New-York tribune., 1908-10-25
ORIENTAL RUGS AND
HOW TO BUY THEM
HONEY THROWN AWAY ON
ALLEGED ANTIQUES.
Practical Aduce to the NoUice from
Buyer of Fifty Years
Experience.

..rb,s &c the season when SO many people throw
away their money hunting bargains In anuque
Oriental rugs" The speaker was the expert Ouyer
of one of the most reliable rug importing hrrns IN
tha United States He had just returned from
his ffueth buying trip in the Orient ana tne TO
porter agreed with him that he hao a rlsnI 70
know good rug when he saw It, 'Or course II
"a irnnossjbe for any one TO get an expert Hpo"l-
edge Of Oriental rugs by reading. But an 40
ouaintsnce with types and prices Of rugs TO ce
found in the better class shops In Kris country
will both save the purchaser money ana enaDio
him to mako his selection with come degree OF
intelligence.
.1r tho Ars+ nIace searchers after antique ORR
entail rugs should remember that all the impor-
tant pieces were long ago locked up IN the HluSe-
urns and palaces Of the old world. The Few pieces
that are offered for sale from time to tire retch
such high prices that only multi-millonaires can
afford them Small antique Caucasian, Anatolian
and Mossoul rugs from twenty-five to two hundred
years old still to be had If one Is able to pay
the price, but most of the so-called antique rugs
have had only the first glare Of newness worn on
and less than ten years have passed since they
left the hand OF the weaver.
They should also remember that there are more
rugs of high quality being woven to-day than ever
before The finest rugs in the world ara being
woven in ersia For centuries Persian rugs have
been the pride OF the Shah. The present ruler
besides bestowing orders and honorable rewards
on successful rug makers. inhicts the most severe
punishment for the Of aniline dyes or any
thing calculated to bring PERSIAN rugs hto uA7-
repute.
eoThe finest large rugs are woven in Northwestern
Persia and are marketed mostly at Tabriz. The
price of these rugs is from 81 to $40 square Ioo'
For durability they unsurpassed Tne patterns
are brilliantly harmonious, and usually nave q
medallion in the centre an ivory neld with the
corners of tho field and the borders overrun by ex-
ouisitely fne floral designs. The colors are deli
cate pastel pinks. green's and blues.
The fame Of the Herman rug is due IN part 10
the high quality Of the herman wool To-oay the
patterns are mostly floral. with birds and flowers
shown in relief The warp is usually OF cotton ana
the filing of wool with short zap and hDe weave
While the oolors are delicate they are at the Same
time exceedingly rich and soft. In large sizes ke
mans sell at from 81 to SIS a square foot
''Bokhara rugs made In Russia and for the
last few years have been very popular with the
American who can AFFORD medium priced rugs.
Those Of medium Eize sell from Sc to S square
foot and arc worth every penny Of 1t. The web Is
entirely Of wool and frequently extends three or
more inches beyond pile at the ends. where II Is
finished with long fringe The WOOL Is OF tno hish-
est quality and the pile very short
Another popular rug that is Of Russian make Is
III. samarkand These rugs almost exclusively
Chinese in pattern, and on them often appear Ni1
nese pheasants or dragons. Yellow Is Ihe uolli-
nant color with reds and blues that form superb
contrasts and harmonies. The web IS usua4ly o.
cotton and the weave moderately me. a s00o
quality sells for about 81 square foot
1T is particularly easy for the inexperienced
buyer to go wrong IN selecting silk rugs as there
ara so many uercerized and wood silk limitations
IN tbs market Many Of these are not even hano-
lyno++ed These limitations are neyer durable ana
se1don handsome Persian silk rugs, frequently
with silk web bring from s. TO $50 foo ACCORDING
to fneness, weight and size
persons who want the soft colors of the real
antique Oriental rugs may approximate theIh py
eating washed rugs. Now, there are washed rugs
ond washed rugs Washing rugs is a process that
REQUIRES skill and experience Of the highest type
and has been brought to great perfection IN thls
country 1t not only grays or softens tho coiors'
hut it removes all surplus color and sets the rest
After washing vegetable colors are there TO stay
II neope only knew that proper washing is a le-
zitir1ate form of finishing rug, and does not IN
t1lre the fabric, they would be glad 10 pay the
extra price that well washed rug cost instead OF
hunting around in dirty side-street shops and
itinerant auction rooms among badly washed and
sacond class stock Good washing costs from
cents TO 81 a square foot, but good average is
1914 cents foot. The inexperienced purchaser runs
the risk Of getting that have been injured IN
washing For that reason they had better buy Of
A merchant who can make good II the rug beSins
to drop TO pieces, it soon will do If the fabric
has been injured in the washing process.
"AnIline dyed rugs seldom washed, because
no method has been discovered for 'antlquing
them successfully. There seems to be general
idea floating around that aniline dyes viii rub off
on a wet handkerchief. l have seen would-be rug
Purchasers surreptttousy mOisten corner of their
handkerchief and scrub a rug with it Now, the
truth Of the matter is aniline dyes compare
tively fast while many vegetable dyed rugs
when water is applied. Bokharas, for instance,
bleed like stuck pigs To prevent them from
running they must be carefully washed
When selecting fine rug The first requisite is
life When you stroke the back of a we'll kept
cat the touch of the fur sends electric thrills
through your fingers. and in cold, dry weather If
you rub against the nap actual sparks will fly
This Is one of important tests Of the quail
ity of q rug. The feeling OF electric smoothness
should result rubbing with the nap, of
spirited remonstrance from rubbing against it.
This is however. test for the age Of rug
That can only be gained by experience and love
Of rugs.