"oriental rugs" in the established sense, but are more accurately
referred to as "oriental-design" rugs. So that's distinction number
one.
Within the
definition of handmade oriental rugs, there is also a distinction
between decorative rugs and collectible rugs, though there can be
some overlap. Modern rugs (often described as decorative, new,
modern/contemporary) are, in the main, produced in commercial
workshops; though they are made by hand and hence "genuine"
Orientals. They originate in Turkey,
Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, India, and China. The labels on many can be a study in confusion— at least in an ethnographic
sense— and are often described according to the Persian (Iranian)
city in which the rug's design attempts to typify. For example, a
rug labeled "Sino-Kashan" would describe a Chinese-made copy of a
Persian floral medallion carpet as popularized by the city workshops
of Kashan, Iran.
There is a plus
side to the mainstream decorative rugs. They are beautiful
and wear well. The value and long term worth or collective value of
these ‘new age’ products has much to do with quality of materials
(machine vs. hand-spun), dyes (natural vs. synthetic), and the
ethnographic authenticity of the rug and its weaver(s). It is
thrilling to find the designs and techniques that have developed
over time and have given these works of art their historic value and
mystique.
The commercial
workshops of India, Pakistan, et al arose in part to help fill the
U.S. market demand for handmades when a twenty-year
embargo made Persian (Iranian) products almost unobtainable. The
embargo turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the
industry, because concerns about quality and the degeneration of the
art resulted in a renaissance in new rug production.
The
best new pieces are colored with natural dyes, in
designs and colors associated with the weavers' ancestry and
heritage. There are numerous designs that can be woven. Some of the styles can include floral, arts & crafts,
modern/contemporary, rectilinear (primitive/geometric), curvilinear
& European.
Designs Include:
Floral
Arts & Crafts
Modern/Contemporary
Rectilinear (primitive/geometric)
Curvilinear
European
Country Origins (Modern)
Iran, India, China, Turkey, Nepal/Tibet, Afghanistan, Pakistan,
Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Turkmenistan, Romania.
Country Origins (Semi-Antique and
Antique)
Persia, India, China, Turkey, Afghanistan, Caucasus Region which
include Azerbaijan, Armenia & Georgia, France, Turkestan.
A rug dealer
should be very specific when stating the origin of a rug.
The origin should also be on the rug tag, or when shopping on the
computer, in the description. A rug can be of Persian design but
woven in India, China, Romania, Egypt or Pakistan and a Chinese
design can be woven in a rug from India or China.
At Superior Rugs
we help take the confusion out of rug labels. Our labels clearly
and concisely state all of the pertinent information regarding each
rug. The origin, fiber content, size, and all relevant manufacturer
information appear on the label. Superior Rugs helps take the
guesswork out of the too often convoluted rug labels.
Superior Rugs carriers a wide variety
of Oriental area rugs. We pride ourselves on the
diverse collections of genuine one of kind original Oriental rugs we
sell, as well as the quality machine made reproductions that capture
the beauty and tradition of old world style.