December, 1911 
The Kirman comes in various sizes. 
from room to room. Large rugs have necessarily a heav- 
ier structure that is more expensive to weave, and are 
more likely to crack and ravel at the ends and be injured 
by dust and moisture. I think that the largest rug in a 
room should not cover over one fourth of the actual floor 
space, although of course I recognize the fact that the 
general decorative plan often renders necessary the room- 
size rug. But for the small house and the limited purse 
it may be set down that large Oriental rugs are unattain- 
able. Ina large rug strength 
is of vital importance. That 
is one reason for the popular- 
ity of Gorevan rugs. Good ex- 
amples, about nine by twelve 
feet, sell for $195. Both 
weave and pattern are coarse, 
but the structure is solid and 
the knotting firm. The wool- 
en pile is high and soft be- 
neath the foot. The warp 
and weft are of cotton and 
the fringes are consequently 
short, with hardly any of the 
flat web projecting. Resem- 
bling the Gorevans, but with 
designs of greater intricacy 
and more floral and natural- 
istic in treatment are the Serapis. The Kirman rug illustrated is 
six feet one inch by four feet three inches and sells for $70. 
It is a fair specimen from a section of Persia that has for 
centuries been famous for the quality and designs and color- 
ings of its rugs, and that still maintains its reputation. Kir- 
mans come in all sizes from the smallest to the largest, 
and are noteworthy for the softness and excellent quality 
of the wool, as well as for the delicacy of the colorings 
and the exquisite vividness of the floriated grounds. Cer- 
A 4x5 ft. Tabriz rug costs $50. 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
Such an example the one illustrated above, measuring 6 ft. | in. by 4 ft. 3 in., could be had for $70 
tainly the flowers woven into Kirman rugs have never been 
surpassed by those conventionalized on any other looms 
or in any other form of art. In some of the more pretentious 
Kirmans birds, animals, landscapes and human figures appear. 
The Tabriz rug illustrated is four by five feet and sells 
for $50. These are among the best of the modern Orien- 
tal rugs, in spite of a tendency to curl that in some of them 
needs frequent correction. ‘The texture is exceedingly fine, 
as is the ground floriation that rightly suggests Kirman 
influence, but the pile is harder 
to the touch than that of Kir- 
mans, and in response to 
“modern demand” the field is 
occupied by a large medallion 
that leaves considerable of the 
surface unpatterned. Like all 
rugs with cotton warp, Tab- 
rizes have a short fringe. A 
just reason for complaint 
against the Tabriz and some 
other large rugs was that lack 
of fringe and flat web border 
left the ends likely to ravel. 
Every visit to the cleaner 
made repairs necessary. A 
wide web border and shaggy 
fringe like that of Bokharas 
would be neither appropriate nor possible, but it seems as if 
more pains might be taken to insure the durability of such ex- 
pensive works of art, and I caution the readers of AMERI- 
CAN HoMEs AND GARDENS to decline to purchase rugs that 
are not satisfactorily finished at both ends. The sides are well 
finished in practically all rugs, either selvaged or overcast. 
The Mir Serebend illustrated is an excellent specimen 
two feet and eight inches by nine feet and a half, of ex- 
quisite velvety texture and in soft grayed-down coloring. 
It is one of the finest Oriental rugs 
