We're Talking Bijars!

Not all Bijar are the same, this we know. As we have now passed the 4th year of the current Persian rug embargo ( Sept. 29, 2010, beginning date) there are very few of the best quality, newly woven tribal rugs from Iran available. One of my very esteemed suppliers brought in a number of amazing pieces, actually a container full, to the US right before the embargo went into effect and has made these available on a step by step basis for the last couple of years.

Vegetable dyes, hand-spun wool, antique designs, new rugs. These, I believe are the most valuable rugs being offered in the current market. Just my opinion but I have a few and after a number of years, they are showing no wear and look like the day I purchased them.

Recently I was able to purchase a few more for my gallery and they are all gorgeous! Have a look-see. All are currently available. Each piece was woven in the small towns surrounding Bijar by skilled Kurdish weavers. Beautiful colors, articulate drawings, tightly woven, heavy body and virtually indestructible. These plant based dyes are very unlikely to fade.

So, here we go.  All of these are in the 8 x 10, 8 x 11 size. Antique designs, based on

traditional Persian motifs.  This first piece is a tribal rendition of the Shah Abbas design.

                                       8 x 11 Bijar Carpet, new rug, antique Shah Abbas design. 

                                Classic Garrus design.

                           
                                 Close-up view.

                                Another rendition of the Shah Abbas design with an unusually
                                wide border and it works.

                            

To see more rugs, please take a look at my website! We are in Northern CA but ship all over the US. All rugs are shipped on an "approval" basis. Paradise Oriental Rugs, Inc., Sebastopol, CA
Prices on request. See my contact page.  

Happy New Year!

The UnderCoverRugLover

Beautiful New Persian Rugs in Today!

Here you are: they will be up on my site by tomorrow. Most of these are smaller and medium sized rugs; 5 x 7, 4 x 6. All of these pieces are genuine Persian tribal rugs from Iran, brought into the US before the 2010 Embargo. Woven with hand spun wool and plant based dyes, each piece is unique and one-of-a-kind. The first two pieces have the Tree of Life design with an accent design based on the weeping willow. The third rug down is a Qashqai (classic and traditional Qashqai) and gorgeous! Love this one. The last rug is a Khamseh or Khamsehbaf. Khamseh is a tribal affiliation in Iran and baf means "woven by".

What Does Taking a Rug On Approval Mean? Oriental rugs, Persian rugs, Handmade rugs.

There are two things one must know in order to purchase a hand woven Oriental rug. The first is that when you look at the rug, you love it; the colors, the design (drawing) and the whole piece are beautiful and interesting to you. You want to continue to look at it. This is the sign of a potential keeper!

The second is this: will this rug work well in my home? Factors that may affect how well the rug works are: lighting, colors of your furniture, drapes and walls, size of the rug being appropriate for the space and the overall mood of the rug. Is is complimentary to the room it is being placed in? If the rug does not bring the space to life and enhance the total look of the room then that particular rug is not the correct one.  Of course there are other considerations such as price, trust of the merchant, etc., but these first two are paramount.

The first consideration can be ascertained at the gallery of your choice.  The second factor you will only discover when you take the rug home, put it down and look.  Unless you are on vacation in a foreign country and it is a decision that you must make forthwith, reputable rug stores here in the US will always allow you to take a rug, "on an approval" basis. This means that you are able to take it home and see if it looks as wonderful, in your home as you thought it might.

The most rugs I have ever allowed a client to take on approval at one time was 13. This sounds like a tremendous number of rugs but actually many of the pieces were very small.  Amazingly, when this client arrived back at my shop a couple of days later, he did, in fact keep 7 pieces. Again, I believe 3 or 4 were very small rugs but this was none-the-less a very good sale.

In shipping rugs out of state, each piece from my shop is shipped on an approval basis. I am proud to say I have never had a large piece sent back but seeing a video of the rug helps tremendously and often I will do a short video for a client of a rug of interest.

If you would like to see some of the rugs at my gallery, all of which are sold "on an approval" basis, here is a link to my gallery pages. Additionally, here is a link to the many Oriental Rug Videos on my You Tube Channel. 

Hopefully this information will be of use.

The UnderCoverRugLover:)







  

Looking for a Beautiful Oriental Rug? Currently running a Special Offer at my Gallery!

I will get right to the point. We are currently offering 15% off your 1st purchase!
Paradise Oriental Rugs, Inc.  Here are a few pieces from our collection.

We are located in Sebastopol, CA (one hour north of San Francisco) but we do ship all over the US. Please give us a call with any questions. Prices are on request. The Persian rug embargo continues but I still have some beautiful one-of-kind, very special pieces from Iran and Afghanistan so do take a look.  Rug Gallery!

Here is our info:
Paradise Oriental Rugs, Inc.
137 No. Main St.
Sebastopol, CA  95472

707-823-3355

New Oriental Rug Article! What I Have Learned About Oriental Rugs.

Here is a quick preview.

In 1990, I knew virtually nothing about Oriental rugs. Fast forward to 2014, I have been a retailer with a gallery for over 15 years. I started late but dove into this business with much enthusiasm. I own more books on Oriental rugs than anyone I have ever met and will continue to expand my library on the subject at every available opportunity.  Do I read them all cover to cover? No. I look up exactly what I need to know and move on. To read more, here is the rest of the article on what to look for when purchasing and Oriental rug. 

Where to Buy Oriental Rugs! An Insider's View

Where shall I start? For those with some knowledge, much enthusiasm and interest in adding to your rug collection I have put together a small list of potential venues for finding a nice handmade rug at an affordable price. For the highly educated rug collectors, you already know all these possible resources. My first recommendation is to purchase a rug from a reputable Oriental rug store. With that being said, here are some additional opportunities for a potential purchase if luck finds you.

I will start by stating that ninety-eight percent of the rugs at my gallery have been purchased from wholesalers I have been doing business with for years. This leaves the two percent.  OK, here we go.

I have always said, you can buy a rug anywhere.  Possibly you're at a friends house for dinner and they mention that they are moving to a smaller home and have a number of rugs for sale. You inquire and find out that these particular pieces are being offered at very affordable prices and there is one that really talks to you. This is a great opportunity so take advantage of it.

As my title in this article promised, where does one look for a good deal on a hand woven rug?
This is where the dealers look, when they have the time.

Flea markets
Antique stores
Second hand stores
Consignment furniture stores
Newspaper ads
Online advertising, such as Craigslist
Local Hospice thrift shops
Word of mouth.
Storage facilities, where rugs are indicated in the promotion of the sale.

When you are looking for a very specific rug I recommend Google Images.

I did another blog post on what makes a rug valuable and also give more details on my FAQS page. Keep in mind an antique rug should be close to 100 years old. Age, condition and rarity all affect value.

Since the inception of the Dobag project  in Turkey, beautiful new rugs in old designs have been produced using good dyes (vegetable dyes) and hand-spun wool in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt, Romania, and other countries for the last 15 years.  As Emmett Eiland so succinctly stated in his book "Oriental Rugs Today" there is currently a renaissance in the production of new rugs being created with time honored techniques, dyes and wool.

If you are interested in a beautiful new handmade rug woven with vegetable dyes and great quality wool have a look at my gallery as this is what I sell. If you are not quite there yet, hopefully the information in this article will be of assistance.

The UnderCoverRugLover

Afghan Tribal Rug!

I like this rug. It just came in today and I was not able to upload it to my site earlier, so here it is. The exact size is 7'10" x 10' 7". Woven in Afghanistan with hand spun wool and good quality vegetable dyes, the colors on this piece are exquisite! Have a look. Not for everyone as there is quite a bit going on but this one definitely commands attention. Some of these design elements are fascinating but the colors give this rug it's magic. Medallions and tulips abound as well as protection from the evil eye. This design is taken from an antique Karaja rug.  To see additional rugs from Afghanistan  have a look at my gallery pages on my web site.

Paradise Oriental Rugs, Inc

137 North Main St.

Sebastopol, CA 95472

707-823-3355

   

Are Oriental Rugs Negotiable?

First of all, lets take a look at the definition of the word negotiable. Straight from Google: "open to discussion or modification".  Actually almost anything is negotiable if one thinks about it.  Will all rug dealers negotiate?
The answer is no.  If there is a sign on the wall that say, "All rug prices are firm. We do not negotiate!" I think that statement is pretty clear.

Here are some factors that may influence a dealer's willingness to negotiate or hold firm to the indicated price on the tag.

Is this rug irreplaceable?
Is the rug store or gallery currently offering a special or sale?
How has their business been going recently?
How is the economy doing?  How is the real estate market doing?

How popular is that particular rug type or that specific rug?
On some rugs but not all, how long has a piece been in one's inventory?  This point is debatable as sometimes a rug is extraordinary but it's in the wrong size for all those that have shown interest in it.

Additional questions that could influence a dealer's willingness to work with the person in front them are:

How many rugs has this client purchased?
How many rugs is the client purchasing today?
Is the client paying with a credit card or a check? Guess which one most dealers prefer? :)
Has this client referred others?

Does the client want to take the rugs on approval (which is fine and always expected) or for someone with more rug buying experience, are they ready and willing to make a straight out purchase?

There is no harm in asking a merchant, "Do you have any rugs you're willing to make a deal on?" Here and there, you may be pleasantly surprised as everyone has different tastes and an unusual rug that did not "fly out the door" just might be to your liking.  

Hopefully this information will be of use.
If you are considering a purchase, come see me or give me a call. Contact info for my gallery is on the front page of my site.
Paradise Oriental Rugs

The UnderCoverRugLover 

Persian Rugs for Sale! Tribal Rugs and Gabbeh Rugs Still Available!

Yes, we are offering 15% off your first purchase I still have many beautiful Persian rugs for sale.  It will be 4 years since the inception of the Persian rug embargo.  Here are a few exquisite pieces from my shop that I consider the best of the best.  Have a look. We are in Sebastopol, CA, about an hour north of San Francisco but do ship all over the US. If you have any interest and would like some prices, give us a call: 707-823-3355  Penny Krieger, aka the undercoverruglover
Paradise Oriental Rugs web site. 

                                             4 x 10 gallery size Persian Lori runner

Persian Bijar, 10 x 14

Tree of Life design with Cypress and Willow

                                             5'1" x 6'4" Persian Khamseh

                                             5 x 8 Bijar, Garrus design

To view my complete collection I invite you to the gallery pages of my site featuring many Persian rugs.

Paradise Oriental Rugs Now Offering 15% off Your First Purchase!

My gallery, Paradise Oriental Rugs, is currently offering 15% off your first purchase. Located in the Bay Area we are exactly 55 miles north of San Francisco in small town of Sebastopol.
This 15% off is applicable to one or many pieces as long as purchased simultaneously.

Although the Persian rug embargo has been in effect for over 3 years, we still have a number of gorgeous Persian rugs in stock including one-of-a kind vegetable dyed Bijars and other respected tribal rugs such as Qashqai, Luri, Khamseh and genuine Gabbehs from Southern Iran. Additionally we carry handmade rugs from Afghanistan, ranging in design types from Turkoman to Heriz and a good selection of runners. To see all of our current inventory, have a look at our online Rug Gallery. Questions always welcome so give us a call and if you would like a price on something or have any questions. 707-823-3355

We have numerous videos on You Tube which give more detailed information on each piece featured.
For those of you that would like to learn a few basics about rugs, here is a link to our articles page featuring a number of articles about Oriental Rugs.

We sell all our rugs on "an approval" basis and that includes rugs we ship out of state. For more details, here is our FAQs page. and here is our testimonials page. 

Penny Krieger, owner
Paradise Oriental Rugs, Inc.

Spacedrum by Yuki Koshimoto Amazing and unique music!

Let's have a glass of water....

A worthwhile goal.  We take so much for granted.
Water to drink, hygienic facilities.

http://water.org/

http://www.paradiseorientalrugs.com/

My gallery is a small business but donated last year to help those less fortunate to water.org.
Hope to do more this year.

Also, support:
http://www.treesforthefuture.org/ourstory/

Oriental Rug Videos!

Here are a few recent videos from my You Tube channel.  The first one was made yesterday and shows a few Bijars in detail as well as other Persian tribal rugs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M69EpI-b66k&feature=c4-overview&list=UUPlF_U7LzWgPKUimk_SycHg

This video is of a gorgeous red 8 x 10 Persian Gabbeh that I recently added to my collection. Originally woven in 2000, this piece is in perfect condition and signed by the weaver.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBVqxjaHUbw&feature=c4-overview&list=UUPlF_U7LzWgPKUimk_SycHg

And last but not least, another new addition to my inventory. This 8 x 10 is from Afghanistan and has beautiful jewels tones and a unique design.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Mqe0FwPbcM&feature=c4-overview&list=UUPlF_U7LzWgPKUimk_SycHg

Aryana Sayeed Eid Party - Live in Studio More International Music!

Türkmen Kız Super Ses. Döngel Birtanem Talented singer!