The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California

Carpets And Rugs

The answer to this riddle is, that the modern methods which have boon substituted for the older and better methods are easier in application, and therefore when Carpets are made for sale rather than for the maker's own use, he naturally turns to the easiest method rather than the best one, and since none of the old formulas for dyeing the carpets were recorded in any way, except in the minds of the men who used them, they disappeared with those men.

It is a fact that many of the colors used in ancient times cannot be duplicated at the present time, except by artificial fading of the colors.

There is little use in discussing the antique Oriental rug in this book, as there are practically no real antique Orientals on the market today. However, there are many excellent modern Orientals that are made under the supervision of broadminded men who realize that if the Oriental rug is not to disappear entirely from the markets of the world, its standard of quality must be maintained.

Wool

The pile or face of Oriental carpets is usually of wool but in rare instances silk and camel hair are used. The warp and weft which form the body of the fabric are also made of wool, but usually of cotton, sometimes of hemp. However, wool is of such overshadowing importance and so preponderates in the construction of all Oriental carpets that for the purposes of this book everything except wool will be ignored.

The best wool for use in carpet making is that derived from half-wild sheep raised in the mountainous districts of southern Asia. The superiority of this wool is due to its extraordinary pliability and its wonderful wearing qualities. The quality of the wool varies somewhat with the climatic conditions under which the sheep live; cold climates produce a softer and better wool than warm climates, and therefore, high altitudes are especially favorable.