weaver overcast and fringe the ends. Selvedge, however
adorned, is utilitarian only, and, like useless fringe, it must not be
allowed to detract from the proportions and beauty of the piece itself.
For the comfort of the collector be it known that within the last year or
two, many fine Beluchistan mats and small rugs have been secured somehow
by the wholesalers and are in evidence in the retailers' stock.
Beluchistan, evidently, is one of the remote regions last to be drawn
upon, scoured, ravaged, and exhausted. The opportunity should be improved
by the provident buyer.
The Soumac or Cashmere rug calls for no further description than a
Cashmere shawl. With the exception of choice antique specimens which time
has chastened and mellowed into pictures in apricot, fawn, robin's-egg,
and cream colours, the Cashmeres are rather matters of fact than of art.
What are known as Killims, or Kiz-Killims, the better class, are hard
fabrics akin to the Soumacs except that they have no nap on either side,
and are double faced. They are mostly Caucasian and Kurdish, with the bold
designs of those classes, or they come in the beautiful, delicate patterns
of the Sehnas. In their crudest and strongest Kazak figures they appear
in the most brilliant pigments, with soft reds, rose, lake, and vermilion
for contrasting colours, splashed together as on a painter's palette. Of
course they lack the sheen of a rug, but their colour effects are
marvellous. While generally used for portieres and coverings, they are
perfect rugs for a summer cottage, being most durable, and are worthy of
attention. Moreover, fine antique examples are still to be had. Some
collector might be the first to make a specialty of them and garner them
before they pass; the end of the Oriental weaver's pageant. The usual
warning, however, must be given, that they are often cursed with the
barbarous magentas hereinbefore mentioned, a colour which would ruin a
rainbow.
The products of Samarkand are quite out of the ordinary, and thoroughly
Chinese in character. Except by association and classification they have
no resemblance to the Turkestan or any other division. They form a class
by themselves, the legitimate successors of the old Chinese rugs, long
gone by. They are very bold in design, and in colour tend to yellow,
orange, and various soft reds. An inferior make of Samarkands often
appears under the title of Malgaras. They have neither quality nor colour
to commend them.
But there are old Chinese rugs also. Most of them are in the conventional
blue and white, with simple octagonal medallions, with no border to speak
of, and with little strength of character. They are coarsely woven and
have been so commonly imitated by machine reproductions in English
carpetry that even blue and white originals have small merit to boast of.
There were, and doubtless still are, Chinese rugs of far more importance.
Many are noted in the catalogue of a sale in New York City no longer ago
than 1893. From one item remembered, they showed various beautiful
colourings, far beyond the simple white and blue, and in design displayed
much of the artistic strength, grace, and beauty of the old Chinese
porcelains. It is a mystery where these rugs lie hidden. No one boasts of
owning them or claims credit to even a modest $10,000 antique specimen.