HOUSE AND GARDEN 
November, 1912 
281 
rugs are much less expensive. For example, an antique rug cost¬ 
ing $2,000.00 may be reproduced for $225.00, 
Persia has up to the present time withstood the inroads of out¬ 
side corporations. The standard set by Persian rugs, however, 
is clearly seen in this connection. While the establishments are 
in Turkey, Persian wool, 
Persian dyes and Per- jjpgfr mm aq fl g g 
sian patterns in general, 
are employed. The hon¬ 
ors are with the Persian 
Rugs. 
Pleretofore age has 
been almost the soul of 
a rug. It has imparted 
both its interest and its 
beauty. Unfortunately 
the great storehouse of 
antiques has at last been 
depleted; practically 
there are no more to be 
had, as has already been 
stated. Yet the demand 
for goo d, satisfactory 
rugs shows no diminu¬ 
tion, rather it has in¬ 
creased enormously. One 
may well suppose that 
both the importer and 
the consumer find them¬ 
selves in a position of 
some embarrassment. 
How are we to utilize 
the modern rugs with 
their garish colors, 
which harmonize with nothing? We may remark here, that the 
antiques had such colors at one time, but they were mellowed 
and blended by the long years. Now we connot afford the long 
lapse. We would die be¬ 
fore the colors softened of 
their own accord. Some¬ 
thing, then, must be done; 
and various expedients 
have been tried. You 
might say, Why not hang 
the rug in the bright sun ? 
To this it may be an¬ 
swered that the “fading 
process” does not accom¬ 
plish the object. It is de¬ 
sirable that the colors 
should mellow rather than 
fade. An attempt has been 
made to immerse modern 
rugs in lime. While this 
kills some of the color it 
also kills the rug. The 
fabric is necessarily weak¬ 
ened from the burning 
process. Latterly a brown¬ 
ish wash has been devised 
which has the effect of 
dulling the whole rug 
without destroying its col¬ 
or proportions; and this 
seems to be the best treatment at present employed to give the 
antique effect. In addition to being harmless, it hastened the 
work of time. It is not to be supposed that the antique rugs which 
we occasionally see, expose their original colors. At first, they too 
were unduly bright and garish. But the long effects of the atmos¬ 
phere and the gradual stains which came from lying on the floor 
had, in the end, the same softening effect produced by the wash 
applied to the modern Oriental rug. Therefore, if the two were 
placed side by side, the 
one softened by time and 
the other by the ingenious 
devices of man, it might 
puzzle the uninitiated con¬ 
sumer to tell them apart. 
It is not necessary, how- 
e v e r, to institute any 
rivalry between the genu¬ 
ine antique and its modern 
successor because it is 
with the latter that we 
must henceforth be con¬ 
tent, whether we fancy 
the idea or not. And in 
reality they are actually 
very charming products. 
Let us in passing give a 
picture of an Oriental 
floor with the rugs as they 
are actually placed accord¬ 
ing to native custom. 
Picture a fairly capacious 
rectangle. The entrance is 
considered the “foot” and 
in the centre of the apart¬ 
ment is the largest rug 
bearing the name Ortarie 
which indicates to the na¬ 
tives its size, character and position. At the opposite extremity 
is the “head” of the room which has its own spread of rug run¬ 
ning parallel with the end wall. This is called Kellei, also a 
technical cognomen mean¬ 
ing location and size. So 
much for the central 
spaces. Along each side 
and parallel with the side 
walls are narrow rugs 
which we would call 
“runners” extending the 
whole length of the floor. 
These are called Kenarie. 
The diagram will further 
indicate the arrangement. 
This is the classic placing 
of rugs. Sometimes a 
hearth rug also is em¬ 
ployed, known as the 
sejade. We cannot fail 
to feel impressed with the 
nice arrangement em¬ 
ployed by the natives and 
to doubt whether we can 
improve upon it. We use 
these elemental features, 
but we break them up. 
Every Oriental rug which 
we employ has its name 
and location, but Orien¬ 
talists would probably be startled at our placing of them. We 
use the Kenarie simply as runners without regard to the rest 
(Continued on page 326) 
An Ortarie or central rug. The Kerman rugs are mainly distinguished by 
The design proves it a a medallion center and comer pieces. The 
Serebend body is covered with conventional designs 
The extremely large rugs are called in the orient Persian carpets and to-day are 
appreciated as covering nearly the entire floor surface. This is a Kerman 
