The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-27


McDougals is not apparent to the casual
eye, nor is the difference between the
Fraser and Macintosh weavings visible at
once. 1t is so with the products of the
weavers1 of Persia and Turkestan. Here
may be a trace of Chinese influence: there
a symbol borrowed from Italian weavers;
elsewhere an irregularity. as in one carpet
pictured in this book due entirely to a
characterization on the part of the
weaver. The carpets of Beluchistan have
a peculiar dark lustre and softness. due
to the dark natural color of the wool,
which will not take light shades. Mr..
Mumford is of the opinion that in some
respects, particularly in coloring. the car
pets of Persian Kurdlstan are the best
that come to market. The reasons, as he
gives them, with little anecdote illus
trating the general peril which involves
the rugmaklng art, are as follows:
The Kurds in their Businesses have kept more
alOof from the Generalization OF towns than any
of the other races found in Persia, and have
been slower to take up with the meretricious
tricks which other weaving folk have learned
with such lamentable thoroughness. Their rugs
have always been accounted representative OF
what is good in texture and color. and since they
are woven principally in the tents away from
town influences the quality has been fairly
well preserved. Another element which goes far
toward maintaining il is that Kurdistan has an
unfailing supply of wool which is not surpassed
anywhere, unless II be in Kirman and certain
parts Of Turkestan. The greater part OF the
yarn, moreover, is spun by hand and with infinite
care, and the result is apparent in most OF the
rugs which the kurds bring to town for sale.
The anline invasion has made headway among
them, and that is not surprising in view OF the
fact that throughout the wilds of Turkestan the
dye-shops are as rare as Eifel towers Inc
Kurdish weavers their own dyers, and the
with which chemical dyes be mixed
is tempting. Nevertheless, after examining many
hundreds OF rugs, in the bazaars and on the
looms, / of opinion that the Kurds have
CLING to the old colors more tenaciously than
any other of the weaving peoples II the old
processes to be saved, they must, 1t would
seem, be sought among the Kurds. In the dye
shops in the town, certainly. they cannot be
learned Take, for example, the single matter OF
Persian blue, the essential color in all high
class Persian carpets. 1t is confessedly lost /
put to the most competent dyer | could find many
questions concerning his vsriegated business. He
expounded and explained and brought samples
Of his dye stufs and his mordants, but at the
close admitted that while he could make dozens
Of desirable blues the old color was beyond him,
and he didn't know anybody who had any more
idea Of producing it than he had. The average
Persian will lie. on principle but the proof
that this dyer telling the truth that the
best blue that he had to show a dead and un-
inspiring color when contrasted with ragged
scrap OF antique Herst rug, which | had
found kicking about the bszar in Tifis.
Two days later. looking mixed lot OF
runners collected during the preceding six months
by Persian merchant l Kurdish pair,
comparatively new, but in one OF the best old
Persian designs and grounded In that same
indescribable dark, deep. and yet almost transu-
cent blue. which had forced such a frank con-
fession from the dyer. Under vouminous tur-
ban somewhere in the mountains OF kurdistan,
the ancient secret of color Turks. decade hence,
in all likelihood. it will have gone the way Of
all the good things which once made the Persians
the most enviable people in the world.
Perhaps the keynote of the whole book
may be said to be that of warning, all the
more effective because not always inten-
tional. Again and again comes the state
ment or hint that some secret, or design,
or trick of weaving is in danger of disap-
pearing under foreign influence. Again
and again the difference between the old
and priceless treasures of the past and the
degenerate modern product of conscience
less cOmmercialism is pointed out, and If
the reader does not know a genuine Oren-
tai rug from a spurious one by the time
he finishes this book it will not be because
the matter has not been thoroughly ex-
planned 1t rests with the buyer, and
largely with the American buyer. whether
this ancient and historic art shall be lost.
as have been the secrets of the coloring OF
Titians and Murillo's masterpieces. 1t
Mbuiu seem iHdN lotillils Gdti save It
less there shall arise q genuine respect for
the art among those in this country vino
are buying rugs, and unless they demand,
in place of imitation antiquity, real beauty
of design and thoroughness of workman
ship, whether the rug be new or old. At
any rate the work of the author. evident
ly labor of love, has been well done, and
II it is followed up by general interest
in the subject among those who study art,
he will be the beginner of a commercial
crusade considerably more to the point
than the fruitless expeditions OF the Mid
die Ages-a crusade against dishonesty.
II was said by the Mosaic law-giver that
If any man should sell thing for that
which il was not he should be taken be-
fore the elders and stoned to death. but
the business of the present generation
seems to be to discover how thoroughly
that law can be disregarded. There is a
principle in this thing, and it is to be
hoped That the combined conscience and
esthetic sense of the American art-lover
will discern it. (New York: Charles
Scribner's Sons. $500