RugNotes: Alameda Times-Star Online - Exotic world of Oriental rugs: "Saturday, November 13, 2004
Alameda Times-Star Online - Exotic world of Oriental rugs
Alameda Times-Star Online - Bay Area Living: "Exotic world of Oriental rugs
'THE technical definition of Oriental is the land mass between Turkey and Japan," says Matt Pence of Emmett Eiland's Oriental Rug Company in Berkeley. Hundreds of years ago, Western people divided the world into two hemispheres: Western (or occidental) and Eastern (Oriental). So Oriental rugs can be those made in that half of the world.
"Oriental rugs are made in places like China, India, Pakistan, Turkey, Iran and now, Afghanistan, resurging since the Soviets left and the Taliban is gone," Pence says.
The field of Oriental rugs can be complicated. If you throw in the antique rug market, it's even more confusing.
"Rugs can get kind of esoteric pretty quickly," Pence says a bit ruefully.
The principles for what makes a good rug are fairly simple: the quality of the workmanship and materials, the quality of the colors, the beauty of the pattern, the age and its rarity. But truly delving into the market means learning what patterns, characteristics and techniques are traditional for which tribes.
Joe Bezdjian, who owns Simonian Oriental Rugs in San Mateo, says that for a novice, discerning the difference between a $10,000 rug and a $4,500 rug may be impossible. "You just have to be in the business to be able to tell," he says.
And in the antique market, the condition of the rug takes an expert eye. For example, frayed fringe and even some unraveling around the edges can be repaired. Other problems, particularly moth damage, are more serious.
Simonian shows a Kurdish rug, made in Iran, that's nearly 100 years old. The geometric pattern of bold reds, blacks, browns and royal blue is marred by a huge worn spot in the middle. Even so, he judges its value at $500. "Some people love it," he says. "I would overlook this because it's old."
Emmett Eiland's sells some antique rugs, but mostly sells rugs created in traditional ways -- hand-knotted with hand-spun wool -- using traditional patterns.
One reason that a typical higher-end new rug can cost $5,500 is how long it takes to make.
"A typical rug in our store is probably 120 knots per square inch, and each of those knots was tied to the rug by one person," he says. "A really skilled weaver will do one square yard of rug per month."
That means that a room-sized rug can take six to 10 months to make by a group of several weavers, which explains why they cost thousands of dollars.
Emmett Eiland's Oriental Rug Company has an extremely detailed Web site that's useful for inspiration as well as shopping: www.internetrugs.com
-- Elizabeth Jardina""
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