Chinese rugs: A Buyer's Guide - Tapa dura

Today, a combination of high quality and low price makes Chinese rugs the best value of all oriental carpets. And countries outside China itself, such as Tibet and Nepal, have broadened the market even further by producing Chinese-style rugs of the same high standard. The existing literature on this fast-expanding area is either expensive or available only to the trade. This comprehensive guide provides independent advice on how to find the rug you want at a price that suits your pocket. This companion volume to Lee Allane's "Oriental Rugs: A Buyer's Guide" (Thames and Hudson, 1988) explains exactly how these rugs are made, and how techniques, materials and tools affect their character and quality, whether from the highly commercialized workshops of Peking and Kathmandu, or from the nomads of East Turkestan. It shows how to assess quality and suitability, and where and when to find a bargain. An up-to date table of price comparisons gives a clear indication of what to pay for each range and grade of rug. The author explores the world-view that underpins the rugs sophisticated symbolism and subtle colour schemes, providing a permanent source of reference to weaving groups both inside and outside China. Clearly laid out, with many drawings and full-page colour reproductions to help identify the main types, this is a useful companion to Chinese rugs. Lee Allane has collected oriental rugs for a number of years and is a consultant for several international auction houses and carpet companies.