GENERAL OBSERVATIONS AND PARTICULAR ADVICE
Many kinds of rugs are made in part of camel's hair, generally undyed and
of a soft brown tone. They are praised as particularly desirable and
durable, and antique specimens often showed a distinguished beauty. Modern
examples are seldom improved by this addition to the wool. Camel's hair,
in the muggy days of summer, has the great fault of offending the nose and
proclaiming not only that the "Campbells are coming" but that the circus
and the whole menagerie is already here. If the camel's hair part of your
rug is soft and silky, it has been taken from young camels or from the
camel's belly, and the odour is hardly ever noticeable. Of wool in rugs
generally it may be said that the best is from the younger sheep, and the
silkiness and sheen of the wool give those same characteristics to the
rug.
Silk rugs, both antique and modern, fairly dazzle the eye with their
beauty, but he who may afford one will needs afford also to furnish the
surroundings for it in like magnificence. Otherwise all else grows pale
and dull and leaden beside their refulgent glory. Place a piece of modern
Dresden china side by side with a fine antique specimen of Chinese
porcelain, and the garishness of the modern ware will give a pallid tone
to the soft whites of the Oriental artist. But the fault is not with the
older and perfect art; it is simply the old truth, in a new form, that
evil colours corrupt and kill good colours.
Be that as it may, old silk rugs are almost priceless, and of value to a
millionaire collector for their originality of design and for their soft
harmonies of colour which centuries alone can give. Modern silk rugs are
mostly machine made, in part at least; are a detriment and a blot on any
scheme of household decoration, and are always worth less than the price
paid for them.
By experience we may best learn how to choose a rug. As, for instance:
never buy a rug, least of all at an auction, without thoroughly examining
it. See its back as well as its face, and so be sure that it has not been
cut, and that there are no serious holes in it. Quite one-third of the
good old rugs will show some rents or tears, often made by the
grappling-hooks as the bales are shipped and transhipped. If these are no
bigger than a silver dollar, a skilful repairer, of whom there are plenty,
will readily remedy the defect. Also hold the rug up to the light to know
that the moths have not eaten it. Look at the nap and see that it is not
worn to the warp. Lay it on a board floor, if possible, and apart from
other rugs, and see that it lies flat and straight. None but those that
are firm enough to lie well are desirable for use and general comfort. Of
course many fine antiques are their own sufficient excuse for exception
from this rule.
If in doubt as to whether a rug has aniline dyes or been doctored or
painted, a handkerchief moistened with the tongue may sometimes discover
the truth. Painting a rug is a device not unfrequently practised when the
nap is worn down and the warp shows white.
Bear in mind that a good example may be so dirty as not to show half its
merits. A sharp patting may scatter enough dust to display it in its
proper colours, and you may thus, literally, unearth a treasure.
Remember, too, that rugs never look so well or show as clear and bright
when hanging on the wall as lying on the floor. Therefore, test a rug
spread out flat before you in broad daylight. It is a trick of the trade
to hold up one end of the piece exhibited and keep it waving to show its
sheen. This is often a mere device to conceal its bad shape or other
defects. If you are buying a rug for use on the floor, you should see it
so displayed. Its sheen should be judged by walking around it and
considering it in various lights.
Note that with few exceptions the fringe and selvedge on a rug were not
made for beauty but for protection. When the fringe is ropy, long, or
uneven, or the selvedge eaten into or ragged, do not leave the rug to its
unkemptness, but trim it religiously. A man should have his hair cut and
put in order at proper times; and the propriety of this observance is
commonly preached on very many prayer rugs, where the comb is prominently
pictured, to remind the devout that "cleanliness is next to godliness."
Indeed, the comb in various forms is so common a feature in the angular
arch of most prayer rugs that its suggestiveness almost detracts from
their beauty. The counsel is most persistent.
Even the clean white fringe of a fine Persian is often so long as to need
clipping. Two inches or so is a plenty. If more is left, the strings only
curl under and show a ragged and broken line, and the rug never appears
trim and orderly.
When the selvedge is gone, and the end borders or sides of the _rug
itself_ are encroached upon and sawed by the tooth of Time, more than half
of the value and beauty of the piece is lost; but to preserve its
usefulness it should be overcast and further damage prevented. Never buy a
rug as a perfect or even choice specimen if any border at the sides or
ends is gone beyond repair. Every border should have its corresponding
end, and _vice versa_, or the piece is imperfect. Selvedge is of slight
importance, but, like a woman's skirts or a man's trousers, it is
unforgivable if worn or frayed. The side edges which are otherwise still
perfect are apt to become more or less ragged with wear. That is a detail,
if the borders themselves are intact; and the edges only need overcasting
before it is too late.
When the good housewife has the rugs and carpets beaten, let it be done on
the grass, if possible, and not when they are hung on a line and so
allowed to break with their own weight. Also let the severity of the
beating be tempered with kindness and discretion. In winter, sweeping with
snow will clean and brighten them most wonderfully.
This whole matter of cleaning is a neglected science and worthy of a
thesis all to itself. The face of a rug will stand the slapping which is
its usual punishment for being dirty; but do not forget, in the end, to
stroke it, with the nap, and so soothe its feelings. Do not beat a rug or
carpet on the back. That has no defence of nap, and you are liable to
break the warp and loosen the knots. Frequent sweeping is far better than
the brutality of constant beating. The wool of a rug is really a sentient
thing. However dead it may seem, it has a life and vitality all its own.
It can be quickened, rejuvenated, and made alive again by proper washing.
Rugs in our modern houses easily accumulate dust and grime and smoke. But
it is absurd to think that a rug is antique because it is dirty; or, more
foolish still, that because it is dirty it is both antique and beautiful.
Wash some of your treasures and you will wonder at their real glory and
colour. Generally speaking, every rug should be washed about once a year.
It is the Oriental custom; and carpets there are otherwise kept much
cleaner than with us, by reason of many usages and observances. That the
Orientals wash their rugs in cold water is not so. Wherever and whenever
their laundering is done, the water is as warm as can be had, naturally.
Milady washes her laces with her own fair hands, and delights in the task.
The rug collector will do well, perhaps, to follow her example; except for
the tender specimens, which must needs do without it, and the carpets,
which are unmanageable. At all events, he will do wisely not to send his
valued specimens to the ordinary carpet-cleaner. They may come back
expurgated, but some virtue has gone out of them. The wool has lost its
oil and life.
It is hardly within the province of this volume to prescribe the exact
methods of washing. Wool soap will do wonders, it being always remembered
to stroke softly with the nap, while the rug is drying. In Kurdistan and
neighbouring provinces the rugs are first soaked in milk of some kind and
then rinsed, cleaned, and rubbed dry. The milk gives back to the wool its
essential oil, and it becomes at once soft, shining, silky, and alive with
glowing colour. This process, simple as it is, is kept as a profound
secret by the few who know it in this country. Another Eastern method is
to rub the rug with a mixture of rice-meal and oil, but the first recipe
is by far the better.
Rugs must be cared for particularly as to moths. When they are in general
use the moth will not corrupt, rust, or break through and steal, as may be
paraphrased from the Scriptures. The criminal indictment against the moth
in this regard cannot be drawn too strongly. He is the collector's great
enemy, because he destroys. Age and even wear only ripen the perfections
of fine modern pieces. Carpets and rugs stored, or laid aside, are not
mothproof, wherever they may be; unless they are treated as in the great
wholesale houses, where they are lifted and moved once a week and
protected with the odorous moth-ball.
When rugs have to be moved and packed frequently they should be folded
differently each time, and not always in the same creases. Otherwise,
wear and tear will soon show in the folds. For many obvious reasons they
always should be folded away with the nap inside.
Experience should teach the collector to appreciate and care for all fine
examples which he may already have. There are few others to take their
places. "Going! going! going!" has been said of them too often. Time, as
auctioneer, now says of them, as of old Chinese porcelains, "Gone!" And
that they should be even rarer than old china is quite understandable. The
ravages of time deal more gently with porcelains than with rugs. Only
breakage, not wear, moth, and abuse affects the former; and it is
generally guarded in glass cases and dusted by the mistress herself. Your
rugs are neglected, or left to the gardener's heroic care and treatment.
Use and abuse encroach upon the ends and edges of a glorious old
masterpiece, and ere it is too late, it becomes but "a king of shreds and
patches."
If there were new rugs to take its place, we might say: "The King is dead.
Long live the King!" But there are no new ones worthy of succession. The
royal line is virtually extinct.
INDEX
Index
Afghan rugs, 82
" " , modern, mineral dyes in, 83
Anatolian rugs, 73
" , commercial term, 73
" mats, 73, 74
Angles, mystery of, 2
" , use of, 62
Angular ornamentation, 96, 121
Antique carpets, 94
" rugs, not to be had, 6
" " , term abused, 43
" " , tones of imitated, 81
" " , valuable for design, 44
Arabian digits illustrated, 124
"Arabic figures," miscalled, 124
Arabic language, 122
" " , catholicity of, 122, 123
Armenians, appreciation of, 3
" , as dealers, 113
" hoard Anatolian mats, 74
Auction, arguments for, 107, 108
" , caution in buying at, 133
" , fascination of, 112
" , ways of, 109, 110
Auctioneer, 109, 110
" , powers of, 111-113
Authorities, few available, 4
Babylon, first rugs woven at, 69
Bale, rugs by, 108, 109
Bead-bags, 23
Beluchistan rugs, 83
" " , silkiness of, 54
Bergama rugs, 75
" " , defect of, 76
" " , lavender in, 75
Bokhara camel-bags, 99
" rugs, 80
" " , brown, 81
" " , Yamoud, 82
" saddle-bags, crooked, desirable, 100
Border, Caucasian, Persian, 23
" , classifying rugs, 27, 28
" , crab, 29, 30
" , dotted, Gheordez, 71
" , Koulah, 27, 72
" , Ladik, lily, 25, 72
" , must have end to correspond, 136
" , Rhodian or lily, 25, 72
" , Serabend, 29, 50
" " , in Mousuls, 53
Borders in Khorassan rugs, defective, 49
Camel-bags, 99
" " , crooked, desirable, 100
Camel's hair in rugs, 131
Cashmere, _see_ Soumac
Carpet, 93
" , room should fit, 94
Carpet-bag, 100, 101
Carpets, modern Persian, 94-98
" " Turkish, 97, 98
Caucasian rugs, characteristics of, 62
" " , Persian influence on, 61
" " , varieties of, 16
Chichi rugs, 61, 62
" " , ordinary specimens of, 66
Chinese figures in Melez rugs, 75
" old, rugs, 88, 89
" weaving transferred to Persia, 69
China, first rugs from, 69
Collector encouraged, 76
Colours, brown, to be rejected, 81
" , chemical in carpets, 95
" , dark, of Beluchistans, 83
" , flaming red, of Karabaghs, 64
" , green and yellow, in Bokharas, 82
" , lavender, heliotrope, &c., 75
" , magenta, to be avoided, 75, 87
" of Beluchistans, 83
" " Bergamas, 75
" " Ladiks, 72
" " Gheordez, 70, 71
" , red, of Bokharas, 80, 81
Comb, as symbol, 135
Cossack, like Kazak, 65
Crooked rugs, poetical version of, 21
Daghestan, confusing term, 61, 62
" rugs, 61
" " , term distinguished, 63
Dates on rugs, 124, 127
" " " , Arabian digits for, 124
" " " , formula for reading, 126
" " " , intricate forms of, 125
Dealers, uncommunicative, 2
" , wholesale, 108
Design, checker-board, 75, 76
" , comb, 135
" , Feraghan, 24, 53
" , four roses, 54, 55 (note)
" , Koniah, 26, 72
" , lamp, 72
" , mosque, 70
" , no pattern for, 26
" , "palace pattern," 64
" , "palm-leaf," "pear," loop, 50
" , "shawl pattern," 64
" , "sunburst," 64
Designs, as trademarks, 26
" , animals for, not on Turkish rugs, 46
" , geometric figures for, 80
" , Kazak, in Killims, 86, 87
" , mosaic-work in, 64, 76, 80
" , palm-leaf, in Mousuls, 53, 54
" , tile, 82
"Dipping" rugs to imitate antique, 81
Donkey-bags, 98
Dyes, aniline, mineral, 35, 36, 38, 134
" " " , test for, 39
" , black, 36
" , brown, 37
" " , imitated, 81
" , green, 37, 50
" , magenta, 36, 49, 87
" , secret in Kurdistan carpets, 96
Edges, should be overcast, 137
Ends, importance of perfect, 136
" , in Khorassan rugs, defective, 49
" , should have corresponding borders, 136
Experts, disagreement of, 56
" , no, 3
Feraghan carpets, 96
" " , small figures of, 97
" rugs, 52
" " , characteristic design of, 29, 52
" " , " " " illustrated, 24
Figures, _see_ Design
Fringe of rugs, not for beauty, 135
" " " , trimming of, 136
Geography of carpets and rugs, 79, 80
Gheordez rug, 70, 71
Gorovan carpets, 96
Gulistan carpets, 97
" rugs, 56
Hall rugs, desirable, 45, 93
" " , Persian term for, 44
Hamadan carpets, 98
Holes in rugs, cause of, 133
India carpets, 17
Inscriptions on rugs and carpets, 121
"Iran," as descriptive term, distinguished, 15
" , a trade term like "Anatolian," 73
Ispahan rugs, 56
Jewels, mats like, 74
Joshghan rugs, 51, 52
" " , like Ispahans, 57
Kabistan rugs, 63
" " , distinguished from Shirvans, 64
Karabagh rugs, 64
Kazak rugs, 65
" " , plush of, 84
Killims, 86, 87
Khorassan rugs, 49
"Kinari," Persian term for "hall rugs," 44
Kirman rugs, 45-48
Kirmanshah carpets, 95
" rugs, trade name for Kirmans, 48
Kiz-Killims, _see_ Killims
Knots, kinds of, 25
" , numbers of, 26
Koniah rugs, 71
" " , characteristic design of described, 72
" " , " " " illustrated, 26
Koulah rugs, 71
" " , characteristic border of described, 72
" " , " " " illustrated, 27
Kurdish rugs distinguished from Kurdistans, 55
Kurdistan carpets, 95, 96
" rugs, 55, 56
Kurds, "a band of robbers," 55
Ladik rugs, 72
" " , characteristic border of described, 72
" " , " " " illustrated, 25
Lamp, Aladdin's, 71
Lamps like tea-pots in Koulahs, 72
Malgara rugs, 88
"Mats," Anatolian, 73, 74
" , Beluchistan, 85
"Mecca" rugs, doubtful term, 3
" " , Shiraz, so called, 51
Melez rugs, 74, 75
Mohammedan dating, 125, 126
Moth holes to be looked for in buying rugs, 133
Moths to be guarded against, 140
Mousul rugs, 53
" " , shimmer of, 84
Museums, best rugs in, 6
" , brown Bokharas only in, 81
" , guide-posts to, 73
Mysterious inscriptions, 123
Mystery of the rug, 2
Names of rugs, 8, 9
" " " , commercial, 56
" " " , importance of, 14
" " " , unknown and fanciful, 14
Oushak carpets, 98
Pattern, _see_ Design
Persia, inspiration drawn from, 69
"Persian Iran," ignorant term, 15
Persian, means splendour, 6
Persian rugs, best to buy, 45
" " , order of, 15
Pile, depth of, in Mousuls, 84
Pillow, shown by selvedge, 101
Pillows, Sehna, 101
Prayer rugs, 71
" " , comb in, 135
Rose, conventionalized, 53
" , Oriental origin, 54
" , Persian, 52
Rugs, beating of, 137
" , cheap, uses and value of, 66
" , cleaning of, 137
" , firm, that lie well, desirable, 134
" , folding of, 141
" , holes in, 133
" , hung on wall, criticised, 102, 134
" , moths in, 140
" , much worn, to be avoided, 133
" , neglect of, 141
" , number annually imported, 114, 115, 116
" , painted or doctored, test for, 134
" , retail trade in, 113
" , tricks in selling, 135
" , washing of, 138, 139, 140
" , wholesale dealers in, 114, 117
Russian, types of, in Caucasian rugs, 63, 65
Saddle-bag, 98
" " , shown by selvedge, 101
" " , term confusing, 100
Saddle-cloth, 102
Samarkand rugs, 87
Sarak rugs, 57
Selvedge, cutting of in Beluchistans, 85
" " " " Bergamas, 76
" of Bergamas, 84
" " Beluchistans, 28
" " Bokharas, 82
" " pillows, 101
" " saddle-bags, 101
" " Yamoud Bokharas, 82
" should be trimmed, 135, 136
Sehna rugs, 48, 49
" pillows, 101
Serabend rugs, 50
" " , characteristic border of, 29
" " , " " illustrated, 50
Shiraz donkey-bags, 98
" rugs, 51
" " , defects of, 76
Shirvan donkey-bags, 98
" rugs, 64
" " , distinguished from Kabistan, 64
Silk rugs, antique, 132
" " , modern, to be avoided, 48, 132, 133
Sizes of carpets, 44, 94
" " rugs, 44
" " " , almost square, 82
Smyrna carpets, 97, 98
"Smyrna" carpets, so called, 98
Soumac rugs, 86
"Strips," or "Stair-rugs," proper name of, 44
Sultanabad carpets, 97
Tabriz carpets, 95
" rugs, 57
Teheran rugs, 56
Tjoshghan, _see_ Joshghan
Tree, cypress, 75
" of Life, 46
Trellis, rose, 53
Turkestan rugs, 79
" " , varieties of, 16
" " , " " , order of, 16
" weaves, like rubies, 70
Turkoman rugs, 79
Tzi-tzi, _see_ Chichi
Washing of rugs, essential, 138
" " " , methods of, 139, 140
Weaving, done by women, 22
" , method of, 24, 25
Wholesale dealers, buyers from, 108
Wool, camels', 131
" from young sheep, desirable, 132
Wool has life, is sentient thing, 138
" , like plush in Kazaks, 84
" , soft and silky, in Beluchistans, 84
Youraghan rugs, 51
Yourdez, _see_ Gheordez
Youruck rugs, 65
Footnote:
[1] This ancient four-flowered pattern appears in as many forms as the
loop or palm-leaf; but whatever bud or blossom may be modelled by the
weaver, the design retains its strong distinctive lines. It is shown on
the cover of this volume in one phase, and it appears in different form in
the plate of the Beluchistan rug.
End of Project Gutenberg's The Oriental Rug, by William D. Ellwanger