Design of rugs

area rugs

Designs copied by other countries show a distinct variation from the original, for example, Turkish weavers were asked to copy Chinese designs—the result was that some of the floral motifs looked Chinese but the majority looked Turkish (foreign). The wool used was heavier, the dyes and knots different and, therefore, even to the layman identification is simple.

The same rule applies to each country. Although today copying is prevalent, the copiers give themselves away. Some­times by over-elaborating a simple tribal rug or by colours that were never originally used.

Take for example, the Bokhara rug (from Turkestan). These rugs have been copied in Persia and Pakistan, and a green or pale blue ground is used, and these colours were never used in Tukestan.

If you compare a Pakistan Bokhara with a genuine Turkestan rug, you will soon notice the over-elaboration.