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Leading Antique Carpet Dealer Cites Boom in Internet Sales
September 5, 2007
Internationally-recognized
antique rug expert Jan David Winitz today said that an increasing
amount of his sales of investment-quality, art-level Oriental pieces
are being completed over the Internet. The rugs and carpets, primarily
from the 19th century, frequently sell for hundreds of thousands of
dollars.
"Having been in the
business for nearly three decades," said Winitz, who owns and operates
Claremont Rug Company, "we have seen a dramatic turn in how our
clientele shop for their collections."
His
Claremont store, called by the Financial Times of London "one of the
world's best sources of antique carpets," houses his extensive
inventory. However, he notes, that two-thirds of his clients are "not
local" to his California locations. "Many of them have never been to
our gallery," he said.
"Our clients are
incredibly busy and have multiple residences. For these reasons, they
often purchase rare rugs from us by using our Internet gallery, from
our extensive catalogue and home presentations."
Fortuitously,
it was one of his clients, John Warnock (then chairman of Adobe
Systems) who suggested that the Internet might provide a means for
Claremont's busy clients to view inventory and gather information on
the rugs and carpets.
"He was absolutely
correct," Winitz said. "When selections are made, we often bring the
carpets and rugs to the client's home for viewing. We complete many
full-home furnishing projects without the clients ever having come to
the store," he said.
That being said,
Winitz has noticed that many of the art-level pieces that he sells are
going into private museums or are being stockpiled by a growing group
of connoisseurs. "Some of our clients are asking us to hold many of
their rugs in our warehouse for future use," he said.
Winitz,
author of "The Guide to Purchasing an Oriental Rug," heads an
international team of expert buyers who continually review private
collections and estates and purchasing rugs and carpets directly for
clients and for the inventory of his two galleries. Claremont
(www.claremontrug.com) currently has more than 3,000 rugs and carpets
in its collection.
Also
see:
FINANCIAL TIMES - "Treasures You Purchase to Hold on to" (3/29/08)
Download printable version 
MARKET WATCH / THE WALL STREET JOURNAL - "Global Leap in Best Antique Rugs as Major Works of Art " (7/14/08)
Download printable version
MARKET WATCH / THE WALL STREET JOURNAL - "Domestic and International Connoisseurs Embrace Antique Rug Sales Event in “Next Frontier of Art Investing” " (6/2/08)
Download printable version
THE MERCURY NEWS - "Rare rugs" (5/30/08)
Download printable version
YAHOO FINANCE - "Claremont Rug Company Announces Additional Hudson River Valley Collection " (4/30/08)
Download printable version
REUTERS.COM - "Claremont Rug Company Holds Globally Significant Exhibition… Rare, 19th Century Caucasus Rugs" (12/17/07)
Download printable version
FORBES.COM - "Claremont Rug Company Acquires “Mother Lode” Collection of 19th Century Art Carpets" (2/12/08)
Download printable version
FORBES.COM - "Increasingly Savvy Clients and Decreasing Availability Combine with Internet To Create Perfect Storm in Rare Rug Market" (10/24/07)
Download printable version
MORNINGSTAR.COM - "Demand for Antique Carpets and Rugs Expands While Availability is Reduced" (9/16/07)
Download printable version
WORTH MAGAZINE - "Masterpieces Underfoot "
Download printable version
CALIFORNIA CEO - "Putting
Out the Red Carpet: The Claremont Rug Company has woven a close
relationship with its customers thanks to a wise use of the Web."
Download printable version
CIO Magazine
- "Carpetbaggers: The Claremont Rug Co., purveyor of antique carpets
made centuries ago by Southwest Asian nomads, has benefited doubly from
the great leap forward to the Internet."
FINANCIAL TIMES - "How
To Spend It: East bay passions. The sit-ins are long since over, says
Holly Finn, but Berkeley has plenty to shout about...The Claremont Rug
Company - one of the world's best sources of antique carpets - is here."
Download printable version
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE - "Art At Your Feet: Antique or copied oriental rugs express their weavers' inspirations"
Download printable version
OAKLAND TRIBUNE - "Web Helps Rug Store Clinch Sales"
BEL AIR ARTICLE - "What Hotel Bel Air (Beverly Hills, CA) says about Claremont Rug" |
