The locality where a rug was woven is also to be considered in determining its rarity and therefore its value. Of the countless carpets that once existed in Egypt, of the very early rugs of Caucasia and Turkestan, not a piece remains; but if one were to be found it would be almost priceless. The antique carpets of Syria, or of Kirman, Shiraz, and Tabriz, woven over three centuries ago, are more valuable than others of equally good workmanship, of which relatively large numbers remain. So, too, of the rugs classed as old, but falling short of the venerable age of the real antiques, those which are now difficult to be obtained on account of their scarcity, are more valuable than those which are being produced in larger numbers. Rugs such as the Joshaghan, Tiflis, and many others of sixty or more years of age, are no longer woven. Modern products from the same districts may adopt the old names, but they are not the same. Accordingly, it will be only a short time when they too will disappear from the market. Good examples of such pieces should therefore receive more careful consideration on the part of purchasers and collectors, as their value is increasing with each passing year.
Furthermore, the rarity of an old rug is often independent of its age or the locality where it was made, and is due to its peculiar type. For instance, the Ming Rugs of China with silver threads and the so-called Garden Carpets of Iran represent types rather than localities. Likewise the Hunting Carpets of Persia, the Holbein Carpets of Asia Minor, and the Dragon Carpets of Armenia, represent, as far as we know, the textile craft of no well-defined district of limited area, as is the case of modern rugs, but rather rare types. Such pieces are valuable, not alone on account of their age, but also because they represent these rare types.
A rug is also valued for its artistic beauty. The innumerable rugs which centuries ago were in daily use soon disappeared, and only those intended for palaces or temples have been preserved. It is but natural, then, that the antique carpets representing the highest art of their time should be not only rare but also beautiful. Yet even in them is often a distinction that affects their value. Fortunately, very many of the larger number of rugs of less age, but classed as old, likewise possess artistic beauty. This chiefly depends on the drawing and the colouring.
It will be noticed that almost without exception careful drawing accompanies workmanship of a high class. This is partly due to the facts that the more excellent the weave the easier it is to clearly define patterns; and that on shortness of nap, which as a rule is found in closely woven rugs, depends accuracy of delineation. The charm of rugs often depends, also, on the graceful flow of lines, the careful balance of different parts of patterns, and the proper co-ordination between border and field. Careful attention should accordingly be given to the drawing when selecting a rug.
The artistic beauty of Oriental rugs depends still more on the colouring, since, as has been elsewhere expressed, drawing, which is intellectual, finds its highest development in the Occident, and colouring, which is sensuous, finds its highest development in the Orient. It at once suggests sumptuous luxury. In all of the antique carpets that remain and in very many rugs over fifty years of age, all the colours employed in a single piece are in tones of perfect harmony, and are so placed with reference to one another that the effect is most agreeable. But in some of the modern pieces, such as are produced in parts of Asia Minor and Caucasia, are colours which, like discordant notes of music, grate harshly on the senses. The most pleasing effect is when colours of border and field are complementary, yet so in harmony as to accentuate the qualities of each.
There are also colours which, independent of their association, are in themselves good or bad. The best are found in the antique carpets woven when the art of the dyer was an honourable profession. The colours are also very good in still later pieces; but for a century now some of the finest have not been used, and even the secret of producing them has been lost. Here and there dyers and weavers cling to early traditions, so that among modern rugs are many examples of good colouring; but the most recent pieces, excepting when softened by artificial processes, often display harsh and garish colours. This distinction is in a measure due to the fact that old colours were largely produced by vegetable dyes and the modern are too often produced by aniline. Not infrequently both vegetable and aniline colours are used in the same piece, and sometimes the quantity of aniline colour is so small that it is scarcely objectionable; but as a rule it is best never to purchase a rug that is so tainted.
One objection to the use of aniline dyes is that by removing some of the natural oil of the wool they are apt to make it brittle, so that it is less able to stand wear. Another is that in time some of the dyes, which have been applied collectively to produce a single colour, will fade or even disappear, so that the final colour may be a most undesirable shade not in harmony with those that surround it. If the fibres are brittle and become harsher to the touch when wet with water, it is an indication that aniline dyes have been used. Another test is the application of weak vegetable acids, which will make the colour spread if produced by aniline dyes, but are not likely to affect it if produced by vegetable dyes. Many native weavers can distinguish by placing the wool in their mouths, when they experience a sweet or bitter taste, according as vegetable or aniline dyes have been used. It is a mistake, however, to assume that the dyes are aniline because the wool has a brighter colour at the surface of the nap than at the foundation; or because the colour spreads when wet with water; since in time even some of the vegetable colours will fade; and when fresh they will run during the first washing in water, but afterwards they are little affected either by water or weak acids.
Even when the same colours and the same kind of dyes were used, there is a marked distinction in the appearance of old and of recently woven rugs, which is due to wear as well as exposure to sun and weather. The effect of time, imperceptible at first, is shown in rich tones of remarkable softness and beauty, that add greatly to the value of a rug. It accordingly happens that artificial processes are adopted to create as far as possible the same results without the lapse of time. Some of these are as novel as were the efforts of the distinguished viceroy of King-te Chin, in the reign of Kang-hi, to produce antique porcelains.[40] Henry Savage Landor says[41] that “to manufacture ‘Antique Carpets’ is one of the most lucrative branches of modern Persian carpet making. The new carpets are spread in the bazar in the middle of the street, where it is most crowded, and trampled upon for days or weeks, according to the days required, foot passengers and their donkeys, mules and camels making a point of treading on them in order to ‘add to age’ in the manufacturer’s goods. When sufficiently worn down the carpet is removed, brushed, and ordinarily sold for double or treble the actual price, owing to its antiquity.”
COLOUR PLATE XI—CHINESE RUG
This large Chinese carpet represents some of the best workmanship of the Keen-lung period. In it are shown the graceful drawing of leaf, fruit, flower, and butterfly, and the dainty colouring of blue, yellow, brown, and apricot on a field of ivory that are so characteristic of this time. The usual balance of designs throughout the field is maintained with precision; but, as is not always the case, different motives occupy corresponding positions. Thus a cluster of leaves and fruit may be balanced with a cluster of leaves and flowers. The conventional drawing of the corners and the somewhat formal panel that surrounds the central medallion give to the pattern strength of character while they detract nothing from its beauty.