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The art of picking an oriental rug

Friday March 25 2016
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Piers Benator, founder and owner of Bagface, with Oriental rugs. PHOTO | COURTESY

Ancient folktales from the Middle East tell of magic carpets that transported people on great adventures in the blink of an eye. Indeed, there is something exotic about oriental rugs, with their colours, artistry and age-old symbols, that still captures the imagination today.

Yet selecting an oriental carpet can be an overwhelming and intimidating experience for the uninitiated. Stories abound of gullible customers paying exorbitant prices for fake carpets passed off as the real thing.

It may seem easier to pop into the homeware section of a supermarket and pick something suitable for your house. Yet with some easily acquired information and the right dealer, one can purchase a superb oriental rug that gives value for money.

In a nutshell, the oriental rug is assessed by country or region of origin, age, design and quality. Incidentally, the term “oriental rug” encompasses a plethora of places in Asia and Europe: Iran, India, China, Afghanistan, Romania, Turkey and the Caucasus of southeastern Europe, to name a few.

Piers Benatar is the founder of Bagface, a Nairobi-based online retailer of oriental carpets that specialises in antique and tribal rugs from regions and countries reknowned for producing quality rugs.

He was first exposed to them while working as a photojournalist in the Middle East almost 20 years ago and was taken in by “the skill, artistry and sheer romance” of the traditional weaves. Benatar also recommends the Internet as a good starting point for research.

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“There are some good websites on rugs, the structure and different weavers,” he says. The room size, type of space, furniture and other rugs in the room should also inform carpet choice. “Try and find out as much as possible first and then go out and see if you can find something that matches,” he advises.

Tribal carpets from the nomadic communities of Asia and Europe are some of the most sought after for their durability, flair and rich history. They are made from yarn spun from sheep wool and dyed with natural colours extracted from vegetables, flowers, fruits and nuts.

Traditional carpet weaving skills are still passed down through the generations and the work is mainly done by women at home using horizontal looms. Oftentimes, several women or young girls work on one carpet for weeks or months. The men’s role may be to shear the sheep or help with the washing and drying of the completed rugs.

Carpet imagery

But genuine tribal rugs are becoming more difficult to find. “They’re from a different era when people were more tribal and nomadic, using the wool of their own sheep,” explains Benatar, who scours markets in Asia and Europe for good rugs. The same goes for antique carpets, generally anything over 100 years old, which are now uncommon but not entirely impossible to find.

Designs vary from region to region, which is why rugs are named for their origins: Baluchi, Peshawar, Turkmen, Chobi, Kazak, Qashqai and so on. Furthermore, patterns and symbols can be very specific from tribe to tribe.

“In the centre, the general shape of the medallions or the flower heads will be similar within a tribe. So there is very little deviation, which I find quite fascinating,” Benatar says.

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Bagface rug sale by Piers Benatar. PHOTO | COURTESY

Traditional carpet imagery drew from everyday tribal events or the natural world, while geometric symbols and motifs carried different meanings such as protection, fertility and prosperity.

The number of knots in the weave is another factor determining the quality. Usually, the higher the knot count per square inch, the better the weave. Some buyers may get all tied up in a knots over this aspect, but one should keep in mind that traditional carpets are sometimes loosely woven.

If you are buying a rug for its age and collectible value, you need to have it properly assessed by a trusted seller. “You date something by the design and by the colours, the back of the rug, the structure and other things,” advises Benatar. “You’re not dating it by how worn it is because that’s dangerous.”

He adds, “Carpet sellers have a reputation of being duplicitous,” noting incidents of traders running vehicles over new carpets in an effort to artificially age them. But keep in mind that a brand new oriental rug that is kept for several decades will not necessarily increase in value if it was mass produced to begin with.

You may come across panels or small squares of rugs that are inspired by the tradition of weaving carpet-like saddlebags, decorated pouches and prayer rugs.

Originally made as functional items, they are now highly collectible pieces that display well on walls and tables.

A term you will hear being bandied around is “handmade,” which simple means that a rug has been knotted by hand on a manual loom and not woven by an automated carpet machine.

Even then, one has to be discerning, especially when searching for antique items. A quick method is to inspect the underside of the rug. Hand woven pieces tend to have a more course finish and mismatched knots whereas machine products have an almost perfect, even look.

Increasingly, oriental carpets are now produced in commercial workshops using vertical looms, with either cotton or woollen bases and reproducing traditional designs. It’s what Benatar calls, “A city rug that would have been made in a big workshop. They’re still good carpets and still may be old.”

The pinnacle of the carpet world is still the Persian rug, originating from what is modern day Iran. Centuries of know how, elaborate floral designs and great artistry keeps Persian patterns in great demand among buyers and carpet-makers alike. “Kashmir, Pakistan, India, even Western carpet makers have copied Persian designs,” observes Benatar. “Persian rugs make their way to a lot of other areas as well.”

Persian carpet

Traditional carpets typically have a limited range of warm, earthy colours depending on the type of plant dyes available in a region. The colours wear out over time, giving them a homey, used-look appearance. They are also more prone to colour runs, which could greatly agitate a meticulous owner.

That said, the antique carpet may not suit your particular space or taste and so a good quality commercial piece may well be a better option.

Iranian-born Hossein Shahrabi has been trading in Persian carpets for several years and just about every inch of his shop at Warwick Centre on United Nations Avenue, in Gigiri, Nairobi, apart from the windows and ceiling, is covered with eye-catching pieces. He rattles off a list of cities and towns known for carpet-making, pointing out how each area has its own style and designs.

Shahrabi’s collection includes both handmade and machine produced rugs but it’s not so easy for the untrained eye to tell apart the beautifully finished carpets. It is clear that contemporary rugs offer more diversity of colour and design, the possibility of made-to-order, and carpet sizes that are bigger than your average traditional rug.

The silk rugs with glossy finishes look ideal for modern décor interiors. Handmade pieces with bolder patterns or pictorial scenes would fit well in spaces that have cultural themes. The tapestry-like Kilim rugs (Turkish) can be used as both floorings or wall decorations.

Ultimately, selecting the right oriental rug comes down to your personal taste. But armed with the right information, and with the help of a reputable retailer, you can purchase a genuine traditional rug or a splendid new carpet at the right price.

Don’t get overly preoccupied with knots, origin or whether the rug is hand woven versus machine-made. It is more important to choose an oriental carpet that suits your space and gives you enjoyment for many years.

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