I never cease to be Amazed at what some people will put curbside on Bulk Garbage Day to send off to the Landfill!!!
And so The G-Kid Force and I always trawl the Hood the day before Bulk Garbage Pick-Up to Save whatever Awesome Treasures we Discover from a Landfill Fate!!!????
The Young Prince was away at his Auntie's, and so it was Princess T riding Shotgun this Bulk Garbage Day Trawl.
And though I did Discover one Awesome Treasure, which will be Shared at the end of this Post... it was Princess T that with eyes as sharp as a Rat Discovered the Ultimate 'Score' for us...
This F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S Antique Persian Palace Style Rug... let me set up the Scene...
She's riding Shotgun on the Passenger Side...
And as we pass what I view as just a pile of real Garbage from an Old Gutted House and so drive on by... only seeing Lumber, destroyed Drywall & uninteresting Doors... the Princess lets out a fierce Yell for me to GO BACK GRAMMA, THERE'S A PERSIAN RUG UNDER THERE!!!
Are you sure? I'm saying... and she's worked up enough that even though I STILL don't see it as we back up the Truck, I decide to get out of the Truck and go look at where she's excitedly pointing in this big pile of Trash...
Sure enough, buried under all the crap and with just the hint of the end of the roll of it peeking out, there it was...
With the underside clearly showing the distinctive tight weave and bold Design and Colors of what Promises to be a Gorgeous Persian Rug!!!
Now... being HUGE and Hand Loomed Wool AND dirty, it probably weighed more than twice my body weight, but by now I'm too far from Home to go for help and not about to drive away from this find...
The Garbage Truck could be heard only a few streets away already... and so with an Adrenalin Rush I unburied it and heaved it into the bed of my Truck! With the Princess cheering me on & jumping up and down on her seat, knowing that her Reward would be Great... *LOL*
It wasn't until I got it Home and unrolled it on the Patio Slab that it was Revealed what an Ultimate 'Score' this truly was, exceeding my wildest expectations!!!!!
The size was enormous {I'm guessing 11x14}... the condition {you had to look past the filth mind you}, though it is obviously an Older Rug, was Superb...
And the Colors and Intricate Details of the Design were absolutely DIVINE and in my Favorite Palette of Aqua, Salmon, Navy, Turquoise, Rose and Ivory {which the Ivory BTW looks Sepia under Artificial Lighting, but you'll soon see the True Colors under Natural Sunlight in the final pixs of the Rug when it was undergoing it's Gypsy Wash!}
It fits perfectly in our Back Kitchen {Largest Room in our Home}, which was the only Room large enough to actually accommodate it... so we rolled up the other smaller Persian Rug back there and laid this one out after it had undergone several Cleanings & Deordorizings... it washed up like a charm and is Buttery soft & thick underfoot!
Thank Goodness our 115+ degree Desert Summer days dried it out quickly...
Because I couldn't wait to get it inside!!! But it does Grieve me deeply to even Imagine that this could have, within hours, been Lost Forever and end up in a Landfill had we not Discovered it and Saved it from such a Fate!
How Thankful I am that I had my 6-year Old Grand-Daughter riding Shotgun this day to spy it since I had clearly missed it hidden under all the debris!!! How Thankful I am that I've taught the G-Kid Force to Recognize the "Good Stuff" so that she even knew what it was & that it had Value! Because obviously whoever discarded it didn't realize what they had!?! How many other Magnificent Treasures I'm sure have ended up Landfill Bound?!? *Shudder & a Sob!*
I happen to know that it takes Years of a Master Weaver's Life to Create such Masterpieces and why they command such high prices. This is indeed a Work Of Art and evidence of the Great Skill of a Master Rugweaver's Talents. A Rug like this could be worth Thousands of dollars, depending on Age, Condition, Region, Size, Weave, Design, etc... etc... etc... But to me it is Priceless... and obtaining it FREE... well, pure Bohemian Junquing Valhalla!!!
Here it is getting it's initial Gypsy Wash outside after being unfolded...
You can see under Natural Sunlight the True Color Palette...
Which is as Magnificent as the Design and Weave... alas, someone tore off the Import Tag... so that I could have an Idea of Region, Style, Age and when it has been last professionally cleaned?
But it doesn't really matter to me since I Adore Everything about it... and Rewarded Princess T for her Keen Junquing Eye... this is now one of our Family's Stories... to be told over and over anytime someone comes in and Admired said Rug! *Winks* And don't you just Love a Good Junquing Story as much as a Good 'Score'!?
And yes, Gramma Dawn Discovered something too... this Great Old Shelving Unit in my Favorite 1920-1930's Era Hue of Seafoam Green...
With several sturdy shelves and Chickenwire covered doors... it will make great storage... even though the back does have some condition Issues we'll have to cleverly disguise... *Winks*
And it is REALLY heavy Wood so I definitely had to call in reinforcements to get this in the back of the Truck! *LOL* Luckily it was less than half a block from Home...
So I Hope you aren't too Envious of this Bulk Garbage Day Bonanza we "Scored"?!? *Winks*
May your Junquing Days go as well too...
Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian
May your Junquing Days go as well too...
Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian