5 comments about Oriental Carpet Design: A Guide to Traditional Motifs, Patterns and Symbols.

1. helpful, easy to read, nice job, it will be the right-hand of the specialists in carpets



2. This is a comprehensive, well-researched, and lavishly illustrated guide to Oriental carpet design. Despite this, the book is actually rather limited in its coverage: the vast majority of the rugs the author describes are from the mid-20th century. Therefore, "Oriental Carpet Design" may somewhat disappoint serious collectors, and will provide novices a surfeit of information on rugs from a very specific time in history. As an alternative, while it focuses on 19th century, museum-quality rugs which are beyond the reach of most of us, I think Murray Eiland's "Oriental Carpets: A Complete Guide" remains the best single volume on the subject.



3. This book is an outstanding resource for anyone from novice to expert, who wants to identify or has an interest in oriental carpets and rugs.



4. The book is a very well written vol d'oiseau over modern oriental rugs and carpets with excellent pictures and timely historical notes. Certainly one of the best works available in the field both to beginners and connoisseurs.



5. This is an excellent book to find all the information one needs on Persian and Oriental carpets. Very informative, and beautiful colour plates.

5 comments about Oriental Carpets: A Complete Guide - The Classic Reference.

1. Caveat: You won't know a thing about rugs until you start to shop around, until you start touching them. You'll have to look at the knots, at the foundation and the edges, and run your hands over the pile. You'll need to feel the difference between a silk weave and a wool weave. That said, this book gives a thorough informational grounding in the topic.
   
   The book starts with an account of what little is known of the origins of carpet making. The next chapter describes how carpets are constructed. Weavers make short knots that form the visible pile; the pile is woven on an invisible foundation of warps and wefts. There are many types of knots, and surprisingly many types of warps and wefts as well! The book then explains what materials are used--mostly wool, cotton, and silk--how they are spun into yarns, and how they are colored, with either natural or synthetic dyes. The colors are of course central to a carpet's designs, which is the topic of the following chapter.
   
   The authors then proceed to review the great carpet making regions. There's a huge chapter on Persian rugs, followed by a chapter on Turkish rugs. These are followed by shorter chapters on the rugs of the Caucasus, India & Pakistan, China, Turkestan, Tibet, North Africa, and the Balkans.
   
   Rugs are like wine, or like any fine object. One cannot learn the topic from a book, one must learn from the things themselves. A good book though is invaluable in reducing how long it will take to feel comfortable with the topic.
   
   One last word. There are 348 illustrations of extremely high quality, making the book itself a very beautiful object. It's a great coffee table book.
   
   Vincent Poirier, Tokyo



2. This is a classic, serious reference book on the different styles of oriental carpets. All geographical areas are covered so it is a great introduction to the field. It is probably the only book you need to buy unless you become serious in collecting carpets.
   
   There is a disconnect between the pictured carpets in the book and the carpets you will find in a carpet shop. The pictures are of older carpets. It would have been nice to have a stronger bridge to what is actually available for purchase today. The hardest issue buying modern oriental carpets is not to overpay. Sure there are fakes, but if you go to a reputable dealer that is not a major problem. However, even reputable dealers are hard to pin down on price. Don't expect any such information in the book.



3. This book is a good introduction to rug basics, with rich illustration and good coverage of the main carpet-producing regions in Asia and the Middle-East. However, the book leaves much to be desired as a genuine tool to help one actually collect rugs. It gives out basic information in a general lecture-like fashion (which is not necessarily a bad thing), but does not really make an effort at reaching out to the reader in terms of the actual experience of buying/handling/trading carpets (which is definitely a bad thing). One glaring weakness is the paucity of information on Central Asian rugs outside of Turkmenistan (arguably because the book was written at a time when Central Asia was not as easily accessible as it is now). There is also, it must be said, a somewhat superior tone to the writing that is not necessary and does take away from the pleasure of reading on the subject. Still, all things considered, this is a valuable book to own.



4. This is an excellent way to learn about rugs from top to bottom -- it eases you slowly into a comprehensive knowledge of rugs. I feel that this will help me greatly in my work - I just started doing customer service for a rug company. Great buy to anyone who wants to be educated thoroughly on the business of rugs.



5. The book reads like a paean of love for all things Anatolian and Caucasian, and is positively dripping in its oily bias for these regions. Perhaps a title like "A Complete Guide" might be a little misleading in light of the author's evident disdain for city-made Persian goods, and a complete dismissal of Turkish curvilinear rugs altogether.
   
   Its technical analysis reads like a poorly prepared undergraduate work, drawing conclusions that are risible at best, embarrassingly self-indulgent and irresponsible at worst; the untried conjectures of a dilettante. The text does serve some small function as an emetic, however.
   
   P.R.J. Ford's "Oriental Carpet Design" is vastly superior to this tired and dusty old dinosaur.

3 comments about Tribal and Village Rugs: The Definitive Guide to Design, Pattern & Motif.

1. This book is not only attractive, but contains a wealth of knowledge about antique and modern rugs.
   
   Phyllis Pentecost



2. Absolutely stunning. Clear illustrations, clear text, beautiful layout. A stunning book that I am pleased to have added to my library.



3. Fantastic book---definitive info on all aspects of handmade rugs, including each part of the rug: border designs, major & minor motifs, origins of each of these with many attributed to multiple sources. I love to keep this book close at hand & use it frequently as a reference source for rugs & textiles from many of the countries in the Middle East, southwestern, northwestern, and central Asia, & many countries & regions that no longer exist in their original borders. This is one of the top 2-3 reference books that I use most frequently to identify the many elements in the rugs & textiles that I sell & also ones that I buy for my personal collection. It's absolutely fascinating--I just bought one of these for a friend who has a long-standing interest in the subjects covered in this book & she was THRILLED(!!!) with this book.

4 comments about Oriental Rug Repair.

1. This is the most important book on oriental rug repair and restoration in print. Full of illustrations Peter Stone gives the reader a step by step guide to the repair of oriental rugs.
   There is also a lot to offer in this volume about basic oriental rug care. Recommended to anyone who owns a rug as well as to those have the time to venture into rug repair techniques.
   There is a lot about basic rug repair that this book helps to demystify. I cannot tell you how many people I have known let selvage damage go until it affected the body of their rug rather than trying their hand at simple whip stitching. For those of you who fall into this catagory this book will give you the needed confidence.
   I believe even the skilled restorer will benefit from this book.
   The book is dedicated to Maury Bynum one of the true giants of oriental rug restoration.
   Highly recommended.



2. it is an exellent book with simply technical explications and very practical. to repeat the words"it's a bible on the subject", but the photos are very "blurred" what I think is a pity... the editor of the book should do something about this problem! 5 stars for the text!!! zero for the quality of the photos



3. Finally an Owners Manual for Oriental Rugs

   This book is aboutmuch more than repairing Oriental Rugs. It is an indispensable ownersguide. Of all the most common questions people ask me about rugs Stoneanswers them in an easy to understand and easy to follow fashion. Howdo you hang a rug on a wall? It is in there. How do I get a stain outof my rug? Whether it is urine (a frequent question from pet owners)to asphalt Stone tells you what you need to save your rug. Stonecovers such topics as "when to repair" or insectdamage. Stone guides us through the problem in a way any of us canhandle it with ease...when I tell you that this book is the best bookin the field it is because after years of study I know what I amtalking about. The thing I like about this book is that Stone gives usa depth of detail found no where else. For instance when it comes tospills do you clean up calamine lotion the same way you clean upAftershave lotion? No, two different processes and not knowing whichone to use can ruin your rug.

   What about the actual repair part? Iwill freely admit that I have no intention of ever repairing mycarpets or anyone else's but with this book I could. But even moreimportantly for me is with the information in this book I canunderstand what the repair person purposes when I take a rug in. I canat least nod knowingly when the repairman uses terms like rewarding orreknoting. By the way my brother Jim was textile conservator and he isthe one who gave me my first edition of this book when I was juststarting to study in the field. Jim told me this book was so good theywould never need another. Jim was wrong this second edition is evenbetter than the first.

   Should you buy this book? If you own anOriental Carpet then the answer is yes. This is the indispensableinformation that every consumer needs... An owners manual forOriental Rugs

   Best wishes,

   J. Barry O'Connell Jr.




4. Thank goodness this is an excellent book, since there are very few others on this topic. Stone's recent Oriental Rug Lexicon is also excellent (and once again essentially unique in English).

1 comments about Persian Rugs and Carpets: The Fabric of Life.

1. I must admit that the steep price made me hesitate. the book went into, and out of, my cart a few times.
   
   However, it is important to remember that great books cannot be judged solely by cost.
   
   In the final analysis, this book will remind you, every time you open it, that your money has been VERY well spent.

5 comments about Navajo Rugs: The Essential Guide.

1. Excellent Book on Navajo Rugs. Great for the collector, giving some history and what to look for, as well as for the Navajo Rug Weaver. Good, basic information to help you make sure you're buying a genuine rug woven in the Navajo way. I enjoy reading about the history as I do weave Navajo Rugs and find everything I can read of interest. This is not a how to weave a Navajo Rug Book. There are many other weaving books out there on How to Weave Navajo Rugs. The Navajo Rug Collector/Historian would enjoy adding this book to their library.



2. Pretty much useless - unless you literally have never laid your eyes on a Navajo rug before. I needed values and how to tell the difference between Zapotec and Navajo, I got neither.



3. This book is a direct to the point, easy to understand guide on Navajo rugs. Works like a practical handbook, and a must own for connoisseurs and enthusiasts of Navajo rugs.



4. I have recently started to purchase different types of Native American rugs and blankets. This guide has been a tremendous help in identifing Navajo rugs.



5. This is a must have book if you are interested in collecting and purchasing Navajo rugs as well as learning about the history of these items. Easy to read and full of essential facts. I plan to order 2 more copies for friends who are very interested in the Navajo weavings.

4 comments about Oriental Rugs from A to Z (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. Let me start with the positives. The book is large with absolutely beautiful images of rugs inside. The color plates are fantastic and high quality, and the book is well made overall. The images let you see a wide variety of rugs and definitely provide a good range of rugs, though far from a comprehensive one. The book is great if you are interested in Chinese, Indian, Pakistani, or Nepalese rugs. The author has some good discussion on selecting the right rug and caring for them as well.
   
   However, the selection of Iranian/Persian rugs is poor, and the author is a big fan of the chemical fading process used by some rug producers to "antique" the look of a new rug. The vast majority of the rugs in the book are faded, antiqued ones, and there are very few examples of the vibrant examples produced in Iran in particular. Silk rugs are only a small, nearly overlooked section, and the author glosses over that large segment of rugs (including not really discussing rugs with silk highlights and wool rugs with silk weft). The author also lumps Persian rugs into one section and never even touches on the differences in cities within Iran: Isfahan, Nain, Tabriz, Qom, etc. To me, that's an inexcusable omission akin to saying that American cars are all the same. To me, the book seems to focus on the types of rugs that the author has in his store, as if it were one big advertisement. No, he doesn't write, "Shop at my store!", but the selections within the book follow the same theme of the antiqued designs. While undoubtedly some will gravitate toward those rugs and find this book useful, I do not and prefer that my rugs antique by themselves as I enjoy them in my home for years to come.
   
   For anyone interested in Persian rugs, I would steer clear of this book. For others, you may find it a useful guide particularly with array of rug images, but I would look elsewhere for an introduction to Oriental rugs. I found Caroline Bosly's Rugs to Riches a vastly superior introduction despite its age. While Oriental Rugs from A to Z is a beautiful book, it's ultimately just a pretty face to me and not very educational.



2. This book had beautiful colored pictures of many carpets. A very helpful book at a good price.



3. Illustrations and photographs were breathtaking. Price comparisons were helpful, but very little content on rug parameters and significance with regard to final results and quality.



4. Beautiful. A clear and concise readable guidline. There were a lot of wonderful pictures and all the information was very clear and understandable. A very valuable source for anyone who is thinking of buying an Oriental Rug.

1 comments about Sotheby's Guide to Oriental Carpets.

1. Denny has a great deal of insight into rugs, but almost everything he talks about translates to other fields. I put the book down, smarter about what's on my floor and smarter about navigating the material world.

No comments about One Hundred Years of Navajo Rugs.

No comments about Rugs And Posts: The Story Of Navajo Weaving And The Role Of The Indian Trader (Schiffer Book for Collectors).