Some 46 years ago, I reluctantly accompanied a friend in the search for an antique rosewood table. Among countless other shops, our pursuit brought us to one small establishment, tucked back from a busy city street. As my friend became enthralled in a discussion of a Queen Anne double dome bureau, I wandered to a far corner of the store, where I noticed the edge of an oriental rug barely visible under a massive oak chest. The sight of the rug’s clear colors and boIdly-knotted patterns brought back memories of my grandmother’s house, where as a child I was fascinated by the detailed designs of the carpets which covered her floors.

Intrigued, I requested that the proprietor move the chest in order that I might see the complete rug. Unearthed from its obscure location and placed in a sunny spot near the front window, the small piece glowed. Much to the surprise of both my friend and the shopkeeper, I purchased the rug immediately.

Once at home, I hung the rug in my study. After devoting some time to research, I found that I owned a Kazak carpet, made some 70 years before by tribespeople who inhabited the rugged Caucasus Mountains. My Kazak did not remain my only carpet for very long. Through the process of buying more rugs, I honed my taste and learned how to avoid potential pitfalls.

In the course of my research, I met several people who were also intrigued by the study of oriental carpets. Together we began an informal study group to share both the rugs and information we were lucky enough to acquire. We were particularly fortunate to meet a Kurdish tribesman who grew up in an isolated rug-weaving village in the Near East, and later travelled extensively among the many carpet-making peoples. As a member of our newly formed Rug Study Society, this gentleman was able to give us otherwise unobtainable information, as well as an original perspective on our western sources.

One evening, after the Society had given a workshop on purchasing oriental rugs, a participant asked for some suggestions for further reading. I mentioned a few appropriate texts, at which she replied that she didn’t have the time to make an exhaustive study. What she was interested in was a concise, practical guide.

Having heard this from so many other newcomers to oriental rugs, my inspiration was kindled. That evening, I went home and began work on the first draft of what eventually grew into The Guide To Purchasing An Oriental Rug.

The result is a book which I believe is highly informative, to-the-point and readable. I have intentionally left the text brief enough that it can easily be absorbed in its entirety. I suggest that you read it once through, and then return to the most relevant sections for closer examination. When you are ready to go to a dealer to search for a rug, bring this handbook with you. Refer to its guidelines for finding the most suitable rug and show the dealer the plates of the pieces whose color, design and overall composition you find most appealing. Enjoy, as I did when I made my first purchase, the experience of discovering the rug which is both the most appropriate and inspiring.

By the way, that small Kazak is still hanging in my study. It has served as a fitting reminder that my aim has been to offer a practical handbook which will aid the reader in making a purchase which is both educated and enjoyable.

—

This blog article was posted on February 27, 2026.