Rug Care and Maintenance

You have beautiful handmade Oriental or Persian rugs at home but you do not maintain and care for them properly. You expose them to direct sunlight and this is what happens. The colors fade away and this cannot be fixed. You can prevent these kinds of damages by using the curtain/draperies properly or simply by covering the rug and protecting it from sunlight by a piece of fabric. When damaged by sun, the pile cannot be over-dyed and this causes a permanent damage to the rug. It looks ugly and reduces the value drastically.

Just take a look at the first picture. Our lovely customer has covered the table (worth $2,000) with fabric and plastic but has left this beautiful handknotted Persian Habibian Nain carpet 12' x 20' with 20,000,000 knots worth $50,000 uncovered and unprotected under the sun. That is bad.

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

Navajo Rugs/Blankets/Kilims

Navajo rugs and blankets are textiles produced by Navajo people of the Four Corners area of the United States. Navajo textiles are highly regarded and have been sought after as trade items for over 150 years. Commercial production of handwoven blankets and rugs has been an important element of the Navajo economy. As one expert expresses it, "Classic Navajo serapes at their finest equal the delicacy and sophistication of any pre-mechanical loom-woven textile in the world."

Navajo textiles were originally blankets for use as cloaks, dresses, saddle blankets, and similar purposes. Toward the end of the 19th century, weavers began to make rugs for tourism and export. Typical Navajo textiles have strong geometric patterns. They are a flat tapestry-woven textile produced in a fashion similar to kilims of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, but with some notable differences. In Navajo weaving, the slit weave technique common in kilims is not used, and the warp is one continuous length of yarn, not extending beyond the weaving as fringe. Traders from the late 19th and early 20th century encouraged adoption of some kilim motifs into Navajo designs.
                                       
Along with Persian & Oriental rugs we also do cleaning and repair for Navajo rugs and blankets. All the pics shown in today's blog are customer rugs that have come in for cleaning or repair. So if you have these types of rugs in your collection and they need repair or cleaning come talk with us as we can help you get them deep cleaned/sanitized and repaired from the ravages that time, wear/tear or your pets have taken out on them.

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

Rug Court Cases: What Can We All Learn From Them?

In the past few months, I have done some court appearances for rug related cases and have done some legal consultations and appraisals. The readers of my blog should have the privilege of using my experience with these cases. These are very valuable lessons that I like to share with you. Document every thing. Whatever goes on between you and the other party (parties). I said he said is not accepted by the court. The judge wants to see the proof. Pictures, e-mails, videos, letters, etc. can be of great help and make you win the case if well prepared and presented. Be careful with the contradictions. Judges ask many questions, some of which may seem irrelevant or even stupid (forgive my language), but they are smart and professional. We may have a couple of court cases in our life time. A judg has several cases everyday. So he is a professional and knows what he is doing. He is looking for contradictions and the truth. He may find that by asking different and too many questions. Do not volunteer to give out information. Be clear and specific. Talking too much and giving out too much information may work to your disadvantage. Do not mess around with judges. Do not try to proof you're tough and smart. Tell the truth and be calm and relax. I have seen defendants or plaintiffs arguing with judges nervously or impolitely and at the end, they lost their cases. Don't take risks in the courtrooms. I am not saying the a judge takes revenge if you mess with him and make him angry, but if you do not act properly, you cannot present yourself and forget why you are in the court. You're there to win your case. Some of these people who are in the courtrooms for rug case, have black/white pictures of their rugs or low resolution color copies of their rugs. OMG! Were you trying to save ink when you printed these images?

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

Wall Street Occupation in Los Angeles

In my previous post I mentioned that I attended a court as an Expert Witness for a water damaged Persian rug case. During the lunch break, I went cross the street from the Los Angeles Superior Court and took these pictures from the City Hall and the mayor's office. Protesters of the financial institutions were very calm and peaceful.

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

Tabriz Rug Water Damage Case and Me As An Expert Witness in Court

I was in court all day today from 8:00 am to almost 4:00 pm. There was a Persian Tabriz rug 7' x 10' water damage case and I was there as an Expert Witness. The judge was amazingly polite, smart and detailist. I was there as an Expert Witness and mentioned that this rug could be saved and the colors could be restored to some extent. I also questioned the appraisal the plaintiff had gotten for this rug. It was a very long and lengthy court. The judge was asking very detailed questions looking for contradictions to find out the truth. I liked his approach. Very smart and thoughtful.

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

I Spend Money When I Cannot Earn Money!

It was Sunday today and our store was closed. I went to my rug gallery for an hour to prepare a report and take some documents for a Small Claims Court appearance as an "Expert Witness" for a client. I have to be at the court tomorrow at 8:00 am.

Among other things like going to barbershop to get haircut and shopping at Costco, I went to an auction and bought few rugs and kilims. I am very excited about a unique decorative Mexican Kilim Tapestry. I will mark this kilim to sell it for only $195. This can be a great Christmas gift.

Sometimes, I spend money when I cannot make money!

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

Chinese Rug: Deal of the Day

It is Saturday 11:45 am. On my way to work an hour ago, I passed by a garage sale and I noticed a rug on the side walk. I parked and got off the car. I inspected the rug. It was a hand knotted Chinese rug with cotton foundation and fine wool pile. I asked for the price. The lady said $25 and I said $10. We agreed upon $15. She was happy to get rid of the rug and getting $15 cash. I was happy to have this rug for $15.00. I paid and took the rug to my car. I have it now in my rug store. It is a lovely piece and is worth at least $100.

If you want to buy or sell something, do a little homework and find out what it is. I was ready to pay up to $50 for this rug. The lady did not know if this was a machine or hand made rug.

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

Rug Sale Rug Tent Sale Los Angeles

We are planning to have our once in a year Black Friday rug sale with 50% off on all of our inventory. That will be for Friday November 25, and Saturday November 26, 2011. We will have an actual big tent set up in our parking lot next to our rug gallery. Our customers can bring in their rugs for free appraisal while we have the tent sale. For more information, you can visit: www.RugTentSale.com  

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

Unique Pieces

Besides the great selection of Persian and Oriental Rugs that are in our showroom we have some fantastic unique pieces as well. Some of these pieces are:

The above picture is of a traditional saddle cover. Saddle covers were a prominent product of tribal and rural weaving. Paintings of horses with saddle covers appear in Persian miniatures as early as the 14th century. Completely woven in pile, this cover would have provided a comfortable cushion for the rider. It can be used as a wall hanging or even as a center piece on a table.

Above is a Kyrgyz Animal Trapping from the early 20th century. It is wool on wool and was used primarily as decorations for horses, donkeys and camels; they were also used as head ornaments. They can be used as a hanging art piece in a modern home. What a conversation piece!

Probably the most familiar to Westerners are saddlebags with two decorated pouches (above). These were made in various sizes, with the smallest examples used on donkeys. Called heybe in Turkey, khorjin in Persia and the Caucasus, they appear in a wide variety of woven structures:  tapestry, soumak, brocading, knotted pile, weft substitution, and even occasionally warp substitution. In western Anatolian Turkey, saddlebags were commonly made with a long center bridge with a slit down the center (below).  Men sometimes slipped these over their shoulders to serve as convenient shopping bags when in the marketplace. Besides being used as a hanging in your home these pieces can be used at the ends of couches to hold magazines, remotes, etc.

Come check out our unique pieces at our showroom today!

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)

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

San Francisco Antique Rug Show Round Up

My trip to San Francisco to visit the antique rug show took three days. I drove there from Los Angeles. Weather was nice and I liked the show. It was fun to see some good rugs and kilims, meet few good old friends, learn more about different types of rugs, and chat with rug dealers and collectors. Organizers had done whatever they could to make the show successful and if some exhibitors did not sell or were not totally happy, no one was to blame but the slow market.

I saw a dealer/collector from Los Angeles who was there from Wednesday, two days before the show started and he had hunted what he was looking for. Several of the participants/dealers had bought some items they liked from other exhibitors. The benefit of visiting or exhibiting is not always to sell few items. It is to be there to make contacts and let others know who you are and what you do.

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

San Francisco Antique Rug Show My Second Day in Town

I visited the San Francisco Antique Rug Show this morning. I loved it. Many good items were on display. I wish I had brought $1,000,000 with me to send all these rug collectors and carpet lovers from around the world home happy with big smiles. There were only 40 of them.

One of my favorites, was an antique  Malayer rug in almost perfect condition exhibited by Owen Perry from London, England. I bought a Sarouk Farahan (Fereghan) from him last year. He was asking $5,800 for this beautiful piece of art. Although it was worth it, that seemed a little out of my budget. The picture of Owen holding the rug is at the bottom of this page.

As in any other rug show around the globe, some rug dealers were happy with the sales, some were not.

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

San Francisco Antique Rug Show

Just got here to San Francisco last night around 8:00 pm. I will visit the San Francisco Antique Rug show later today and will have a good pictorial post for you. I liked this photo of the show from one of the pieces on display hanging from a balcony.

Woven flowers and real flowers. Which ones last longer? Which ones do you like to keep?

Photo taken by Seref Ozen.

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

Los Angeles Rug Tour

Los Angeles Rug Tour

August 10-12, 2012

Enjoy learning more about rugs and impress your clients

Talks, Videos, Movies & Hands on Projects on:

·         History

·         Designs

·         Dyeing process

·         Weaving

·         Pricing

·         Appraisal

·         Rug Weaving Centers of the World

·         Rug ID

·         Rug Cleaning & Related issues

·         Rug Repair & Color Restoration

·         Literature, Resources, Books & Websites

·         Market Taste (What sells and what doesn't)

·         Online & Social Media Marketing for Rug Industry

Renowned rug experts gather in Los Angeles to discuss rugs with you

and answer your questions on different historic, artistic, cultural, technical and

economic aspects of rugs


A good and fun workshop to learn more about rugs and network with other professionals in the field. This is a unique opportunity you don't want to miss

Sponsor: Rug Ideas^TM  Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay^TM )

This is a “By Invitation Only” event not open to public

Cost: To Be Announced


You will have fun and a lot of surprises!

Venue: Crown Plaza Hotel Beverly Hills for the workshop on Friday and Saturday

August 10 & 11, 2012

A customized tour of Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, and Hollywood is planned for Sunday August 12, 2012

For details call Tel. 310-860-0460 or send an e-mail to info@rugideas.com

Why August?

It is Summer; schools and colleges are closed and participants in the tour have more free time with no worries about their kids and their schools

Weather is nice in Los Angeles around 60 degrees Fahrenheit at night and 75 during the day time

It is few months away and this gives you enough time to plan ahead for a Summer of  rug education and fun

There are a lot of attractions days/nights in Summer in LA!

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