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rug repair |
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From: "Amy Slater" To: "rugs&art@mothguard.com" I have a question for you...recently I bought an inexpensive rug for a discount because it had a little imperfection. The colors are really pretty (lavender, orange, blue, green, burgundy) and it goes with my decor really really well. While the rug may be fine on it's own, I want to fix it so it doesn't get any worse. I looked at the bottom of the rug, and it looks like in one small place, the weaving that holds the fibers in place was not woven properly, so there is a small bald spot about 1/3 inch wide and 1 1/2 inches long by the edge/corner where some of the carpet fibers came out. Instead of being an interlocking weave on the bottom side, a couple of the threads are sitting over the ones they are supposed to be interwoven with. Luckily, the part in question is not a part of the pattern, but in the
solid border. The rug is made of olefin. How can I repair this small
section, or prevent it from getting worse?
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"Mahi"-Tabriz |
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Sender: mratclif@diablo.cisco.com To: rugs&art@mothguard.com From: Mark Ratcliff I saw your faq section and had a few myself as a first time buyer. You mentioned mahi tabriz - is this the same pattern we are being shown in Dallas as "fish tabriz"? It is our favorite so far what are you thoughts. Also, you mention only persian have investment quality. Is this still true? In all of our shopping so far we haven't seen a true persian in Dallas, only chinese and pakistan.
thanks for posting your info. So Persian Tabriz rugs, for example, is are from the town of Tabriz whereas Chinese Tabriz rugs are mere renditions of their Persian counterparts. Therefore, only authentic Persians are becoming rare and climb in value the rendition carpets are just nice knock-offs. The real problem lies in people spending Persian prices for nonPersian rugs!! That's almost criminal. You're right some of the stores carry mostly nonPersians in stock. Yes the "fish design" is the Americanized slang the post revolutionary rug dealers gave to the traditional Tabriz Mahi pattern rug. It seems these same dealers are always Americanizing their own names as well eg. (Perry for Parviz, Mike for Mohammad, Jeff for Jafar etc.). As for me it's Kaveh (pronounced kah-vay) not Kevin I happen to like my given name. My sister lives in Dallas sometime maybe I could meet you while I visit her. Or come up to Tulsa for a day we have wonderful museums and our shop is in the heart of town. Great restaurants too. I call Tulsa a mini Dallas without the traffic. By the way I currently have in stock a beautiful navy ground authentic Persian Tabriz Mahi right now for a very reasonable $5,500.00 size is app. 6'6" x 10'0". Good tight weave and awesome colors. This is an investment piece if there ever were.
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antique auctions and carpets? |
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Bryson Lopez wrote: I have been attending many antique auctions in the Austin, Texas area. My question is how can I identify a real persian rug? Are there any characteristics that I should look for that would distinguish quality, originality, or value? What should I look for when purchasing a persian rug? Thanks Bryson..... Dear Bryson, If you don't already know the answer to this simple question why in the world would you "trust your senses" buying anything of value much less Persian carpets at auction. Most of the auctions around the country are staged by professional cons just watering at the mouth for clients with no knowledge of oriental rugs. If there truly were any good deals at these auctions you would see legions of carpet dealers in attendance. But there never is. My only advise to you is to seek more knowledge and pay for reasonable goods through dealers who have been in business a long time and are not "going out of business". If you make a mistake once with an overbid for a rug at auction you may have been able to buy two or more good rugs from honest dealers! Retailers provide a very crucial service to customers and that is expertise. For example, on our buying trips we usually turn down 8 to 10 carpets for every one we purchase for stock. The last reason of many that would cause us not to purchase a rug for our inventory is that the carpet wasn't pretty. Most carpets are beautiful but there are so many things that can go wrong in the rug making process that truly cannot be overlooked if you are going to be a serious collector and spending good money on these things. The best place to get taken buying rugs is at these auctions or "going out of business sales" because they take everything that dealers pass up to stock in their stores and try to pawn them off on unsuspecting buyers (read suckers). Unlike other industries where raw materials can be recycled if the original product is damaged or unsellable oriental carpets are never torn down for their wool content if a critical mistake or repair is needed. Problem
carpets are seldom purchased up through the traditional retail channels
therefore if they remain unsold they must be sold to naive buyers who
routinely
are told the problems with the carpet are mere "personality traits" because
they are made by hand. Don't be misled by old tricks of the carpet trade like
redye work and slight cut down jobs to name just a couple.
Buying wisely means buying once. By the way I'll plug my company
right now and stake our good reputation on first quality goods at fair cost if
you can't find decent rugs and/or prices on carpets in your community. Many
people have been very pleased with out quality and prices of oriental rugs
over
the web. |
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Kashan and Bukhara styles carpets |
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To: rugs&art@mothguard.com From: "Michael L. Artbauer" Dear Amir- My husband and I have recently moved into a home with hardwood floors throughout the house. We are interested in purchasing Persian rugs for our livingroom and dining room at this time and really like both the Kashan and Bokhara styles. Unfortunately, we are located in an area where there is very little information available and with so many "counterfeit" rugs being produced we are hesitant about making the leap. Could you possibly give us some background information on both the Kashan and bokhara? We are looking for rugs in the 9'x13' range and would also appreciate a price range if you would be so kind. We have learned much from you e-mail site! Sincerely, Julia HELLO JULIA !!, It's so nice to hear you enjoyed visiting our website. There's so much traditional wood floors being produced in homes these days rugs are a necessity rather than a luxury. Your house would echo and look like a gymnasium otherwise!! Well before we begin your search I'd like to give you an important thought. Whether you bought smartly or get the shirt taken off your back your decision will be with you a loooooong time. It's awful to stare day after day at a rug you find out later was overpriced or of inferior quality. Likewise a finely made carpet purchased at a fair price will be adored by your family for decades and be a worthwhile investment in your estate. Keep in mind the real price is not $5,000 (for example) but is really $5,000 divided over the rest of your years on earth. So spend your money knowing you really have a lifetime with your decision. Another few thousand dollars really doesn't matter in the long term from this perspective. Now, you seem to have some knowledge of pattern styles since you mention Kashan and Bokhara. The terminology given to each rugs' pattern is derived from the village, city, or tribe which produced it. In Iran there is a city called Kashan and in this town they weave several designs. But there's a catch. India, Pakistan, and China also produce versions of the same Kashan pattern. I call these rugs hand woven renditions of Persian carpets. I don't call them "counterfeit" rugs unless they are purported to be originally from Iran which is becoming more and more common. These rendition rugs can cost less, more, or the same as Persian originals. Some nonPersian renditions are even better woven than the original Persian ever was and are quite pretty. But there's another problem. My dad and I have developed a philosophy regarding rug pricing and it goes like this; If you are paying near Persian prices make sure it's a Persian rug. This is simple logic. But there are countless dealers of rugs that sell high priced nonPersian rugs to uneducated buyers and are literally cheating their customer. If I were a jeweler would you buy a 3 carat cubic zirconia from me for the same price as an authentic 3 carat diamond of equal quality? Of course not, see the analogy makes better sense with diamonds. But every week somebody comes to our store for appraisal work and I have to show them what they could have purchased with the same money or less and of superior quality and authentic origin. Yet saying all this the cubic zirconia does have a value and should be priced fairly to representative values. Therefore
the nonPersians we have in stock are very good rugs
priced well below the value of Persian rugs of equal size and quality. We
carry both authentic Persian rugs and responsibly priced
Persian renditions.
The Bokhara design is probably one of the oldest and classic designs
available. Every dealer should have a few if
they are serious rug merchants. This design was descended from southern
Russia and originally was known as the Turkeman
pattern. Authentic Turkeman rugs are very rare now, especially in your large
size requirement. I have a fabulous
burgundy wine red 10 x 13 Bokhara which is gorgeous. And Kashans are a major
part of our stock with 2 or 3 9 x 12's in stock
now. Prices are derived per piece. Each rug is different in some aspect
ie (
origin, knot count, age etc.) The Bokhara is $3,800
and is a top quality piece. Our Kashan's range from $2,300 for a
nonPersian 9
x 12 to $8,000 for a 10 x 13 original Persian
stunner. I can send you some pics if you like and begin a pleasant start to
our transactions with you.
Thanks Again for Your Inquiry, |
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What do you think of hand-made silk carpets?
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To:rugs&art@mothguard.com Hi, I have a source for hand-made silk carpets. These carpets represent various cultures. Are you interested? Please advise. - Sandy Thank you Sandy, but we have little requests for silk pieces. Wool is the most durable fiber available and most people are choosing area rugs or hall runners which must be able to stand high traffic. Thanks for you inquiry though. Thank You, Kaveh, Mgr.
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What is the value of a wool 2X3 meters from Tabriz
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To:rugs&art@mothguard.com Hello. Can you tell me what is the value/price of a 2x3 meters Tabriz? Thanks. Jeanene T. From: rugs&art@mothguard.com Jeanene, All rugs, including Persian Tabriz's, vary in knot count and are independently priced but the range for your size now is $2,500.00 to $18,000.00 but most nice ones are in the $6,000.00 ballpark. |
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New to Persian rug business
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To: rugs&art@mothguard.com I am new to this arena and would like to ask a few questions of you regarding recently made Persians:
I intend on researching this subject and would appreciate your assistance. Are there any books you recommend I purchase on the subject? B. T. From: rugs&art@mothguard.com Subject:Persian rug information Dear B. T., Welcome to the fraternity/soroity of Persian rug hounds. This is one item of
home furnishing that is highly addictive. Nobody collects chairs or drapes
and studies them the same way that they think of their Persian rugs. You are
getting ready for a fun journey of learning about something you've never been
exposed to much here in the states so let's get started. There are 3 basic
families of Persian rugs all of which come from Iran.
1-Tribal/Nomadic All three are unequal to each other and should not be compared one to the other. For example, gypsies weave tribal rugs and therefore usually make a coarser woven rug. Their rugs are somewhat smaller because the looms must be portable as their main occupation is sheep herding and so the loom must be carried by pack animal from camp to camp. Their dyes are strong and vivid because the people live in an environment barren of color so they introduce color to their lives in their dress, tent decoration, and their carpets. Villages are settled by tribal people and nomadic stock for centuries. These rugs are better woven but still display their tribal roots in their geometric patterns or stylized floral designs. The dyes are still strong but are much broader of pallette. The designs are more complex and the sizes are larger since they are produced on permanently installed looms. Finding differing dye lots of supposedly the same color is not uncommon for both tribal and village rugs. The differing dye lots are a result of the underprivelidged people who are weavers not being able to afford to buy the entire amount of wool necessary to finish the rug at one time. So the weaver buys enough wool to weave for a month or two at a time. At the other extreme are fine city carpets which are woven in workshops under tight control. The weave of most city rugs is denser and much more crisp of pattern. Fine floral designs with symmetrical designs and sometimes unidirectional scenic designs are employed. Finding 400 knots per square inch and 20 shades of dye is not uncommon. The dye lots of the wool should be unchanged since the owner of the workshop should be able to purchase all the wool needed to complete the rug. You see you cannot compare each of these three types of Persian rugs against one another. Rather we enjoy offering the top 5% of each category thus making collectable rugs available from the gypsies, villagers, and city workshops. Every rug has a creator. In this way no two rugs are ever the same. The weave of each carpet must be assessed individually. That's what we do on each trip abroad. Since you are beginning this process I suggest you develop a rapore with dealers in your area which have been established at least 10 years. These time committed dealers usually have the knowledge to help you look for collector pieces. Just have an open spirit when you view rugs. View them as art first that just happen to be floor coverings. Seriously, no one has ever bought a rug from me that thought of it as carpet. Now to answer some of your questions. The materials used in weaving are all natural. No synthetics of any kind should ever be found in any authentic Persian rug. Rugs are woven with either wool or silk knots tied to a foundation of either cotton or silk. The use of rayon creates a look not unlike silk and some rugs are fraudulently sold as silk which are actually synthetic rayon. Most of these rugs are Chinese, Pakistani, or Indian. Sizes are usually 2 x 3 ratio. For every 2 feet of width roughtly 3 feet of length are woven but this is just a rule of thumb. Most sizes are under 12 x 20 feet. Runnners are usually 30" x any length under 25'. There are dozens if not hundreds of books available about Persian rugs from your local library. This is one subject which is quite well covered in great literary detail. Hope this info gets you started. If you send me your name and address I'll send you our full color brochure if you'd like us to help you get a good rug the first time. Thanks for you inquiry,
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Appraisal for my wife's inherited rug
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To: info@farsinet.com Dear sirs, My wife recently inherited a matched pair of Persian rugs. We have taken them to two antique dealers in our area (Chattanooga, Tenn.) and have received very different answers on the rugs' value. Could you recommend any knowledgeable, reputable dealers in Nashville, Knoxville, Atlanta or elsewhere in the Southeast U.S.? We awould greatly ppreciate any help. Sincerely, Dan Alderman From: rugs&art@mothguard.com Subject: Rug Appraisal Dear Dan, If you need help getting an accurate appraisal of your Persian carpets I may be able to help. We have been in business for 33 years in Tulsa and are quite capable of identifying all sorts of rugs. If you are interested E-mail me and I can give you instructions on how to photograph your rugs for my use. Our charge is $40.00 for our services. We are licensed appraisers authorized to perform oriental and Persian carpets appraisals in contrast to many "appraisals" on a simple letterhead. Thank You,
Kaveh, Mgr.
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We are interested in buying a persian carpet for our den
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To: rugs&art@mothguard.com Hello, My wife and I recently relocated from California to Harrison,Ar and are trying to find a store with a selection of persian rugs. Do you have a store with a selection to pick from? If so, can you advise a price range on a persian rug size 12'X 12'? Thank you for your assistance. Sincerely, Edward C. A. From: rugs&art@mothguard.com TO: Edward C. A. Subject: We are interesting in buying a persian rug for our den Mr. A., Please visit Tulsa we are very close to Arkansas even though Harrison is more in the northeast area of your state. Therefore plan to stay the night. Most of our out of state clients stay more than one day just to shop and sample our museums and restaurants. Our store carries over 3,000 rugs in stock year around. However please adjust your size request because 12 x 12 rugs are very uncommon. Perhaps 9 x 12 or 10 x 13 will accomodate your den nicely. Call me toll free and I will make the arrangements for your hotel and dinner with me while you stay and I will make your stay memorable with good wine and rugs! Thank You, Kaveh, Mgr.
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Looking for a 12X15 Persian rug in deep beige
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To: rugs&art@mothguard.com I am looking for a persian rug 12by15approx. in deep beiges and brick red. Can you help? From: rugs&art@mothguard.com Subject: 12x15 rug Thank you for visiting my website and your inquiry. I have in stock only 10 x 14 or 12 x 18-21. Your 12 x 15 is more difficult to obtain because of the "squarish" shape although I have had a couple over the years. Currently I have an app 12 x 18 Persian Bibbikabad 100% wool pile rug with brick red ground and all over floral design with central medallion. There's some beige throughout. The rug's in good condition with full pile and is about 25 years old. I also have an elegant Persian Kerman handwoven 100% wool pile rug about 11 x 16 with an ivory field. It's about 30 years old and is in very good to excellent condition. The design is French floral with a central medallion on an open ivory field. The rug is mostly pastel sorry no red. There's several 10 x 13-14 rugs in brick to choose from. If you have an interest in the rugs I've described or in the smaller size range please return E-Mail me with your name and street address and I'd be glad to send you some free pics. Thanks Again,
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Do you have runners for stairs?
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To: rugs&art@mothguard.com Subject: Stair Runners From: rugs&art@mothguard.com Yes, B.W. Oats, I have some runners which may be long enough for you. One piece is 21', most of the others are 18-20' long. We also carry a wool domestic product which appears to be authentic handweave which can be cut and mitered to take turns. Would like to buy something nice for your staircase? I can drop ship anywhere you wish. Thanks,
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Please send your comments & Questions To
rugs&art@mothguard.com
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