Collecting

I was thinking about all of the reasons I love oriental rugs and how they inspire so much awe in so many people. Some people are even collectors and they don't even know it, their collector gene lying dormant until it gets activated by surprise. On a recent trip with some girl friends I took our group to one of my favorite rug stores. This store is chock full of new and antique rugs from the middle east to the orient, beautifully displayed in piles on big pallets and hanging from the walls. When we walked in everyone whispered a soft "Wow" and one of our group was so inspired she said she felt reverent, like she was in church! She also noted "I never knew I wanted one of these." The way she said it told me she knew her life would never be the same again.

These days, collecting takes place on a lot of levels. A recent Wall Street Journal article explored the world of high end collecting and told about one man's design to collect at least one antique rug from each of the 85 nomadic groups listed in a 1981 landmark study of weavers from the Caucuses. He has one rug to go - a Pinwheel Kazak, and when finished, his collection will be one of a kind and world class. It will also have cost what most people think of as "a fortune." He displays the rugs all over his familie's home and likes to pull out different ones from time to time to change the decor. What decor! How fun! I want those rugs!

Now, I'm a very different kind of collector. As a rug dealer, I watch rugs that I can't afford to own go out the door all the time. The ones I keep for my own collection are very personal and my collection will never be world class. I also have no theme with my collection, at least I don't see one yet. Some rugs have come from trips we've taken. Others were gifts. Some, I have bought because they represent a tribal style I like. I lean toward all wool rugs but vegetable dyes are not a must since good weavers and dyers make beautiful rugs using synthetic dyes. One thing that stands out for me is uniqueness, and a look that says someone's hands touched this rug in a very personal way. One of my favorites is one I call The Ugly Rug. It is a semi-antique sumac style rug with knotted pile sections at each end. Probably a bag at one time. My cat, Mr. Outside, loves it too, and chooses it over others when I have it out. Right now it is put away so I can enjoy a couple of new Pakistani fine, wool rugs with beautiful intricate motifs.  Mr. Outside prefers the darker one of these two.

So, how's your collection developing? Maybe you have one and didn't even realize it. Check and see. Feel free to leave your comments about your own collections so we can all enjoy them from far away.

Be well, and love your rugs

Diana