Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Moth Damaged Rug Repair at Los Angeles Rug Cleaning

We picked up this hand knotted Persian Mashad rug with severe moth damages. We hand washed it and then started the long process of the repair.







The result came out very good and our customer loved the rug again.

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Sir William Burrell / Wagner "Garden" rug, Kerman, Iran, 17th century (Safavid Empire). Glasgow Museum

Sir William Burrell / Wagner "Garden" rug, Kerman, Iran, 17th century (Safavid Empire). Glasgow Museum (cotton and wool)

The Wagner Garden Carpet is one of the most amazing garden carpets to have survived to the present. It was produced during the Safavid period in 17th century Kirman, a well known carpet-making city in south-eastern Iran. The layout of the carpet evokes an image of the earthly paradise as inspired by both the ancient Iranian ‘chahar-bagh’ – four-quartered garden – and the description of Paradise in the Quran. Water channels divide the walled garden, and meet at a central pool. On the banks of the waterways trees, bushes and shrubs blossom and bloom all at the same time; and animals (both predators and pray), birds of all types, multi-coloured butterflies and moths inhabit the garden. Fish and ducks populate the waterways, who’s shimmering waters are cunningly illustrated by the drawing of a lattice pattern with varied thicknesses of line and colour.

This carpet was purchased by Sir William Burrell in 1939, and he donated it with his collection to the City of Glasgow in 1944. It measures 5.31 m long and 4.32 m wide; and is made up of cotton warps; wool, cotton and silk wefts; and wool pile. It acquired its name ‘Wagner’ from a previous owner who acquired it at the beginning of the 20th century.

Sir William Burrell’s prized 17th century Persian  “Wagner” Garden Carpet is believed to be the second most important Iranian carpet in the UK after the Ardabil Carpet at the V&A Museum. Due to its large size and condition, 5.5m x 4.3m , this Safavid carpet has only been displayed twice in the last 30 years. Believed to have been made in Kerman/Kirman, or possibly Isphahan, it has a woollen pile, cotton warps, and wool and cotton wefts.

Named after a previous German owner (Wagner), the carpet’s unique and beautiful design is of a four quartered garden divided by water channels that form the letter H, with a water basin in the centre of the short horizontal channel. The garden is filled with images of  Cypress and flowering trees and shrubs, and populated with an array of birds, animals and several types of fish and duck, floating on the water channels. Lions, leopards, gazelles, peacocks, storks and pigeons, roam the garden. The symmetrical layout and bordered water channels are not only reminiscent of Safavid royal gardens in Isphahan, but also resemble descriptions of Gardens of Paradise in the Qur’an.

The Wagner Garden Carpet is considered to be one of the three earliest surviving Persian garden carpets in the world, the other two being at the Jaipur Museum and the Museum of Industrial Art in Vienna. However, the design of this particular carpet is unique, and no other examples resembling it or using part of its base-pattern have yet been identified.









Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

A SOUTH EAST PERSIAN KERMAN GARDEN CARPET FRAGMENT, 17th century


Garden Rug, south east Iran, Kerman 17th century (Fragment)
Carpets from the Barbara Zidell Sedlin Family Collection

Sale: N08532 | Location: New York
Auction Dates: Session 1: Tue, 03 Mar 2009 10:00 AM
LOT 58 (of 51)

A SOUTH EAST  PERSIAN KERMAN GARDEN CARPET FRAGMENT,
17th century
overcast on all four sides, oxidized browns, reweaves, patches

70,000—100,000 USD

measurements approximately 7ft. 10in. by 6ft. 5in. (2.39 by 1.96m.)

Description: 17th century, overcast on all four sides, oxidized browns, reweaves, patches

TECHNICAL ANALYSIS
Warp: cotton, Z5S, natural ivory
Weft: wool, 2 shoots, natural ivory
Pile: wool, asymmetric knot open to the right
Density: 14-15 horizontal, 16-17 vertical
Sides: incomplete
Ends: incomplete
Colors: madder red, dusty rose, ochre, yellow, dark blue, light blue, blue-green, green, ivory, walnut

PROVENANCE
Property of a Private Collector, sold Christie's New York, April 8, 1989, lot 82

LITERATURE AND REFERENCES
Burns, James D., Antique Rugs of Kurdistan: A Historical Legacy of Woven Art, United Kingdom, 2002, pp. 144-145.

CATALOGUE NOTE

The present lot depicts one of the many lavish gardens that were an essential part of Persian ruling class and elite homes throughout the Safavid period. Gardens were much praised not only by their owners but also by poets, who named their poems after well-known gardens, and painters who depicted them in their works. The beauty of these gardens captivated western travelers as well, including a certain Sir John Chardin, who in 1674 visited Shiraz and noted that the gardens of the city were the most beautiful sites in the realm, see M.S. Dimand and Jean Mailey, Oriental Rugs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1973, p. 78. The golden age of garden design was during the reign of Shah Abbas in the first half of the seventeenth century, when Persia's most exquisite landscapes were created. It is understandable that at this time garden design influenced other art forms beyond poetry and painting. Weavers and draftsmen at carpet manufactories quickly adjusted to the new trend and created designs that essentially recreated gardens in a two-dimensional form. A garden carpet can either depict landscapes with trees in a continuous formation or an aerial-like view of a formal garden, known as the Chahar Bagh design, as in the present lot. Here we see the compartmentalized flower beds and the canals that run though the garden from a bird's eye view mixing in side views of the flora and fauna of the landscape. Waterways are depicted flowing through the park in a geometric grid with small islands at the junctions. Whereas the flowers growing in the flowerbeds and along the channels are stylized and appear to be palmette forms with serrated leaves, the trees growing at the junction of the canals are depicted in a very lively and naturalistic manner. Their branches are willowy and grow out of the trunks in smooth organic lines. Similarly drawn trees can be found on a Kirman carpet of Chahar Bagh design in the Burrell Collection, Glasgow, see Susan Day ed., Great Carpets of the World, New York, 1996, p. 139, pl. 110. The birds sitting on the trees along the left side of the piece and the geese nesting on the island are also depicted in a life-like manner, which indicates that the lot offered here was made in the 1600s, when naturalistic portrayal of the flora and the fauna was common. Later garden carpets from the eighteenth century tend to be more stylized with geometric forms and angular drawing. An eighteenth-century fragment in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York illustrates this idea with its overall design similar to the present carpet in the arrangement of birds, trees, and flower beds, however, drawn with more angular lines, see Mailey, ibid., p. 85, fig. 117. The large lilies of the inner guard border here can be found in early Caucasian and Kurdish rugs and carpets, such as in the field design of a Kurdish rug illustrated in James D. Burns, Antique Rugs of Kurdistan: A Historical Legacy of Woven Art, United Kingdom, 2002, pl. 40. p. 140, sold Sotheby's New York, April 10, 1997 lot 56. The vibrant colors and the organic forms mixed with more abstract geometric elements make  the lot offered here a particularly interesting piece that reflects not only the importance of gardens in the Safavid culture, but also the Safavid weavers' excellence at their craft.

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Rug Ideas (Los Angeles Rug Cleaning) Approved by WoolSafe, International Wool Care Organization

Rug Ideas (Los Angeles Rug Cleaning) Approved by WoolSafe,
International Wool Care Organization


Rug Ideas (Los Angeles Rug Cleaning), a carpet and rug care company of Los Angeles, has been approved to become a member of the WoolSafe®-Approved Service Provider network. The WoolSafe® Organization is a worldwide organization dedicated to the care and cleaning of wool carpets, rugs and upholstery. After completing specialized training provided by the WoolSafe® organization, and meeting their very strict criteria, Rug Ideas (Los Angeles Rug Cleaning) has been invited into this elite group of industry professional companies who have trained personnel on their staff to care for your beautiful wool textiles.

“Many carpet cleaning companies use harsh cleaning and spotting chemicals designed for synthetic carpet which will damage wool” says Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. KayTM), Rug Ideas (Los Angeles Rug Cleaning) founder and owner.  “WoolSafe®-Approved Service Providers agree to use only WoolSafe®-Approved cleaning products on wool carpets and rugs, and follow the highest industry standards.” WoolSafe® was originally established in 1991 by the International Wool Secretariat (the Wool Bureau in North America) to independently test cleaning products to ensure they are safe to use on wool carpet and rug fibers.  The WoolSafe® Organization of Otley, England launched an accreditation program for professional carpet cleaners in October of 1998 in response to demand from the cleaning and carpet manufacturing industries and to raise the level of expertise in cleaning wool floor coverings.

“Our customers have trusted us to care of their fine carpet and rugs for years” says Sobhe. “It is an honor for us to finally join this fine organization of wool carpet and rug care experts from around the world”

By hiring a WoolSafe®-Approved Service Provider such as Rug Ideas (Los Angeles Rug Cleaning), clients are assured of receiving the very best cleaning service that the industry has to offer. 

To discuss your rug cleaning, repair, stain removal, and appraisal needs, call Dr. Khosrow Sobhe, Certified Rug Specialist at Rug Ideas (Los Angeles Rug Cleaning) at 310-770-9085. You can also contact him at info@rugideas.com

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Los Angeles Rug Cleaning: A 3rd Generation Rug Care And Maintenance Company

Professional rug cleaning is what we do. Dry, steam, and surface cleaning for hand made and machine made rugs is a waste of time and money and that is something we do not do.

Here, I am posting some before and after cleaning of rugs we wet washed for different clients.








Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Friday, December 12, 2014

Rug Water Damage in Los Angeles

It is raining hard in Los Angeles right now, Friday a little past 9:00 am. It does not rain that often in Los Angeles, but when it does, we receive a lot of phone calls regarding water damages, leaks, and rugs getting wet.

Rain water is not pure and it contains minerals and solutions, and after it is mixed with dust inside the construction and pile of the rug, this becomes mud. If this is not taken care of, and the rug is not washed and dried properly immediately, the rug will rot and mildew may develop. Rug will crack and will break and this might be a total loss.


In cases like this, acting fast and calling a professional rug cleaner is important. Use our hotline and our immediate pick up services. Call us at 310-770-9085

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Doormats and No-Shoes Policy Can Help Have Cleaner Homes

With our shoes, we transfer all the dirt, dust, mud, and allergens from outside to our homes. It is always good to have outside and inside doormats to have a cleaner and healthier home.


Outside doormat should be washed and dried once in a while to function well; otherwise it does not serve the purpose. 


Inside doormats should be vacuumed regularly and washed/dried properly to keep the dirt and dry soil out of the rugs, carpets and the home in general. No shoes policy if implemented, can helps us maintain our homes cleaner. It also helps to have nicer looking floors and rugs.

Doormats are not expensive and should be used at all of the entrances from the front yard, back yard, to garage and parking entrances. Depending on the climate, different types of out doormats can be used. If they do not have a rubber nonslip backing, a little piece of pad/underlay will help keep them in place and stop them from moving.


Having a shoe rack or cabinet helps to keep the shoes in one separate place. They will also look nocer and more organized and would encourage everyone to abide by the no-shoe policy.

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Friday, November 28, 2014

Rug Sale, Rug Tent Sale 50% Off Entire Inventory, Los Angeles

We are going to have a once in a year rug tent sale 50% off on our entire inventory of rugs, kilims, and sheepskins. Our sales starts today, November 28th, so called the Black Friday from 10 am to 6 pm and will last until tomorrow Saturday November 29th, 2014 6:00 pm.



We will also have 20% off our entire line of services such as hand wash and deep cleaning, repair, appraisal, moth guard, stain guard, rug pads, etc. Our big free parking is in the back and we have free booklets, and rug related literature for our clients and those who visit us during the big event.

You can visit us online and get more information and then come in and visit us.

http://losangelesrugcleaning.com/rug-tent-sale/

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Fringe Tassel Rug Repair at Los Angeles Rug Ceaning

Some of our clients do not like fringes at the end of their rugs. For these clients, we remove the fringes and replace them with binding/surging that we do with hand. They think fringes get stuck in vacuum cleaners or get damaged because of foot traffic and look ugly. 



Most of our clients like to see fringes at both ends of their rugs. So if the fringes are damaged, we unravel the rug at the end and remove the loose ugly ends and secure the fringes of the rug. These fringes are original and part of the foundation of the rug.


These fringes looked really messed up and ugly and our client loved the new look of her rug after the repair and securing fringes.


Re-fringing and implanting fringes is another type of service we offer. Below, I have posted pictures of a silk foundation Persian Isfahan rug with ugly dirty looking damaged fringes. This customer liked to see long silk fringes at the ends of his rug.



This type of repair is the most complicated one as we have to re-weave the kilim or flat weave part. Only experienced repair technicians can do this type of end repairs.


If we receive a damaged area rug (machine made), using prefabricated fringes maybe the only option.





This new re-fringing make the rugs look beautiful and like new again.

So if you have a rug with damaged ends, bring it in, or send us a couple of pictures to discuss the options or cost. We usually can take care of the repair in less that a week by our onsite repair technicians.

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Monday, November 24, 2014

Giraffehide Giraffe Hide Cleaning and Repair, Restoration in Los Angeles

We have cleaned, repaired and restored many types of animal hides and skins. The most interesting one was a Giraffehide we directly received from Africa for a client here in Los Angeles.




We hand washed this huge Giraffehide/Giraffe skin and installed backing on it. We then sewed canvas strapping on the edges so it could stay flat on the floor.

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Rug Fringes Repair at Los Angeles Rug Cleaning

Fringes or as some clients call them tassels make rugs look beautiful and more authentic. Fringes get damaged by foot traffic or improper vacuuming. We can repair, restore, and re-fringe almost all types of rugs that have damages at the ends.







In the above posted pictures, we unraveled and removed the damaged fringes and secured the rugs at two ends to make sure knots do not come of.







In the above posted pictures, we did total re-fringing on these rugs and brought them back to life again.

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085