The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-27
HER ORIENTAL TRADE
Real" Persian Rugs Made by
Mrs. volk, of Maine.
She Says Ii Helps to Solve the
Problem, "what Can Women Who
Remain mt Home Do to Occupy
Their TImefv = Above All IL Big
niles the Labor of the Hands.

Real Oriental rugs-real In color. tex
ture. artistic finish. and permanency and
real in the price asked and paid for them
are made down in Maine
Heretofore wealthy Americans have
turned to the Far East for the costly rugs
with which to emhellish their houses. The
rich. enduring colors. the significant sim
pie designs. the patient perfect work.
have been the exclusive property OF the
orientals and the despair OF the CONNER
cial peoples Of other lands who sought to
copy them. But now there has been es-
tablished in remote down east iocali-
ity rug industry that is attracting the
favorable attention of connoisseurs. No
attempt is made to reproduce the old pat-
terms. but artistic principles that are true
throughout the world are employed and
the work is done as slowly and as pains-
takingly as il the world wagged as slowly
from one generation to another in our
busy land as in the old Asiatic countries.
Indeed in Oxford county. Me-. where this
new work is being done, the hustle and
the tunult of the world are hushed, says
a writer in the Cleveland Plain Dealer"
and conditions tend to favor the turning
out of work that will have permanent
value.
But when months OF skilled hand work
goes into rug it cannot be sold in COM
petition with the cheap machine produced
domestic rugs. 1t appeals to the tastes
and purses Of the cultivated and the rich,
and thus enters into competition with the
valuable importations from India and Per-
STA. small rug costs $50 or more, &C.
eording to the design, and larger ones in
proportion.
Already, although the industry is in its
infancy. the value OF the rugs has been
discovered by those who are able anu
willing to pay for them. and Oxford eoun-
ty rugs are displayed with the same pride
in their possession that the owner feels
for his artistic finds from other lands.
The avowed purpose of Mrs. Douglas
Volk. the wife OF the artist who is pro-
noting the enterprise, Is to establish
dignifed. artistic, and remunerative form
of handicraft among a people OF pure
American blood, to preserve some of the
best American traditions AMI customs.
and 20 revive process that has lapsed
almost to extinction.
The yolks have country place in that
remote country far beyond the disturb
cial hubbub and confusing marts. Their
house is a century old, and its furnishings
are the accumulation of its hundred years
of occupancy by one family. Primitive
simplicity prevails throughout the lccali-
ty. and the artist and his family bring in
no 79-- ways from the larger world. Un-
fortunately. with the simplicity there ex-
lists a lack OF prosperity arneGs the ma
tives. Many of the old sources of income
Fn...r
ones have been devised TO take their
place.
The women are capable, Industrious,
and intelligent. and many of them still
use the spinning wheels and looms that
once were found in every farm house
throughout the country. Gradually. how
ever they were being banished to attic.
cellar. or clubhouse, or even left exposed
TO the out -of-door weather, and the home
ly arts of we olden time" were being for
gotten. The young women were ignorant
OF the weaving of which their grandmOth
ers were SO proud.
But there were a few elderly women
who retained knowledge of carding.
spinning, and weaving in all their
branches, and to them Mrs. Volk appealed
for instruction. She learned everything
they could teach her and then she set
herself to teach others.
She encouraged all kinds of weaving,
but her chief interest and endeavor cen
tired upon the rugs, the making Of which
she is seeking to develop into industry
that shall prove a value to the commu
nifty.
The country women had a way of pull
ing rags of yarn through burlap and trim
ming off the ends so as 10 make an even
surface. She utilized this principle, but
varied it so that it became practically a
4 al 0f for
strength and durability than burlap was
hand woven to serve as the foundation for
the rugs, and the yarn then was prepared
by hand. drawn through and double
knotted securely. Mrs. Volk looked after
every detail beginning with the washing
of the wool direct from the sheep.
She experimental until she got satisfae
tory vegetable dyes. in which she colored
the wool out OF doors in great old-fash-
toned kettles. The only process which was
not done by hand was the spinning, which
was carried on in picturesque old mill
run by water power. Here the owners OF
the wool waited while the miller put the
wool through the prescribed process and
then carried it home with them.
In her own home Mrs. Volk began the
work of manufacturing the rugs. The con-
sentative country folk looked on wonder
ingly and obviously at first but her enthu-
siasm could not fail to have its effect. and
soon she went from house to house show
ing the neighbors how to get the best eff
feuts and setting designs for them to copy.
Last winter she did not come to towS
at all. but stayed with her work in the
quiet. snowbound country. This year she
has left several women working in their
homes on the rugs that she planned be-
fore she left in the fall In the early
spring she will return to Maine to carry
forward the industry more actively The
work Is slow and painstakins, but the re-
suits justify It.
SOME of the rugs have been shown at
art exhibitions in New York this winter,
and have been the objects of high praise
and commentator. Artists and rich peo-
ple have given as many orders as can be
filed for a long time by the few who have
a sufficient knowledge of the work to car
ry them out.
Not only are the colorings OF these rugs
delightfully."- harmonious but they are as
nearly permanent as colors can be. The
vegetable dyes used will not fade. The
thick. firm weave also. makes the rugs
practically indestructible. as far as ordi-
nary use and wear go.
The Importance OF this new industry
has several aspects. 1t is encouraging
as an indication that Americans have a
growing appreciation of the worth of
hand work thoroughly done and of artis-
tie values Ii helps in the solution of
perplexing problem in the rural communi
ties: What can the women who remain
at home do to occupy their time profit
ably?''
The old Industries that have passed
away left nothing to take their place.
Time hung heavily. and. even with the
strictest economy. II was difficult TO earn
al.