January 2007

THE IDENTIFICATION OF ORIENTAL RUGS AND CARPETS

The Farnham Decorative and Fine arts Society met on Tuesday, January 16th 2007 to hear a talk by Mr Robert Gowland on identifying and understanding Oriental carpets.

Before the lecture, Mrs. Frances Ashworth, chairman, welcomed all those present and wished everyone a very Happy New Year. She also mentioned the Study day on 19th April on The Tradescants, famous 17th century gardeners.

Mrs Ashworth then introduced the speaker, Robert Gowland, Past Chairman of Bonham’s and now is an enthusiastic lecturer on antique Oriental Carpets. This was a colourful subject to brighten up a grey January day! The slides showed the wonderful colours of the carpets and the designs, which give some clues as to the provenance of the carpet. As each carpet or rug is handmade each one is unique and clues are there which indicate the country of origin and the type of rug. As there were no records of the rugs this helps with identification.

The border designs of the carpets can identify the Countries of origin, such as Persia, Turkey and The Caucasus; also by the method of weaving, knotting and the colours. Persian rugs tend to have stronger colours and Caucasian ones have more floral designs.

The types of rug are denoted by their designs and range from simple Nomadic or Tribal rugs through Village rugs to City or Manufactured rugs. The first two are simpler in design and are hand woven by the village women and often contain mistakes, which confirm the authenticity. The fibre is wool, which the women spin themselves. The dyes are natural from plants, animals and insects; Indigo makes the fibres more hardwearing. The City rugs tend to be larger and have symmetrical quarters with very ornate and wonderful designs. There are also small Prayer rugs, which have a pattern like a doorway framed by tall Cyprus trees that can be very beautiful. Some carpets are made without pile and are used for wall hangings and covers.

Other woven articles were made for the home such as mats and oven gloves and larger pieces for tent or hut doorways; also as thresholds to keep the chickens out and the babies in! They brightened up the otherwise drab surroundings of the home and gave the people a chance to express their art. Many antique carpets can now be found decorating our Stately Homes and are preserved for years to come. Wherever a carpet is used or displayed it confirms the Village weavers’ belief that “The Carpet Is The Soul Of The Room”.