Unfortunately this revival came at a time when the inventive genius of man had led him to the substitution of mechanical aids and materials for the hand-operated utensils and natural materials always used hitherto. Instead of the wool being handspun, it could be done by machine. Lancashire could supply the cotton, and for dyestuffs the aniline dye was much easier to obtain then the berries, insects and other local products which had been used ever since textile weaving began. Change came gradually, of course, and in the matter of dyestuffs Persia at least rebelled against them, and forbade the use of them until the present century.

As time goes by, of course, there will be fewer and fewer pieces available for exhibition, and even for sale by way of trade, until eventually the only relics of the distant past will be in museums and large collections.

Fine old goods in mint condition have always been in short supply, but in the last twenty years, since the end of the Second World War, a somewhat greater demand for this type of merchandise, coupled with the fact that there are an old rug for this purpose, as the pile tufts are not long enough to re-tie, so the only way is to unravel old Kelims, and selvedges of rugs, where the yarn will be long enough to make knots. Unfortunately, old Kelims are also not found very often, so there are not many repairers today who are doing the real job of reparation. Eventually, however, all repairs will inevitably have to be done with new wool. What a pity but all lovers of old rugs should feel obliged to take great care of them. Rugs deserve far more consideration than they normally receive. After all, two years of a man’s life may be woven into the ordinary sized scatter rug, which is merely walked on and kicked about when it gets in the way. Another reason for looking after rugs well is that in this way their investment value will be preserved. As a general rule, good rugs properly cared for will always sell well in the right market. It must be remembered, however, that the dealer has to make a profit on reselling it, so that the price he is prepared to pay will never reach the re-sale price. But a good Oriental rug which has given some years of use will not have lost much of its value over this period, always providing, of course, that it was bought at the right price in the first place.

Fewer rugs available, has created a kind of famine never before experienced. The breaking up of large estates due to high estate duties has on occasions somewhat alleviated the position, but whereas in years gone by the large salerooms could offer every week many lots of good old pieces, today there is intense competition whenever a few pieces of the right class and condition appear. It was said above that a greater demand for Oriental rugs has been created in the recent past. This is true in certain countries due to the higher standards of living, to an awareness of the product not known previously. A great shortage is also evident in the producing countries themselves, although in some cases they are now in a position to buy them back on the world markets. Alas, in the United Kingdom at any rate, the progress is extremely slow. At this moment the total Oriental rug consumption within the country, and this includes mass-produced Indian carpets, consists of only approximately 2% of the floor covering market.

There are still many great collections, the museums have a wealth of examples to show, and, incidentally, most of them can be visited without charge, but very few people seem to know anything whatever about these treasures. The glossy magazines expound on the subject of stately homes, but often a photograph of a room does not mention the rug or carpet. All the other items are fully described, but it appears that the floor is something to be avoided. It may be that this is good in the long run because the carpet should be unobtrusive, like a good servant not noticed in service, but sadly missed if absent. The future holds good prospects for the connoisseur. Many rugs being made today will undoubtedly stand the test of time but they must be chosen with care, and must be looked after properly. There are still some repairers of the old school but, as with most craftsmen, they are a dying race, and not many young ones are entering the craft. The art of repairing old rugs lies in the use of old wool for the new pile. It is not possible to use the pile of an old rug for this purpose, as the pile tufts are not long enough to re-tie, so the only way is to unravel old Kelims, and selvedges of rugs, where the yarn will be long enough to make knots. Unfortunately, old Kelims are also not found very often, so there are not many repairers today who are doing the real job of reparation. Eventually, however, all repairs will inevitably have to be done with new wool. What a pity but all lovers of old rugs should feel obliged to take great care of them. Rugs deserve far more consideration than they normally receive. After all, two years of a man’s life may be woven into the ordinary sized scatter rug, which is merely walked on and kicked about when it gets in the way.

Another reason for looking after rugs well are that in this way their investment value will be preserved. As a general rule, good rugs properly cared for will always sell well in the right market. It must be remembered, however, that the dealer has to make a profit on reselling it, so that the price he is prepared to pay will never reach the re-sale price. But a good Oriental rug which has given some years of use will not have lost much of its value over this period, always providing, of course, that it was bought at the right price in the first place.