2 comments about The Story of Carpets.

1. I read this book twice and each time I was mesmerised by the fluency of the author on the subject of the Persian carpets in particular. This book is a very enlightening book in terms of information and vivid illustrations. It is full of fantstic pictures that must have cost the author a lot to produce the photographs.
   I found the book totally informative and would recomment it to any body who wants to invest in Persian carpets.
   Well done Essie Sakhai. I look forward to read your other books.



2. Author does not mention Bokharas, a major design for centuries, (copied by many)except in one small picture. Kurdish tribal rugs are not covered, even though they are becoming increasingly rare. (Try to find one and you'll be steered to a Turkish or Afghan rug!)I expected more detail in the Bidjar design, for example. Most pictures are of older rare rugs--not a great help when looking in todays shops.There is no mention of the Pakistan and Indian rugs of today. He should tell the reader that these are also decent "oriental" rugs.

No comments about The Rug and Carpet Book.

No comments about American Hooked and Sewn Rugs: Folk Art Underfoot.

1 comments about Hooked Rugs Today.

1. Thanks for a great book. Super transaction. ALl as advertised. Highly recommend.

No comments about Flatweaves of Turkey.

No comments about Oriental Rugs: The Illustrated World Buyer's Guide.

3 comments about The Bulfinch Guide to Carpets: How to Identify, Classify, and Evaluate Antique Carpets and Rugs.

1. This is probably the most frequently used carpet book I have. I'm not a dealer or serious collector - just wanted to buy nice rugs for the house but I wanted to know what I was buying. I first found this at the library and ended up buying it (along with 2 others that are bigger and different). I go to this book first every time I have a question. This book has great maps of the areas, history of the people in each of the areas, great drawings and explainations of the different symbols and motifs, discussions on the knots/weaves and what to look for in terms of quality, typical indications of what to look for in each type of carpet, and more. We recently returned from a trip to Turkey/Istanbul where we went to the Grand Bazaar and bought carpets for the house - it was lots of fun (great people)- and I feel that this book really helped me not only appreciate the rug making and understand some of the history but also make more informed decisions when shopping. Highly recommeded!



2. This book looks like a beginner level general rug book but it is actually very useful. Of all of my beginner books this is one I still go back to...



3. this is a pretty basic primer for those just beginning to collect oriental carpets. There are quite a few pictures/examples, although the book is less than comprehensive.

No comments about Rugs and Carpets of the World.

1 comments about Carpets from China, Xinjiang and Tibet.

1. This book offers an excellent introduction to historical rug weaving centres of China including Tibet. Good colour photos of rugs and well written text in a pleasing format - not just a catalogue of different types as are most rug guides. For collectors this book offers really useful tips on the characteristics and imagery of older and antique Chinese rugs. Many of the examples shown in the book can occasionally be found through usual collector channels such as auctions, a few small collection centres/warehouses in China or dealers in Hong Kong and elsewhere. Pity it is out of print but possibly the title does not reflect its really useful coverage as a reference source e.g. a better one might be "Guide to older and antique Chinese rugs and carpets".

3 comments about Oriental Rugs: Persian (Oriental Rugs).

1. This is a well presented and informative book, covering the history, manufacture, style and quality of Persian carpets. It is well illustrated with full page photographs of the different styles and patterns of carpets from numerous districts of Iran. As well as the brief opening section on history, patterns, manufacturing techniques etc., there is a useful table of information about different rugs, indicating sizes, quality and origin. Each photograph is accompanied by a brief description. It is here that I found the book lacking in its overall degree of content and scholarship. I am much more impressed with the extent of knowledge and detail which can be found in "Oriental Carpet Design" by PRJ Ford. This book is more comprehensively illustrated and has vastly more information in all areas. It is also cheaper!



2. Easy to use. Table reference in the opening section gives a quick overview of the various regions. Good color illustrations coupled with comprehensive cross referencing makes this a "must have" reference book.



3. This is a scholarly and easy-to- use view of the Persian capet-- in history and in the present. It is organized by geographical regions and includes an enormous number of color photos-- for each region. The description for each type of Persian carpet is concise and very helpful in determining quality and other criteria about particular types. This is the book I return to time after time.