Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-24
HOME OF FINE RUGS
Not Good Place, Though, for
Americans to Buy Them.
CHEAPER IN WASHINGTON
Bokhara Dealers Are on Lookout for
the Unwary.
FAMILIES CHERISH SECRETS
Methods of Preparing Dyes Are
Handed Down From Generation
to Generation.
BY WILLIAM +. CURTIS.

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Chicago Record Herald.
BOKHARA, Central Asia. July %. 1910.
Bokhara is famous for its rugs, its
silks and its embroideries Of silk on cot
ton. and is a large market for Persian
lambskins. The rugs and embroid-
cries are in unique shades of red, not
found elsewhere, and the dyes by which
they are produced are supposed to be
made by secret formulas which have been
handed down from generation to genera
ton in Jewish families who control the
business
Both rugs and embroideries. however,
can be bought to better advantage in
Constantinople Symrna, and. indeed, in
New York. Chicago or Washington. than
here, because the best examples are
picked up BY agents Of the big jobbers OF
Smyrna, Constantinople and Moscow, and
never appear In the local market. Those
jobbers have men travelling through the
country, looking after their regular
sources of supply and picking up bar
gains.
The antique rugs you see In the shops
Of the United States and offered for sale
a. auction come from the cabins and
kabitxas uents or tepees) of the nomadic
tribes, and have been in use for genera
tons.
Valued as Heirlooms.
The natives place a very high valuation
upon them. Like the shawls of Cashmir.
rugs are handed down from father to
son for hundreds of years as the most
precious heirlooms in the family They
do not come into the market except upon
the death or bankruptcy of the owner.
There are a dozen enormous khans or
central warehouses devoted TO rugs In
Bokhara. but a stranger cannot see
them made because the work is done by
the women of the harems. who are never
visible. Every house has a loom and
every girl learns 10 weave as soon as her
strength is sufficient for the task. There
after she does her stunt every day.
mother and daughters taking turns. and
keeping the loom humming from sunrise
TO sunset. The pattern Is fixed and sell
dom changed. although the same family
may produce two or three different pat
terms. There are probably not more
than ten or twelve designs in all the
rugs that have been produced in Bokhara
from the beginning of time. Today not
more than four or five different patterns
are used. although they may vary slightly
In detail.
You never see buyers from CONSTANT
nople and other large markets I'm the
khans. because the rugs sold there are
OF no value for export They are of the
poorest quality. intended for local con-
sumption. but IL a European attempts 20
buy one he will be astonished al the
prices. We have visited several Of the
khans and the rug shops in the bazaars
and the prices asked for the ordinary
quality are higher than fine rugs bring
Al auction in Washington after the
freight and duty have been paid. A friend
consoled us with the observation that
the native dealers here think that
brains This was more satisfactory
than complimentary. and have no doubt
IL II the truth.
Best Made in Persia.
The best rugs made in the world at
present. the experts here tell me, come
from a place called Keshan. near the
capital OF Persia. where the wool Is
Amer, the weavers are more skllfuI and
the patterns more artistic than any
where else Bokhara rugs are second in
value, and the town of Tekke. In this
province. produces the finest examples
This Ia due 10 the quality of the wool.
which r. soft and fne; the skill and care
Of the weavers and the quality CT the
dyes The latter IL of the greatest i'm
portance IL is chiefly the dye that gives
the Bokhara rugs their value The proc
ess Of mixture is a secret. as have said
Each prominent dyer has his own rec
ines but the same ingredients are used
nv al and are we'll known. The indigo
which is the only foreign ingredient
comes from India and Brazil tpurehased
Al Marseille) The cochineal. which give.
the rugs their intense red color. Is made
from a tiny insect found upon the leaves
OF the ash. the mulberry and other trees
At q certain season OF the year the bugs
are ecraped of, roasted In dripping pan,
and crushed to powder
other ingredients are purely botanical
which grow wild. and are also cultivated
I'm the gardens OF the peasants The,
are madder; isparuk. species OF lark
spur, which produces beautiful. brigh
and lasting yellow; tukhmak. which is :
species OF the japondca, and pugak. q
fungus found on the mulberry trees. TIL,
root Of the fuchsia, the peel OF the pome
sranate and the nut OF the pistachio arr
All used. and are mixed with ordinar!
soos and a substance produced by burn
frw linseed oil Skill and experience n
The mixture of these various Ingredient!
Are necessary TO produce the colors tina