The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1883-08-16
Fashions In Floor Covers.

At the commencement of the present
century Turkey carpets we're rarities and
Injuries in England but seldom to be
seen, and only to be met with in tie
houses of noblemen or merchant princes
connected with the Levant and oriental
trades. Within the last few ears the
beauty, durability and comfort of thecs
carpets have been appreciated, more
particularly since what is known as the
aesthetic craze" has set in, and aided by
the "fashion of the day" (for unless an
article does become fashionable, no mat
ter how intrinsically beautiful or good it
may be, it does rot get generally
sorts and sizes, from the cheap cotton In
Belaochistan rugs, to the sumptuous
Persian and Turkey carpets, hfve grown
immensely in. popular fayo.. The trade
in these has rapidly and wonderfully in
creased, and the looms of Ouchack and
Koulba, in Anatolia, province of
Asiatic Turkey, find employment for
many thousands of workmen and work
women, to say nothing of children. in
producing the large amount of these
beautiful carpets to supply the markets
of Western Europe and America. 1he
home consumption of Turkey carpets in
Turkey itself and Egypt is very small in
comparison to the large quantities ex.
ported from Smyrna for the use of the
Gisour nations of the West. England
is by far the largest customer, taking
nearly six per cent. of the whole. Next
comes France, to which country about
one-fourth of the products of the
Anatolian looms finds its way, and the
remainder is sent to the United States of
America.
Turkey carpets are always made in
one single piece; and takes almost as
mahy months to manufacture as the same
quantity in superficial extent of ordinary
Brussels or tapestry carpet, which are
made by steam machinery, take days, and
their durability is in like proportion.
Who ever heard of q Turkey carpet being
worn out in one generation? Persian
carpets are fine texture and more costly,
though We may be permitted to doubt
whether anything is woven nowadays in
quite 80 elaborate Q style as that de.
scribed in the story of Schemselnihan
and the Persian prince as forming the
floor covering of the formers palace.
After q minutes description of the beau
ties of the principal chamber, we are told
that the carpet of this splendid salon
was composed of single piece OF cloth
Of gold, upon which were woven lunches
of roses in red and white silk" The
valleys of Khorassan 1.-THE scene of many
of the events in "Lallah Rookh" Kur-
distan, Kesman and the district OF Iran
are now the chief places of manufacture.
those from Kurdistan being esteemed
the best.
The Indian carpets are various in
style and texture, and come from all
parts of that collection of countries and
states classed together under the one
word India. Cashmere, celebrated also
for its unrivaled shawls Afghanistan
and the Punjaub on the extreme north I;
Scinde and the Beloochistan on the north
and west; and all the countries of Central
India, including the dominions Of Nissan
and the districts of the Malabar coast,
each produce their srecialties in carpets.
Rugs is tie more correct term, for IN
like the productions of Persia and Tur.
key. which are made as large as thirty
feet square, they are comparatively
small size.
1t may be remembered that the en-
chanted carpet purchased at Bishagar by
Prince Houssain for forty purses is men.
toned as being about six feet square, !"
on which the three brothers are described
as sitting together when they were trans
ported to their fathers palace. The use
Of these rug sized carpets is now becom.
irg very general, and few houses are to
be found. possessing and pretensions to
comfort, where one or more Of these
oriental floor coverings are not to be
met with in hall, library or bed ROOM
Building and Engineering Times.