The morning call., 1893-03-26
COUNTERFEIT RUGS.
The Oriental Variety Is Often Served
Up in a Very Inferior Way.
New YORK sun.

II has been asserted that there are tricks
in every trade, only they are not always de-
tected.
There are tricks in painting, It is well
known; and certain means are sometimes
employed by certain artists TO save labor or
to produce effects that, to say the very
least, are not TO be commended. The
diamond is counterfeited, various gems are
falslhed so as 10 escape detection save by
the expert; furniture and paintings and
coins are "autiqued," and to fresh bronze is
impaired the tones OF age.
Latterly another form OF counterfeitinG
has appeared which, unless checked, will
seriously in1ure an art that is Teplete with
charm. The Oriental rug has. in its turn,
been selected as a means of unlawful or at
least illegitnate gain on the part of some
who. not satisfied with the large profits it
yields them, demand still greater returns
New rugs with crude colOrs are now ripened
and meliowed by the enterprising Ameri-
can, and old rugs with Objectionable hues
are toned" into harmony. This is notably
the case with the class of textile fabrics
known as Samarands or Malgaras from
Eastern Turkestan, class OF rugs similar
In weave to the Afghans. and In which the
Chinese spirit is more or less noticeable in
the figures and designs.
1t Is unnecessary 10 state that while the
Oriental has no compunction about dyeiug
his beard, he would as soon think of dyeing
rug as of opening the portals of his
harem or turning his PRAYER Garnet To the
west while performing his orisons to Al
Ian. The dyeing of the wool is always
done In the yarn, never in the Loose fabric
or in the piece while the art of bleaching
is totally unknown.
1t is true that very old and threadbare
rugs are sometimes touched up with
water colors by the Oriental middleman.
but this is not common, and II may be de-
tected by close examination. The dye
lug, or rather the "undyeing" process,
is a modern invention and is done in
New York. the process consisting in TAX
ing cheap Samarcand and other rugs in
bright colors and bleaching them by the use
Of chemicals. This decoration is quite
cleverly done, the connterfeiter being able
apparently to retain such colors as he
chooses and bleach or mellow the remainder
at his will. The trade. | am told, has
proved very lucrative one, as the process
Is a profound secret The effect produced
Is often very artistic, the design of large
portion OF the fabric showing as an UNDER
tone in soft shades. This is especially OBJ
seTvab!e in the yellow Samarcands, the idea
being seemingly to initiate the Chinese rugs
which have recently been pushed into vogue.
But the falslfylng process is by no means
confined TO the productions of a single dis
trlct, ana purchasers should be put on tn eir
guard with respect TO the adulieration gen.
orally. OF course, to the cOnnOisseur the
fraud is readily apparent. And as a means
of detecting 1t, 1t may be stated that il
usually reveals itself by the presence of
spots or stains in the fabric, of a different
color or hue from the general tone No
doubt In time these blemishes would be
overcome. so great is the pecuuiary incen-
tive, providing dealers would handle the
spurious article, for which large pIices are
obtained.
There are rugs enough, however, both
antique and modern, in the vast countries
Of their production to supply the trade le-
gitimately, without calling upon chemistry
and chicanery. At least the "dOctored"
productions should be labeled as "doctored'
or "Ameriranzed," so that tie uuwary or
uninitiated would not be imnnsed nnnn