AN OVERVIEW OF THE WORLD OF ORIENTAL RUGS • The Constrution of an oriental rug o The loom o The knot o The material o Types of dyes . Vegatable or natural dyes . Aniline … mid 1800’s . chrome … early 1900’s chrome dyes proved to be excellent. Often times weavers will use a combination of vegetable dyes and chrome dyes, however, since the mid 20’s most rugs were made with chrome dyes. THE HISTOTRY • Rugs from 500BC to the 16th century • THE FIRST GREAT RUG RENAISSANCE… the 16th century ushered in the "GOLDEN AGE" of oriental rugs or The Sefavid dynasty … and its very famous shahs. • - 1499–1524 Ismail • - 1524–1576 Tahmasp • - 1587–1629 Abbas • In 1722 Persia was invaded by Afghanistan nomads • Mid 19th century, rug production started again • 1880-1915 … THE SECOND GREAT RUG RENAISSANCE. • By 1910 the U.S. imported 70 to 80% of the rugs that were made in Persia • Then in the early 1900’s, with the coming of European businessmen there came a demand for the rugs to have more continuity, color, and design. • City rugs verses village rugs • World War I and World War II • Rugs were being woven throughout the orient (which extends basically from the Balkens all the way east to China. However, the best rugs were from Iran… • By around 1980 the technology or production of making an oriental rug began to really develop • The demand • Buying what’s available or producing what you want • continuity • Village verses factory City rugs verses village rugs • The quality of the wool • Hand spun verses machine spun • The dyes • The weave • The washing and finishing • The two biggest driving forces for the significant changes in production in the late 1900’s were: o The demand of traditionalist or purist to get back to genuine weaving o Industry leaders responding to the demand for decorative carpets • 1979 Iranian crisis • 1979 Soviet invades Afganistan • THE THIRD GREAT RUG RENAISSANCE… 1980-present 1 .