I have loved beautiful hand made exotic rugs and carpets from as far back as I can remember...
The floors of every Home I grew up in always had layers of beautiful Antique Persian and Oriental carpets and rugs...
My Parents traveled the World and picked up gorgeous Bohemian Carpets and Rugs made in Asia, the Middle East and Algeria...
Alas in some of their Intercontinental travels some became ruined in the cargo holds of the Ships during Journeys from one Country to another... Must & Mildew are enemies to even the sturdiest of carpeting... I would have inherited those Heirloom carpets and rugs so it is still a loss that saddens me greatly as I recall the Beauty of them...
It can take years for a hand made piece to be created in the traditional methods...
And they can last for many years, even Centuries, due to the quality of materials and craftsmanship...
The Designs that Grace each piece are a testament to the Artistic vision of each Weaver...
Many patterns and designs have been handed down through the Centuries and have Cultural significance...
The colors are so vibrant and often so bold... or organic... and like Snowflakes it is as though no two are exactly alike...
Going to a Gallery of these magnificent creations is like walking into a Casbah Dream...
An Art Gallery of exotic floor and wall coverings...
Choosing a favorite would be very, very difficult... I love them ALL...
If I had the means I'd purchase several for each room and layer them as I remember them in my childhood Homes...
Two survived from my childhood and Grace the floors of our Home... and though they are now over half a century old they are barely worn... and just as vibrant and beautiful as ever...
Even though generations of our Family... four generations to be exact... have now walked upon them daily... they have stood the test of time and are a timeless Beauty...
Though they need a good professional cleaning so they will not make their Blog debut today. *LOL*
But I am certain that even with hard wear and tear they will last on to future generations...
Because when something is well made it lasts... and is an investment...
These were made to last... indoors and out... and they serve the purpose for which they were created well... and beautifully...
Yes, a good one... and in particular a Vintage or Antique one can set you back quite a bit financially... but I believe they are worth every cent...
The time spent making them... the Artistic Talent creating them... well, it is priceless really... because each is a work of Art worthy of any Gallery...
And I think back upon the money wasted on modern rugs & carpets... that wore out quite quickly or looked terrible as they aged and had to be discarded...
While my old Persian Rug & Carpet just kept looking magnificent... even with slight signs of wear after serving their function for generations...
Some things do get better with age...
And hold their value...
And have a Timeless elegance that defies trends and fads and Styling evolutions...
I do believe these beautiful creations do all that quite well...
And perhaps why I've been enamored with them now for so many years...
And every so often I take myself on a trip to the local version of the Casbah...
To Dream... and Imagine...
And try to pick out favorites... which is never, ever easy...
And even look at items made from these magnificent old rugs & carpets... such as Vintage Carpetbags... which have been around for hundreds of years as well & still inspire Artists such as myself to this day to create versions of them for modern use...
And yes... this Vintage Red Persian Beauty above has my name all over it... so it would be "The One" for my Wish List... even the signs of wear appeal to me & give it character...
But each is lovely in it's own right...
And will one day go Home with a lucky Treasure Hunter...
My thanks to ANTIQUE GATHERINGS premier Antique Showroom in Phoenix for allowing me the privilege of photographing their vast array of Beautiful Bohemian Vintage Carpets & Rugs for today's Post... each was swoon worthy!
Dawn... The Bohemian