New-York tribune., 1905-06-18
DESIGNER OF RUGS.
Umique Position Held by Nee York
Won,an-Her LoUeIy Creations.

To the uninitiated the designing of rugs would
probably not appear to be an occupation for
which men should have any special qualifica-
tions that women do not possess Nevertheless,
the designers Of rugs are generally men, and
when a young woman, Miss Emma Ray Mar
shall made inquiries to the opportunities of
the field about half dozen years ago, she was
told that there were absolutely none for a
woman Further inquiries as TO why this should
be so ELECTED only the vague general statement
that the work was always done by men. and the
more particular intimation that women couldnt t
make practical designs and that no matter how
good their ideas might be at first they lnVar1anly
gave out after few years work
Miss Marshall did not see the force of this
reasoning, and, undiscouraged by the quantities
of cold water poured on her project, she per-
sisted in learning rugmaking. To-day her
beautiful floor coverings are to be found in
homes of wealth all over the country
She has made a speciality of Indian rugs, be-
cause this is considered to be the most difficult
branch of the art, and her employers DO not
wish her to waste her time on easy things that
other people can do. She is said to have de-
signed more of these rugs than any other man
or woman in the country.
The predicted difficulty of making pracucaI
designs is one which Miss Marshall has never
experienced. I0e IGSL ueSISIl SuD4ii4NNSNA ~ e-0
firm which now employs her was practical.
Neither has she perceived any falling off IN her
ideas On the contrary, she has found the pos
sibilitieg of the field Hmitless.
sThe originality of her designs is almost start
ling" saws an admirer of her work after the
genius Of ages has been lavished on Indian rugs
one would think that their possibilities would
have been exhausted. Yet Miss Marshall pro-
duces effects that seem quite new. 1t is her am
bition to rival the ancient art of India, and she
gets effects such as are expected only as the re-
suit of time"
Miss Marshall is graduate of the New 1ori1
School of Applied Design for Women, and had
no artistic training until she went there, yet
from the beginning she took a leading place in
her classes, and during her course carried off
many prizes She took up rug designing LOT
financial reasons putting off till more con-
venient season her ultimate object OF painting
pictures Yet she says she has found in her
work complete artistic satisfaction She often
designs interior decorations to harmonic with
her rugs and always prepares her own coiors'
which the chemist In india, Wnere inc rugs dAe
woven, copies.
Miss Marshall is not the only woman engaged
in this branch of applied art, but 1t is SAID thaC
no other woman in this country ever got sucn
high prices for her work as she. 1t is a common
complaint among designers that rug
designing does not pay, and Miss Marsnal
thinks that any woman wishing TO enter the
field would be told just what she was told half
a dozen years ago. Nevertheless, she is con-
WINGED that any woman who can make gooo
designs will find her place. The demand for
Oriental rugs is growing. and therefore the de-