The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-06-13
THE RUGS OF THE ORIENT.

lHere are Numerous species of Rugs
| and to the Expert Each Group has its
Characteristics of the
Oriental Weavers.
There is residing in Rochester a man
who apparently knows all that there is
to be learned about Oriental rugs-and
anyone who happens to be of the opin-
ion that this subject cannot be made
productive Of large store of knowledge
may as well change his mind right here,
for he'll be compelled to change it later
if he continues to the end of this story
The specialist in question is V. Gurdji, a
native of Caucasia on the eastern
shores of the Blach sea. He knows rugs
not merely by the generic term of rugs,
but by families and species, and by
groups and sub divisions of families
knows them as an art critic knows the
works of the old masters, A glance at
rug of Oriental make tells him not
only whether it was woven in Turkey or
Persia, but in what particular section
of either one of those countries it's maker
lived. Moreover he is learned in the
folk lore of the Orient and tells interest
ing stories of the superstitions and Gus
toms of the people of the east, always
with an application to the weaving or
the use of rugs.
Yesterday afternoon Mr. Gurdji was
asked by a reporter of the Democrat
and Chronicle to talk of rugs in man
ner that would be Instructive to the
great number of people who know that
there is much to be learned about this
characteristic industry of the Orient, the
weaving of rugs, and want to learn, but
are generally in a state of the darkest
and most helpless ignorance. Now Mr..
Gurdji could write work of as many
volumes as the Century dictionary on
the subject, but he said he would try to
generalize briefly for the purpose of
newspaper article, and this he did in a
very interesting manner. He told at
first of the interest attaching to many
Oriental rugs of which most people are
in complete ignorance. He said
Included in the designs of some of
the choice rugs are quotations taken
from the writings of famous Persian
poets, like Saadi Ferdouzi and Hafls, or
from FL Koran, and If the possassors of
some of the rare rugs sold in this coun-
try could know the history of them
and the meaning of the inscriptions on
them, the knowledge would add a
charm and interest which would be even
more attractive than the harmonious
colors so beautifully blended, which
first draw attention to them. I will give
you Persian verse, with pronunciation
and translation, taken from a very rare
rug in my possession, which will give
YOU an idea of the beauty Of the Orien-
4. &c.. hnn nj
Sinneh rug which may have adorned
the harem of khan Of Persia
Mr.. Gurdji then wrote out the Persian
characters as they appear in the design
of the rug The pronunciation of the
characters sounds like this: Jelva KAN
kun bay-een chile sanat herr deda be
kusha nakshee kaletchayee neukar-
Here is free translation; However
small and insignificant the design of a
rug may be, it nevertheless calls forth
the attention of a most humble artist.
Another quotation from the design of
a rug was written by Mr.. Gudoji in the
Persian characters and sounded like
this when he head it: Jehana jun We
falek mayyou sake-e ajal, halaayek
bada noosh majilis We, keelas nest asia
hetch-kesra ezani jam, ezani mayyou
sakee ezan. Translation: THE world
is a cup and destiny the deadly wine of
the cupbearer; men drink it in company
any none is ever free from its thrall, |
from the fatal draught of the cup
bearer"
To many minds the presence of Per-
sian characters in the design of a rug I
would have absolutely no significance, so
unlike are they to the signs employed in
writing and printing the modern Ian
guages. They appear to be merely fam
niful conceptions Of the designer Con-
-inuing his talk, Mr.. Gurdji said:
'There are numerous other things
connected with Oriental rugs and their
of deep significance to the east
ern mind. For instance, We often find
bead woven into a rug. The bead is
here to guard against the evil eye be-
ief in which is one Of the most deep
'ooted of eastern superstitions. Many
ire the attempts to evorcise or prevent
t. To illustrate, an artist is engaged in
rug and some one who visits
lin admires his work. He Immediately
ews in a bead to prevent i'll luck from
attending the completion of the rug or
rom going with it after it leaves his