"When plans were made to hold an exhibition from private collections, to accompany the Vlth International Conference on Oriental Carpets, the goal was initially for a modest number of carpets to be furnished by Pacific Coast collectors. Two factors, however, dramatically expanded the scale of the operation. The organizers became aware early in the game that there is a great wealth of world-class material in these collections, and the enormous space available in the hall at Fort Mason imposed virtually no limitation on the number that could be included. The result has been what must be the largest showing in the history of collectible oriental rugs under a single roof, with now slightly upward of three hundred in "Oriental Rugs from Pacific Collections," supplemented by over a hundred from other sources as well. Within this assortment of more than four hundred rugs, there is surely something for every taste. With more than 230 of these rugs in color, the catalogue also takes on a massive quality, allowing readers to experience or reexperience a monumental event in the history of oriental rug exhibits."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

This monumental reference work--long awaited by collectors and scholars--fills an important gap in the available literature on oriental rugs. Lavishly illustrated with over 1000 photographs and drawings, it offers clear and precise definitions for the rug and textile terms in use across a broad swath of the globe--from Morocco to Turkey, Persia, the Caucasus region, Central Asia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and China. Covering priceless museum-quality rug traditions as well as modern centers of production, Oriental Rugs: An Illustrated Lexicon of Motifs, Materials, and Origins draws on classical scholarship as well as current terminology in use among producers and traders in these areas today. It focuses primarily on the rich hand-knotting and hand-weaving traditions of the Near East and Central Asia, but also includes some examples of Scandinavian and Native American weavings. Oriental rugs are receiving ever-increasing attention and recognition in the field of art history. Tribal weavings especially have become a focus for new research, and Oriental Rugs provides a new understanding of many distinctive traditions that were previously understudied, such as the weavings of southwest Persia, Baluchistan and Kurdistan. This concise oriental rug reference book is a must-have for scholars and anyone serious about collecting rugs, selling rugs or the rug trade in general. Additional reference information also includes: Foreign terms Place names The Oriental Rug lexicon Museums with notable rug collections Oriental rug internet sites