Oriental Rugs

Abdi Parvizian liable for son’s debt of $2 million

2008-08-06T17:56:00.000-04:00

Retailer liable for son’s debt of $2 million

Appeals court addresses clash in federal rules

STEVE LASH

Daily Record Legal Affairs Writer

August 5, 2008 6:54 PM

The owner of a Chevy Chase home furnishings store is on the hook for a $2 million debt incurred by his son’s company, a federal appeals court affirmed.

Abdi Parvizian, owner of Parvizian Masterpieces, did not deny that he guaranteed the debt to manufacturer Nourison Rug Corp. Instead, he argued that Nourison released him from his obligation by giving his son, a rug wholesaler, more time to pay.

The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed.

“Forbearance should be encouraged as a matter of policy as it is a creditor’s compromise between accepting no payment and entering into costly litigation,” the court stated.

First, though, it said Parvizian waited too long to raise the defense. He should have included it in his original answer to Nourison’s lawsuit, the appeals court held.

The 3-0 decision affirmed a ruling by U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow, who declined to let Parvizian amend his answer.

Rules clash

In the process, the 4th Circuit addressed for the first time what it characterized as a clash between competing provisions of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

While one rule gives defendants leeway to amend their answers except when the amendment is in bad faith or would be futile, another gives judges broad discretion to reject amended pleadings in order to keep the court on schedule.

Parvizian argued that the liberal standards of Rule 15(a) should apply. Chasanow, though, applied Rule 16(b), which requires the defendant to show “good cause” why the amendment should be allowed.

The 4th Circuit came down on the side of judicial discretion.

“Given their heavy case loads, district courts require the effective case management tools provided by Rule 16,” the 4th Circuit held last week. “Therefore, after the deadlines provided by a scheduling order have passed, the good cause standard must be satisfied to justify leave to amend the pleadings.”

Parvizian lacked good cause for amending his initial answer, the 4th Circuit held.

The circumstances surrounding the underlying agreement and Parvizian’s promise to serve as guarantor did not change between the time he first answered the complaint and when he subsequently sought to raise the defense of release.

Parvizian argued that the circumstances had in fact changed, but the appellate court rejected that argument.

Parvizian’s attorney, Thomas A. DiBiase, declined to comment on the case. DiBiase is a partner at Shapiro, Lifschitz & Schram PC in Washington, D.C.

No good cause

The original debt-payment agreement was signed in August 2005, when Allen Parvizian’s company, Parinco of Virginia Inc., owed Nourison more than $2.3 million. Parinco was to make biweekly payments of about $50,000 for two years.

Two months later, Abdi Parvizian executed a guaranty letter promising full payment if Parinco defaulted.

But unknown to him, the guarantor said, Nourison and Parinco changed the terms in February 2006. Under the new schedule, reached in an e-mail exchange, Parinco was to pay a past-due balance of $18,219 and make one subsequent payment of $56,000, followed by biweekly payments of $25,000.

Parvizian argued that this changed the nature of the debt, increasing his exposure and thus releasing him from his obligation as guarantor.

But the 4th Circuit agreed with Nourison, which said the agreement was merely a “temporary forbearance” to decelerate the debt-payment schedule and did not relieve Parvizian of his obligation to cover any default in full.

“Therefore, there was no error in finding that the facts did not support satisfaction of the ‘good cause’ standard” for permitting Parvizian to amend his answer, the 4th Circuit added.

Crags Sheltering Margon Waterfall

2008-07-30T13:38:00.000-04:00

Crags Sheltering Margon Waterfall

Margon Waterfall is
located in Margon Village,
Fars province. It is one of the most beautiful falls of Iran.
The fall of water
in this waterfall has
created an
unparalleled scene.

PETAG Tabriz Carpet makes Dh1.3m at UAE Auction

2007-11-24T09:03:00.000-05:00

UAE : Auction raises Dh1.3m for unique Persian carpet November 24, 2007
The International auction held in Abu Dhabi witnessed the bidding for a magnificent and unique Persian carpet, which grossed a massive Dh1.3 million.The carpet was identified as belonging to a small group of an extensively large Persian carpet made by the popular Tabriz workshops of the German company PETAG. The carpet sized 701x466 cm was ordered by a group of individuals representing Germany.Researchers believe that the discovery of this carpet will fill in the space of a very significant Persian carpet masterpiece. This group of carpets has been acknowledged as one of the largest and the most amazing works of the period.

Local Rug Dealer Announces Launch of Alan Taghdisi Antique Collection

2006-09-07T14:08:00.000-04:00

Local Rug Dealer Announces Launch of Alan Taghdisi Antique Collection - Oriental Rug Bazaar to Open New High End Rug Showroom : ArriveNet Press Releases : Industry: "Local Rug Dealer Announces Launch of Alan Taghdisi Antique Collection - Oriental Rug Bazaar to Open New High End Rug Showroom
Local Rug Dealer Announces Launch of Alan Taghdisi Antique Collection. Oriental Rug Bazaar to Open New High End Rug Showroom Oriental Rug Bazaar (5525 Westheimer) is pleased to announce the opening of the Alan Taghdisi Antique Collection showroom, a 1...
Distribution Source : PRWeb

Date : Friday, May 27, 2005

(PRWEB) May 27, 2005 -- Oriental Rug Bazaar (5525 Westheimer) is pleased to announce the opening of the Alan Taghdisi Antique Collection showroom, a 10,000 square foot treasure palace for the serious rug collector.

"There is a great demand for specialty antique rugs in our region," said Oriental Rug Bazaar owner Alan Taghdisi. "I"ve taken my personal rug collection and combined it with the premier pieces from a long time European collector to create the most exclusive antique rug collection available."

This multi-million dollar collection is currently being displayed and sold at Alan Taghdisi's showrooms in Houston, New York, and Los Angeles. Mr. Taghdisi"s Houston showroom will be located inside the 30,000 square foot Oriental Rug Bazaar building and will be unveiled in September of this year.

"We are preparing a special showroom to cater to the discerning needs of the high end rug collector. Quality and over-service will be our hallmark," Taghdisi added.

The Alan Taghdisi Antique Collection consists of the following:

Antique oushaks, serapi, Tabriz haji jalili, lavar, kirmanshah, ferahan, French aubussons, French tapestries, Mohtasham kashans wool and silk, Turkish hereke, and Agra all over 100 years old. Sizes range from 2' x 3' to 18" x 26"; all in emaculate condition.

It is widely believed by the leading auction houses and prominent antique collectors that the Alan Taghdisi Antique Collection is the finest and largest for a single collector in the world.

For more information on the Alan Taghdisi Antique Collection or to make an appointment call 713 960 9070."

Updated Guide to Kyrgyz Rugs and Textiles

2006-08-22T15:20:00.000-04:00

p>href="http://www.persiancarpetguide.com/sw-asia/Rugs/Kyrgyz/Kyrgyz.htm">Guide
to Kyrgyz Rugs and Textiles

I just updated the Guide to Kyrgyz Rugs and Textiles page and
expanded the section to add examples and to relate the Kirghiz to
their neighbors.

Updated Guide to Kyrgyz Rugs and Textiles

2006-08-22T15:19:00.000-04:00

p>href="http://www.persiancarpetguide.com/sw-asia/Rugs/Kyrgyz/Kyrgyz.htm">Guide
to Kyrgyz Rugs and Textiles

I just updated the Guide to Kyrgyz Rugs and Textiles page and
expanded the section to add examples and to relate the Kirghiz to
their neighbors.

A.B.C. Carpet Co., Inc., et al. v Mehdi Naeini

2006-06-18T20:11:00.000-04:00

A.B.C. Carpet Co., Inc., et al. v Mehdi Naeini
Case No. 00-CV-4882 (FB), 2002 U.S. Dist. Lexis 1129 (E.D.N.Y., January 22, 2002)
Court denies plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment, seeking to hold defendant liable for trademark infringement, as well as for violations of the Federal Trademark Dilution Act and the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act ("ACPA"), as a result of defendant's use of plaintiffs' trademark "ABC Carpet and Home" in a domain name. Court holds that issues of fact preclude it from determining whether defendant acted in bad faith in selecting this domain name, given that he had been doing business under the name "American Basic Craft Carpet and Home Restoration" since 1980, and claimed to have adopted the domain name at issue, "ABcarpetandhome.net", because it was an abbreviation of his business name. This issue of fact precluded the court from granting summary judgment on plaintiffs' ACPA claim, which requires, among other things, a finding that defendant used the mark at issue in bad faith. This issue of fact also led the Court to deny summary judgment on plaintiffs' infringement claim. The court denied plaintiffs' motion with respect to their dilution claim on the ground that issues of fact existed as to whether plaintiffs' mark was famous.

Plaintiffs have used the marks "ABC" and "ABC Carpet" in connection with their operation of retail stores offering carpets, rugs and other merchandise since 1961. Plaintiffs have used the mark "ABC Carpet and Home" since 1992, and registered the marks "ABC" and "ABC Carpet and Home" in 1998.

Defendant Mehdi Naeini has operated a business under the name "American Basic Craft Carpet and Home Restoration" since 1980. This business offers carpets and carpet cleaning services to the public. In 1998, Naeini registered the domain name "ABCcarpetandhome.net" for use in connection with this business. At the time he registered this domain name, he was aware of plaintiffs' prior use of the marks in question.

Plaintiffs commenced this suit, charging that defendant's conduct infringed plaintiffs' trademarks in violations of the Lanham Act and diluted their marks in violation of the Federal Trademark Dilution Act. Plaintiffs also claimed that defendant had registered the domain name at issue in bad faith in violation of the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act ("ACPA").

The Court denied plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment, holding that issues of fact precluded it from resolving the parties' disputes at this time. To prevail on a trademark infringement claim, a plaintiff must show that its mark is protectable, and that defendant's use of this mark is likely to cause consumer confusion. In analyzing whether use of a mark will cause such confusion, courts in the Second Circuit examine the following eight factors:

(1) the strength of plaintiff's marks;
(2) the similarity of the parties' marks;
(3) the proximity of the parties' products or services in the marketplace;
(4) the likelihood that the plaintiff will bridge the gap between the products or services;
(5) actual confusion;
(6) the defendant's intent in adopting the mark;
(7) the quality of the defendant's product; and
(8) the sophistication of the relevant consumer group.

The court found that each of the first four factors enumerated above favored the plaintiffs. Thus, the court found that ABC's mark was arbitrary, and hence strong, that defendant had used a mark identical to plaintiffs', and that plaintiffs and defendant were competitors offering carpet-related sales and services. Nonetheless, the court denied plaintiffs' motion, finding that issues of fact precluded it from determining whether defendant had acted in good faith when selecting the domain name at issue. At this stage in the proceedings, the court was unwilling to find that defendant had acted in bad faith, given his claim that he had adopted the domain name at issue, "abccarpetandhome.net", as an abbreviation of the name under which he had been doing business since 1980 "American Basic Craft Carpet and Home Restoration." The court's decision is silent as to whether defendant had ever previously used this abbreviation in his business. It is also silent as to why defendant elected to use a "net" top level domain in lieu of a "com" top level domain.

For similar reasons, the court denied plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment on its ACPA claim. To establish an ACPA claim, the plaintiff must establish that defendant acted in bad faith, a finding the court was not prepared to make at this stage of the proceedings.

Lastly, the court denied plaintiffs summary judgment on their Federal Trademark Dilution Claim. To establish such a claim, the trademark holder must establish that its mark is famous, a burden the court held that plaintiffs failed to meet on the evidence before it. Said the court:

The Second Circuit has held that under the FTDA marks qualify as "famous" only if they carry "a substantial degree of fame," approaching the level of fame enjoyed by "household" names such as "Dupont, Buick, or Kodak . . . ." TCPIP, 244 F.3d at 99. Here the Court concludes that ABC's submissions fail to establish that there is no material fact as to whether its marks are "famous" under the FTDA. ABC has not established the type of national, "household" name recognition required by the FTDA, and its sales and advertising expenditures are lower than those of other companies whose marks were found insufficiently famous.

Importantly, the court reached this conclusion despite the plaintiffs' claims that they had spent $15 million advertising their marks between 1993 and 1998, during which period they sold over $550 million dollars worth of goods and services.

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Embassy of Armenia Salutes James Mark Keshishian

2006-05-27T15:03:00.000-04:00

PRESS RELEASE
January 13, 2004

Embassy of the Republic of Armenia
2225 R Street, NW, Washington , DC, 20008
Tel: 202-319-1976, x. 348; Fax: 202-319-2982
Email: armpr@speakeasy.net ; Web: www.armeniaemb.org
Embassy Hosts Christmas Open House, Concert by Zulal Trio

On January 9, 2004, the Embassy of Armenia hosted the traditional Christmas Open House reception for the Armenian American community of Greater Washington area that featured a concert by the Zulal trio. Before the concert, Armenian Ambassador to the U.S. , Dr. Arman Kirakossian spoke briefly on Armenia 's achievements and challenges in 2003, emphasizing the need for continued economic, political, humanitarian, and commercial cooperation between the Diaspora and Homeland to sustain the high economic growth and help address the social needs of the vulnerable people in Armenia . Ambassador Kirakossian also presented his vision for the U.S.-Armenian bilateral relations and cooperation in 2004.

The Armenian Ambassador then presented a moving tribute to the recently deceased Armenian-American enterprenuer, benefactor, community activist, and author James Mark Keshishian who has helped the Armenian Embassy, promoted better understanding of Armenian culture in his capacity as President of the Armenian Rugs Society, and supported political candidates defending issues of interest to Armenia and the Armenian people.

The reception featured a recital by the New York-based Zulal trio, which presented a beautiful a capella rendition of traditional Armenian folk songs. Zulal singers Anais Tekerian, Yeraz Markarian, and Teni Apelian who formed the trio in 2003 have already performed successfully before Armenian and non-Armenian audiences in the United States .

The reception was attended by members of the Armenian-American community, including members of the late James M. Keshishian's family, distinguished visitors from Armenia , and State Department and USAID officials, including Chief Economic Adviser to the President, Vahram Nercissiantz , U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Ordway, and USAID Mission Chief in Armenia Keith Simmons.

TimesDispatch.com | DECISION MAKERS - Howard New

2006-05-01T06:51:00.000-04:00

TimesDispatch.com | DECISION MAKERS: "DECISION MAKERS

Richmond Times-Dispatch Apr 24, 2006

Murray Howard
Howard New position: director of historic architecture, Commonwealth Architects Previous position: curator and architect, Academical Village, the University of Virginia Birthplace: Talladega, Ala. Education: bachelor's degree in architecture, Auburn University; master's degree in architecture and doctorate in history of art and architecture, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Career: principal, Disegno, Charlottesville; adjunct professor of architecture, U.Va. Best career move: "Leaping into the unknown on several occasions, finding the surest path to growth in ways I had not imagined." Career goals: "Finding creative outlets in my work until the last day of life." The best advice he ever received: "Treat others as you would like to be treated." His parents Career tip for students: "Fill your life with variety in order to understand how the rest of the world thinks. Work or study abroad whenever the chance arises." What motivates him? "Treating life as a banquet for everyone to enjoy." Role model: "The individual who believes that bringing out the best in another person may be one's highest calling." Pastimes: Study of Oriental rugs and reading, usually biographical and historical works. The most memorable book: "The Razor's Edge" by W. Somerset Maugham Favorite food: French lemon tart at Fleurie in Charlottesville Ideal vacation: Spending April or October anywhere in Italy"

Iran Daily - Ilam Handmade Kelims Unique - 04/08/06

2006-04-28T11:24:00.000-04:00

Iran Daily - Panorama - 04/08/06: "Ilam Handmade Kelims Unique

Fine hand-woven Kelims have always been precious souvenirs which tourists can take home from the western Ilam province, IRNA reported.
Ilami artisans have always been famous for skillfully weaving austere Kelims.
In 1987, a Kelim artist from Zanjireh village in Shirvan-Chardavol city, named Sahar Chelangar, designed a new weaving style. She crafted Kelims inspired by designs of Persian rugs.
As evidenced by studies, the Kelim designs are much similar to rugs woven in ancient China.
A handicraft expert in Ilam, Hamid Bakhtiari, believes that the newly-designed Kelims are like a valuable gem among other provincial handiworks.
He is of the opinion that the handicraft has the potential to secure a foothold in overseas markets, provided there is official support.
Bakhtiari said Ilam’s colorful and finely-designed Kelims serve as nice souvenirs.
The expert insisted that Kelims woven by Ilami artists are of high quality and are as valuable as handmade Persian rugs from an aesthetic perspective.
He stated that foreign merchants are keen on purchasing Ilami Kelims.
Bakhtiari reiterated that Kelim-weaving could become a lucrative source of revenue for the western province, provided there is adequate sponsorship."

Iran Daily - 2006 World Cup Carpet Woven - 04/13/06

2006-04-28T10:32:00.000-04:00

Iran Daily - Front Page - 04/13/06: "2006 World Cup Carpet Woven

The carpet themed 2006 Football World Cup, measuring 2 meters by 2.5 meters, has over two million Turkish knots and 120 colors. (IRNA Photo)

TABRIZ, East Azarbaijan, April 12--An embossed carpet on the theme of 2006 Football World Cup was woven by a talented Tabrizi carpet weaver, Hossein Kazemi Hamed, IRNA reported on Wednesday.
Kazemi, who has previously woven special carpets for the 1998 World Cup (held in France) and 2002 World Cup (jointly held by Japan and South Korea), said that his main incentive in weaving the new carpet was his personal desire to continue the previous trend.
The carpet, measuring 2 meters by 2.5 meters, has over two million Turkish knots and 120 colors.
Kazemi, who also designed the carpet, noted that the preliminary work and design took over six months.
He said that the flags of 32 countries competing in the 2006 Football World Cup are on the right and left sides of the carpet.
“Images of the World Cup, FIFA Chief Sepp Blatter, the person in charge of the international event, Franz Beckenbauer, Berlin Stadium (the venue for the inaugural game) and also Brandano Gate are embossed on the carpet,“ he said.
The weaver further said the flags of Germany and Iran as well as the symbols of the 2006 Football World Cup and FIFA have been woven on the upper right and left corners of the carpet.
Kazemi concluded by saying that the carpet will be taken to Germany before the start of the international sports event"

Iran Daily - Rasht Bazaar - 04/26/06

2006-04-28T10:17:00.000-04:00

Iran Daily - Panorama - 04/26/06: "Sightseeing

Rasht Bazaar
Rasht is known for its unique cuisine, particularly its seafood and traditional rustic lifestyle. This can be best observed during the day in its open air bazaar, with its many small food stores and vendors from surrounding villages offering fresh produce, eggs, live chickens and ducks, olives, fish... and shoppers busy bargaining in the packed alleys of the baazar and adjacent streets.
The uncovered bazaar is bounded by Imam Khomeini and Shariati streets. Little of any great antiquity remains, since most of the bazaar was burned by the Bolsheviks in 1920. If you are looking for caviar, persistent but discreet inquiries at the bazaar may be rewarded. Iranians believe that this is the best place to buy it. Prices here should be a little lower than in Tehran."

Iran Daily - Persian Rugs Will Adorn Oman Palaces 04/11/06

2006-04-28T10:04:00.000-04:00

Iran Daily - Domestic Economy - 04/11/06: "Persian Rugs Will Adorn Oman Palaces

Iran exported $370 million worth of fine rugs and carpets during March 2005-January 2006.

TEHRAN, April 10--Palaces in the Persian Gulf Sultanate of Oman will be adorned with fine Persian rugs, said a carpet industry official here on Monday.
Seyyed Jalaleddin Bassam, who heads the Carpet Joint Stock Company, told Fars news agency that the company has received orders for weaving nine rugs for Omani palaces.
He said the contract is worth $440,000 for the 250 square meters of fine hand woven carpets.
The contract has been signed officially with the government in Muscat.
“Some 45 weavers will work on the project and the carpets will be woven in the northwestern city of Tabriz,“ where the finest Persian rugs are produced.
He said the company has launched an international marketing campaign for promoting its works, stressing that Oman is one of the traditional customers of Iranian rugs.
Iran exported $370.5 million worth of fine rugs and carpets during March 2005-January 2006.
Some 67 percent of the consignments went to Germany, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Italy and Japan.
Germany imported $89.6 million worth of carpets from Iran in the period, exports to the US reached $67.2 million while the figures for UAE, Italy and Japan stood at $34.3 million, $33.1 million and $24 million, respectively.
Iran exported a total of $248 million worth of rugs to the five countries. The figure was 10 percent higher compared to the same period in the previous year."

Iran Daily - 46th Hotel Opens in Kish - 04/05/06

2006-04-28T10:01:00.000-04:00

Iran Daily - Panorama - 04/05/06: "46th Hotel Opens in Kish

The 46th hotel of Kish Island, Parmis, went on stream at a total cost of 180 billion rials.
Managing director of Tourism Promotion Institute, Ali Ghamkhar, said at the inauguration ceremony of the 9-story hotel that hotel industry is one of the basic pillars of tourism programs in Kish Free Zone, ILNA reported.
He reiterated that apart from accommodation facilities, tourism infrastructure including sightseeing and recreational attractions, transportation and services sectors should expand in the Persian Gulf’s most popular island.
Ghamkhar said tourism promotion cannot be achieved unless by employing a scientific, broad-based and logical strategy.
“Hotel industry in Kish has experienced a remarkable growth in terms of quantity. However, the quality of services has not grown in tandem which means more efforts need to be made to provide premium quality services,“ he noted, adding private resources should be exploited to turn the island to a major tourism hub.
According to Masoud Arbab, one of the hotel’s managers, the facility has a built-up area of 16,000 sq.m.
Constructed through private entrepreneurship, Parmis Hotel has 170 rooms, close to 500 beds, seven restaurants and coffee shops, Internet cafŽ, gyms, sauna and swimming pool, handicrafts store, beauty parlor and laundry.
Kish Island, stretched across 93 square kilometers, receives more than one million Iranian and foreign tourists a year."

Iran Daily - Gilan 3rd Art, Culture Festival Planned - 04/17/06

2006-04-28T09:42:00.000-04:00

Iran Daily - Panorama - 04/17/06: "3rd Art, Culture Festival Planned

Traditional handicrafts, dishes, costumes and rural life utensils of Gilan will be showcased during the event.

Gilan’s Third Artistic and Cultural Festival dubbed Reyhaneh will be held in the Caspian province during May 13-19.
Head of Public Relations Office of Gilan Culture and Islamic Guidance Department said the event aims to provide an insight into the capabilities of local women in religious, artistic and cultural arenas, ISNA reported.
Mohammad Jaddehkenari added the art section of the festival includes paintings, calligraphy, films, photos, music and theater.
According to the official, books translated or authored by Gilani women as well as female-oriented publications will be put on display at the cultural section.
Provincial cities of Rasht, Astan-e Ashrafieh, Lahijan, Roudsar, Langeroud, Amlash, Anzali, Fouman, Shaft, Siahkal, Roudbar, Some’ehsara, Astara, Talesh and Rezvanshahr have pavilions in the fair, he expanded.
Jaddehkenari stated that traditional handicrafts, dishes, costumes and rural life utensils of Gilan will also be showcased.
He called on Gilani women, especially university students, to submit their research projects and papers on women’s hijab (Islamic dress code), women and social security, women in Islamic culture, women’s role in Islamic and Western countries, women and education, women and politics, women and social rights and finally creation of women in Qur’an to the festival’s secretariat."

CHN | Kashan Preparing for “Rose and Rosewater Festival

2006-04-28T08:56:00.000-04:00

CHN | News: "Kashan Preparing for “Rose and Rosewater Festival”
Kashan city will be the host of thousands of tourists during its annual “Rose and Rosewater Festival”.
Tehran, 27 April 2006 (CHN) -- Every year, the city of Kashan and its neighborhood districts are the host of hundreds of thousands of tourists during the festival of Gol-o-Golab (Rose and Rosewater), in which rosewater is extracted from the sweet-scented Mohammadi Rose, indigenous to Iran, during special and traditional ceremonies.

Kashan has abundant numbers of Mohammadi Rose from which high quality rosewater is extracted. The smell of this flower is amazing. Every year Kashan sends large amount of this rosewater to the holly city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia as a gift to wash the Kaba* with it.

This year the festival will be held from 16-24 of May and since this year has been called “Holly Prophet Mohammad Year” in Iran, some special programs will be held during this festival, including the seminar entitled “from rosewater to essence”, the ceremony of extracting rosewater from the flowers, the ceremony of dusting off pilgrimage places and washing them by rosewater, and the seminar of improving and developing flower breeding.

Kashan, Qamsar, Mashhad Ardehal, Niasar, and Joshaghan cities will be the hosts of tourists who are interested in observing this ceremony closely during these days. Abyaneh, a famous village near Kashan, which is famous for its traditional culture and special architectural style, is also one of the places which will host a lot of tourists during this time.

According to Abbas Motevali, head of public relations office of Kashan Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization, the seminar of “From Rosewater to Essence” will be held during the first day of the festival in Kashan University. Ceremony of extracting rosewater from rose flower which is the main part of this festival will be held in Mohammadi flower Garden in Qamsar on the second day, the same thing will be held in Ghale Tepe entertainment site during the fourth day, in the garden of Niasar City Hall in the fifth day and in Joshaghan in the sixth day of the festival.

In addition, the ceremony of dusting off the pilgrimage places and washing the shrine of Ali ibn Mohammad Bagher Mausoleum will be held during the third day of the festival.

The seminar on improving the agriculture and developing flower breeding will be held in Kashan in the last day of the festival.

Motevali has estimated the number of the inbound tourists during this festival to Kahsan province to be some 1,370,000 individuals.

Kashan is a city in the province of Isfahan. The history of Kashan dates back to the Elamite period. The etymology of the city name comes from the Persian word Kashi, which translates into the English word “tile”. Kashan is internationally famous for manufacturing carpets, silk and other textiles.

_____________
* Kaba is a cubed-shape building constructed by Prophet Abraham in present day city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. This has been the case since the time of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) over 1400 years ago. Each year and during the Hajj ceremony, Muslims from around the world gather in the holly city of Mecca and perform the ceremony by walk around the building seven times and praising God for his blessings.
For more information about the Kaba and its history click here: www.soundvision.com/info/hajj/kaba.asp"

Press Release - Art-World Powerbroker,

2006-04-28T07:51:00.001-04:00

/24-7PressRelease/ - April 24, 2006 -

Kerman to establish Iran's largest carpet museum

2006-04-24T13:39:00.000-04:00

Kerman to establish Iran's largest carpet museum: "Tehran: 19:30 , 2006/04/24

Kerman to establish Iran’s largest carpet museum
TEHRAN, Apr. 24 (MNA) -- Iran’s largest carpet museum is to be established in the George Thimou Garden in Kerman, the Persian service of CHN reported on Monday.

The director of the Kerman Cultural Heritage and Tourism Department said that the museum dedicated to Kerman carpets will be established in the 100-year-old garden in a space of four hectares.

According to Ali Karnama, the garden was converted into a carpet weaving and importing workshop almost one hundred years ago by British businessman George Thimou.

The garden is currently supervised by the Ministry of Commerce and the Kerman Carpet Corporation. It houses several old buildings, and the old equipment for producing carpets has been left untouched.

He explained that the museum will be established through the cooperation of the Kerman Cultural Heritage and Tourism Department and the Ministry of Commerce, adding, “The ministry, the department, and the Kerman Carpet Corporation will allocate a sum of 200 billion rials to purchase the old carpets of Kerman from different regions for display at the museum.”

Karnama said the details will be discussed in May during President Mahmud Ahmadinejad’s visit to Kerman, and the project will begin after the necessary funding is allocated.

Kerman carpets mostly feature floral designs. Many have rich central medallions, the motifs of which are also used on the borders and in the corners. On the larger Kerman carpets there are animal designs or repeating patterns. The smaller ones are often decorated with vase patterns or pictorial subjects."

The Hindu : International : Bringing back the magic of Iranian carpet-weaving

2006-04-22T23:10:00.000-04:00

The Hindu : International : Bringing back the magic of Iranian carpet-weaving: "Bringing back the magic of Iranian carpet-weaving

World's biggest carpet to come from three villages

6,000 sq m, 48 tonnes
To have 2.2 billion knots
Weavers are all women

BAGHSHAN: More than 1,200 village women have set to work weaving a giant carpet worth $8.5 million (about Rs. 38.25 crores).

Iranian experts claim that it will be the world's largest hand-woven floor covering ever. It was commissioned for the Sheik Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates. Iran has a long and legendary tradition of carpet-making.

Jalalledin Bassam, director of the Iranian Government-owned Iran Carpet Co., said weaving the carpet — 6,000 sq m and weighing about 48 tonnes — will take at most 14 months for villagers who will work two shifts daily.

A symbol

"The carpet will be a symbol of Iranian handicraft art," he said. "It is decorated with traditional Persian designs and natural colours and is made of 2.2 billion knots."

The weaving began last month here, a village northeast of Tehran, and two nearby villages. The weavers are all women between ages of 15 and 60. They are supervised by 50 men acting as technical experts. These men will later travel to Abu Dhabi to join the pieces together at the mosque once the carpet is completed.

The project has revived the carpet economy in northeastern Iran at a time when carpet prices have plummeted.

"This project has given us a new life. We are happy," said Sakineh Tajik, 36, one of the weavers. "We are proud of our art," she said. Her husband is one of the experts supervising the work.

Until this carpet was commissioned, the world's largest was in the Qabus Azam Mosque in Muscat, Oman. It also was the work of Iranian carpet weavers and shipped to Oman in 2000. That carpet had a surface of 5,000 sq m, weighed 22 tonnes and was valued at $5.2 million.

Big export item

Carpets are one of Iran's biggest non-oil export items, accounting for $500 million annually. In the 1990s, Iran was the world's biggest carpet exporter but the industry has been hit by cheaper Pakistani, Chinese and Indian copies of traditional Iranian patterns.

Iran's carpet trade with the West began seriously in the 16th century when European kings and courtiers began importing the tribal works from Persia, modern-day Iran. — AP"

Educators Say Azerbaijan's Culture Is More Important than Its Oil

2006-04-19T09:54:00.000-04:00

Educators Say Azerbaijan's Culture Is More Important than Its Oil: "Educators Say Azerbaijan's Culture Is More Important than Its Oil
Six Muslim women visit U.S. on State Department-sponsored program

Azerbaijani educators told a U.S. audience recently that their small country on the Caspian Sea can contribute much more than oil to the rest of the world.

Azerbaijan blends Islamic tradition and religious tolerance at a geographic and cultural crossroad linking Europe, Asia and the Middle East. While seeking more contacts with other nations, Azerbaijanis also want to preserve their country's unique balance of tradition and tolerance, the educators said.

"We are all for integration. Not Westernization, but integration," said Sevinj Ruintan, a history professor at Baku State University. "We do not think that we are the only ones who can learn" from cultural exchanges with other countries, she said. "We think that others can learn from us as well."

Ruintan was among six Azerbaijani women scholars and teachers, all Muslims, who visited the United States March 27-April 14 in a State Department-sponsored International Visitor Leadership program, where they looked at religion and education in this country.

During a March 29 roundtable discussion on Islam in Azerbaijan and Europe, four of the six visitors wore traditional head scarves and two wore Western-style business clothes. They said the majority of Azerbaijani women lead a secular lifestyle and do not wear head scarves in public.

ISLAM IN AZERBAIJAN

Azerbaijanis rediscovered their Islamic heritage after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, yet the resurgence of religion has not undermined the country's acceptance of other faiths nor its fair-minded treatment of women, members of the group said, speaking through an interpreter. For example, they said, Azerbaijanis have valued the education of women and girls for well over a century, and many teachers and scholars are women.

"Azerbaijan has always been a very multiethnic nation," said Naila Suleymanova, a rare manuscripts researcher at the Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences. Until the Soviet Union takeover in 1920, Muslims, Christians and Jews lived together in Baku. "We have never had any conflicts with non-Muslims," Suleymanova said. "Everybody in a way back in Soviet times fought for his or her faith. Communists were closing mosques and churches and the synagogues." Beginning in 1990, "representatives of all the ethnic groups began to return to religion."

Azerbaijan is bordered by Armenia, Iran, Russia, Turkey and the Republic of Georgia. The country has an ethnic Turkic heritage that also blends elements of ancient Persian culture. Despite shortcomings during a presidential election in November 2005, U.S. officials support democratic efforts in the former Soviet republic. (See related article.)

"Azerbaijan has a chance to emerge as a secular democracy that has a predominantly Shiia population," Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on April 5.

Thomas Goltz, a professor at the University of Montana who was a journalist in Azerbaijan during the early 1990s, said the country's rediscovery of Shiite Islam once created the potential for an Islamist revolution. "The most interesting thing to me is that it didn't happen," Goltz said during a lecture in January at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington.

During the lecture, Goltz showed a film he made in 1994 documenting the rise of Shiite Islam as Azerbaijanis cast aside 70 years of Soviet dominance. "We preserved our religion like a precious flower," one Azerbaijani said in the film, which showed fervent gatherings of worshippers. Goltz, who was an observer during the November 2005 elections, said the country has political flaws but appears to have struck a balance between modernity and its cultural identity.

Although the government of neighboring Iran is dominated by theocrats, even religious-minded Azerbaijanis say they are not interested in Iran's approach to Islam. "We are not on the level of Islam seen in Iran," Sevda Hasanova, editor of Hesabat, a social-political magazine, said during the State Department roundtable. "Our people would never want to live the kind of Islam as practiced in Iran."

"The overall mentality of the Azeri people is clearly intertwined with Islam," said Ulduza Fataliyeva, an observant Muslim who teaches ethics for the nonprofit Center for Religious Studies in Sumgayit, north of Baku.

"That applies to all people, whether they adhere to the rules of Islamic law or not," said Fataliyeva. "As an ethnic Azeri, everyone knows the rules of Islamic conduct. Whether we worship according to the Islamic ritual or not, that doesn't change our Islamic identity."

Zakiyya Abilova, a rare manuscripts researcher for the Azerbaijani Academy of Sciences, said she chooses to wear a head scarf as an outward sign of her faith. "We can't say people do not have any religion if they do not pray," Abilova said. "We all have God in our heart."

Abilova learned Arabic as part of her university studies, and she said her doctoral dissertation was related to sharia, Islamic law. "Islam is a true light that enriches the human spirit, and I am really proud to be an Islamic scholar," said Abilova.

The decision whether to wear a head scarf does not influence the way women are treated in public, the educators said. "In our country, whether or not you're covered or uncovered, the attitude men have toward women is good," said Suleymanova, who is also a manuscripts researcher at the Academy of Sciences.

NATION OFFERS "RICH CULTURAL HERITAGE"

In discussing what Azerbaijan has to offer the world, the women were concerned that outsiders tend to view their country only in light of its petroleum reserves. Azerbaijan became an important oil-producing region more than 100 years ago and was a major oil and gas supplier to the Soviet Union. In the 1990s, Azerbaijan signed multibillion-dollar agreements with Western companies. The 1,610-kilometer $4 billion Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan pipeline - built with U.S. backing - is scheduled to begin regularly pumping oil from Azerbaijan to Turkey's Mediterranean coast later this year.

"Unfortunately, the integration of Azerbaijan has started with the oil agreements and it has ended with them," said Hasanova, the magazine editor. She said she hopes the government of Azerbaijan will put its oil wealth to work for the people. And she noted that some experts predict the oil boom will last no more than 45 years before petroleum reserves begin to run dry.

Azerbaijan lies on the traditional Silk Road and is a crossroad between Asia, the Middle East and Europe. The Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences includes unique volumes of Muslim medical texts, including 363 manuscripts that have been entered in the UNESCO "Memory of the World" register, which preserves world heritage documents. (See related news release on the Web site of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.)

"Much of the world could benefit from these global treasures," said Abilova, one of the Academy researchers.

Also, many well-known carpet styles from modern-day Iran use Azerbaijani patterns, Ruintan said. In 1828, Azerbaijan was divided between the Russian and Persian empires. The portion north of the Aras River, which was ceded to Russia, eventually became today's Republic of Azerbaijan. A larger portion south of the Aras, to include the city of Tabriz, remains an ethnic Azerbaijani region of Iran. Hence, ethnic Azerbaijanis weave many Iranian carpets.

"So what we could give to the world," said Ruintan, "is our rich cultural heritage. We could try to present our culture on a global basis."

Source: U.S. Department of State

judythpiazza@gmail.com"

Educators Say Azerbaijan's Culture Is More Important than Its Oil

2006-04-19T09:53:00.000-04:00

Earthquakes Devastate Iranian Villages US Offers Aid - Yahoo! News

2006-03-31T11:50:00.000-05:00

Earthquakes Devastate Iranian Villages - Yahoo! News: "Earthquakes Devastate Iranian Villages By ALI AKBAR DAREINI, Associated Press Writer

TEHRAN, Iran - Three strong earthquakes and several aftershocks reduced villages to rubble in western Iran early Friday, killing at least 66 people and injuring about 1,200 others, officials said. At least 13 tremors jolted the mountainous region throughout the night, Tehran University's Geophysics Institute said.

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The U.S. Geological Survey reported a 5.7-magnitude quake shortly before 5 a.m., followed by a 4.7-magnitude aftershock about 15 minutes later.

The quakes were centered near Boroujerd and Doroud, two industrial centers about 210 miles southwest of Tehran, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

The regional head of emergency response, Ali Barani, said about 200 villages were damaged, some flattened. Barani said hospitals in Doroud and Boroujerd were filled to capacity.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, visiting northern England, expressed her "deep sympathy" to the Iranians and offered assistance. The U.S. military provided aid after a devastating quake in southern Iran in 2003.

Washington and Tehran have no diplomatic relations and currently are at a stalemate over U.S. accusations that Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons. Iran denies those charges.

After the first quake struck, police in the city of Boroujerd and the town of Doroud toured the streets with loudspeakers, urging people to leave their homes before more temblors hit.

The measure is believed to have contributed to a lower death toll than usual in Iran for quakes of this magnitude.

Many people ran into the streets in panic and refused to return to their homes.

"We are afraid to get back home. I spent the night with my family and guests in open space last night," Doroud resident Mahmoud Chaharmiri told The Associated Press by telephone.

Television showed survivors standing next to their destroyed houses in villages north of Doroud. The ground was strewn with the carcasses of sheep and goats killed by the quake.

Such quakes have killed thousands of Iranians in the past, especially in the countryside, where construction is often flimsy and many houses are built of mud bricks. But initial reports suggested the devastation was not so widespread this time.

Officials called doctors and nurses on leave back to work. Iranians are celebrating Nowruz, or new year, and most government offices are closed and their staff on holiday.

Barani told IRNA rescue teams had been sent to the region. He said survivors urgently needed blankets, tents and food.

State-run television said 66 bodies had been recovered from houses destroyed in Silakhor, a region north of Doroud.

The broadcast said 1,200 people were injured. Most people had been sleeping.

In February 2005, a 6.4-magnitude quake in southern Iran killed 612 people and injured more than 1,400.

A magnitude 6.6 quake flattened the historic southeastern city of Bam in the same region in December 2003, killing 26,000 people.

Iran is located on seismic fault lines and is prone to earthquakes. On average, it experiences at least one slight earthquake every day.

The area had been hit by a 4.7-magnitude quake the day before, according to the USGS, which monitors earthquakes around the world."

Karaim Turks of Lithuania - Turkish Daily News Mar 16, 2006

2006-03-30T07:01:00.000-05:00

Karaim Turks of Lithuania - Turkish Daily News Mar 16, 2006: "Karaim Turks of Lithuania
Thursday, March 16, 2006
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DOMESTIC
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Ingmar Karlsson*
In Trakai, Lithuania, opposite the island in Lake Galve, where the city's medieval castle stands, is a street with very special houses. They are all wooden and painted green and yellow, and each of them has three windows facing the street.

Here, for more than 600 years, one of Europe's most remarkable and distinctive minorities, the Karaim, has been living on “Karaimu Gatve,” or Karaimu Street.

Their history in Lithuania began when, after the war against the Mongolian Golden Horde in Crimea in 1397, the Polish-Lithuanian King Vytautas Magnus brought 380 Karaim families with him to his capital city of Trakai.

They were given the task of guarding the royal castle as the only access to it was across a bridge from the part of the city the Karaim were allotted. Initially they worked as castle guards. In 1441, they were granted the same rights as the citizens of Magdeburg -- known as the Right of Magdeburg by the Polish--Lithuanian King Kasimir IV. This could be viewed as a model of self-government at the time, and the purpose was to ensure that they would become permanent residents. The Karaims increasingly engaged in agriculture and horticulture, horse breeding and different handicrafts and gradually came to constitute a middle class between the aristocracy and the framers who tilled the soil.

The head of the Karaim was the elected “vaitas,” and he was their official representative in contacts with the Polish-Lithuanian kings. Their houses had three windows facing the street because this demonstrated wealth, while to have four windows was considered to be showy and conspicuous.

On Karaimu Gatve one also finds the only “kenesa” in Europe, the shrine where the Karaim practice the distinctive religion that has given them their identity.

The religion of the Karaim was founded in the eighth century in Baghdad by a man named Anan Ben David. He based his teachings on the written Torah and rejected the oral tradition reflected in Talmud literature.

Thus, according to him, God's pure and true words were only to be found in the Old Testament. He considered this interpretation to be a continuation of the old Jewish tradition and himself to be a successor to the Essenes of Qumran.

Everyone should closely study the Old Testament on his own and interpret the text according to his own ideas. “Thoroughly research the Torah and do not rely on my view” is a motto attributed to Anan Ben David. No believer was to follow rules the meaning of which he did not understand even after having read them carefully. Thus, the Old Testament should be interpreted individually and independently, without reference to authorities and with the Ten Commandments as the moral norms. According to some, this central message explains the name of the sect, and the word "karaim" is believed to derive from the Hebrew word “karaa,” to read, which may thus refer to the fact that they only accept the written word.

Both Christ and Mohammed are regarded as Karaim prophets, and the religion is also influenced by Muslim schools such as the Mutazilit school of philosophy and the Hanafi school of law.

The emphasis on the written word “sola scriptura,” which Marin Luther was to assert 800 years later in relation to Rome, caused German Protestants to regard the Karaim as forerunners of the Reformation.

When the Karaim center was moved from Baghdad to Jerusalem, the religion began spreading through missionary activities to the Turkic-speaking peoples on the Crimean peninsula and the steppes of the lower Volga region. The Khazars, the Kipchak-Kumans and the Polovts were converted to the new religion in the ninth century, the ulterior political motive perhaps being that they would then constitute a buffer zone between the Russian Orthodox Church advancing from the north and the Muslim expansion from the south and therefore be left in peace.

There is another point of similarity between the Karaim and Protestantism that has contributed to preserving their identity, namely, they worship in their own language, Karaim.

This language belongs to the Kipchak group of the Turkic-Altaic family and is closely related to the language of the Crimean Tatars.

Since Karaim was an isolated linguistic island surrounded by the Slavic languages of Russian, Polish and Lithuanian, it contains many old Turkic words that do not exist in the Turkic languages spoken today. Hence, Karaim is of special interest for comparative Turkic linguistics -- a Polish linguistic researcher has compared it to a fly encapsulated in a piece of amber.

Karaim since the 17th century:

After a visit to Lithuania in 1691, Professor Gustav Peringer from Uppsala University was the first to establish that Karaim belonged to the Turkic language group. One of the foremost experts on the Karaim language today is Eva Csato Johansson of Uppsala University.

The Karaim enjoyed their autonomy according to the Right of Magdeburg until the Third Division of Poland in the late 18th century, when they ended up in the Russian Empire. Half of the inhabitants of Trakai were Karaim. Their legal status changed. At first, they were lumped together with the Muslim Crimean Tatars. In 1863 however, they received the status of a religious minority of their own with a special high priest, or “hakhan,” for the western provinces of the Russian Empire.

During World War I the Karaim were evacuated to Russian towns, mainly to the Crimea. They were able to return in 1920 but found themselves divided between two nations, Lithuania and Poland, where Trakai was now situated. Families were split up and communications between the two communities became more difficult. However, the national feeling was strengthened by the growing nationalism in the resurrected Lithuanian and Polish nation states.

There were therefore extensive cultural activities going on during the inter-war period. A journal, “Karai Avazy” (Voice of the Karaim), was published as well as a historical and literary magazine, “Mysl Karaimska” (Karaim Thought), which contained texts in the Karaim language. Also a society of the friends of Karaim literature and history was founded.

When the German Wehrmacht ran into the Karaim in their thrust eastward, the latter denied any connection to Judaism. They had always repudiated any connection between Judaism and their religion, claiming instead that they were a distinctive religious community.

They were supported in this by Meir Balaban, a learned Jew from the Warsaw ghetto. He was forced by the Nazis to make an evaluation of the Karaim from a religious and racial point of view. Despite the fact that in his earlier publications he had always characterized the Karaim as a branch of Judaism, he now claimed the opposite to save them from the Holocaust.

The German National Socialist race researchers declared that the Karaim indeed belonged to a Jewish sect but at the same time established that they had no Jewish blood in their veins but were in fact Turkic Tatars. There was probably a political background to this ethnic determination. Hitler saw in the Crimean Tatars an ally against the Soviet Union, and since they regarded the Karaim as Tatars, their persecution or annihilation would have jeopardized their alliance plans.

After World War II the borders were again redrawn, and Trakai ended up in the Soviet Republic of Lithuania. The Karaim school was converted into an apartment building and the “kenesa” built in Vilnius during the period of Lithuanian independence became a warehouse.

The Karaim took an active part in the drive for Lithuania's independence. In May 1988 the Lithuanian Karaim Cultural Society was founded and an anthology of poetry and a prayer book were published in the Karaim language. In April 1992 the Karaim ethnic group was given special legal status as a religious minority having existed in Lithuania since the 14th century.

Spiritual life of the Karaim:

Trakai has now again become the center for the spiritual life of the Karaim. They come here to see the place to where King Vytautas Magnus, whose portrait is to be found in most Karaim homes, brought their ancestors, and to visit their “kenesa.” This is a square building with a copper roof. There are oriental rugs on the floor, and the men sit in the main nave while the women follow the divine service from a gallery separated from the nave by a wall from which only narrow slits provide a view of the altar.

Representatives of the small Karaim communities dispersed over Poland, Russia, Ukraine and the Crimea had a meeting in 1989 in this “kenesa.” Contacts have also been established with the small Karaim (Karait) communities in Israel, Istanbul and the United States. There exists, though, a fundamental dividing-line among them. While the East European Karaim emphasize the independent nature of their communion, the others consider themselves to be Karaim Jews. They regard their religion as being based on Judaism in the same way as Christianity is a religion based on Judaism.

In addition to the religion various old customs and traditions of the Turkic peoples in the Caucasus and Central Asia have played a major role in preserving the Karaim identity. These include, e.g., the wedding traditions with the bride's melodious and mournful farewell song “Muzhul Kielin” (The Sad Bride) and choosing the “ataman” (matrimonial agent) for the wedding, as well as the moral advice the community's elders, the “aksakals,” give about future married life and the song sung when the couple enters the shrine.

600 years in Trakai:

The 600th anniversary of the arrival of the Karaim in Trakai was celebrated in 1997. A detailed census of the Karaim in Lithuania was carried out in this connection. At that time there were 257 Karaims in Lithuania, 132 men and 125 women. Thirty-two of them were under 16, 139 lived in Vilnius, 65 in Trakai and 31 in Panevezys. Furthermore, there were 133 Karaim in Poland, living in Warsaw, Gdansk and Wroclaw.

Eighty-two percent said that Karaim was their mother tongue but only 31 percent could speak the language and only 13 percent said they used it in both speech and writing. Over 60 percent spoke Lithuanian, Russian or Polish. Among young people under 16 only three spoke Karaim, a figure that must be seen in light of the fact that the number of Karaim in Lithuania was 423 in 1959 and 352 in 1979.

The future may, therefore, seem gloomy but bearing in mind the high level of education and strong awareness of their distinctive identity, the Karaim have better chances of surviving than some remnants of other peoples.

While 11 percent of the Lithuanian population had benefited from higher education, the figure for the Karaim was no less than 44 percent; 66 percent were in top posts in the administration, six had Ph.D.s and were employed in the newly independent Lithuania's Foreign Service. Two of the most important posts, the ambassadors in Moscow and Tallinn, were both held by Karaim.

The latter, Halina Kobeckaité, subsequently became the Lithuanian ambassador to Turkey, a post she left last year.

* Ingmar Karlsson is Sweden's consul general in Istanbul. The above lecture is part one of a lecture given by Karlsson at the Swedish Research Institute in Istanbul on Feb. 22, 2006. The second part, on Gagauz Turks, will appear in tomorrow's Turkish Daily News."

Good looks at Textile Museum�-�Entertainment�-�The Washington Times, America's Newspaper

2006-03-21T15:36:00.000-05:00

Good looks at Textile Museum�-�Entertainment�-�The Washington Times, America's Newspaper: "Good looks at Textile Museum
October 24, 2005

Perhaps only at a Textile Museum gala would patrons and guests applaud the flower arrangements as well as the evening's honoree.
Supporters of that institution's formally-titled Tribute Dinner at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on Thursday are inclined by nature to be appreciative of good aesthetics in any form. So cheering dramatically-arranged orchid displays went right along with toasts of port (not champagne) to New York-based textile designer and collector Jack Lenor Larsen, recipient of the newly-created George Hewitt Myers Award given in honor of the museum's founder.
More surprising was the fact that the occasion was the museum's first-ever fundraising gala in its 80-year history. In many Washingtonians' minds, it is "the little museum that could" -- one of the capital's often overlooked treasures suffering from an out-of-the-way location and a cramped physical space. Mr. Larsen, an honorary trustee known worldwide for his signature fabrics, called it "the only real textile museum in the Americas."
"It's a heroically important organization," said trustee Bevis Longstreth, author of a novel called "The Spindle and Bow" ("about the oldest pile rug in the world"), who came from New York for the dinner. Joan Mondale, a potter and wife of former Vice President Walter Mondale, flew in from Minneapolis where she has established that city's Textile Center. "Textiles and clay work together," she noted.
Famed furniture designer Sam Maloof, who flew in from Los Angeles, recalled when he traveled 30 years ago to Afghanistan with Mr. Larsen. (Their American hostess at the time, who was present Thursday, reacquainted herself with both men.) "I made a chair for his house," the artfully attired craftsman volunteered.
An Asian theme rightly dominated -- heralding the museum's latest exhibit on "Rozome Masters of Japan" and an accompanying weekend symposium on "Japanese Style and the Culture of Cloth."
"I'm the new guy in town," announced the museum's director, Daniel Walker, who arrived in May from New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, where he headed the Islamic Art Department. That definitely was no surprise to the audience, many of whom spoke of him as the embodiment of new vigor and vision at the historic institution on S Street Northwest.
-- Ann Geracimos"

Peter Pap - Antiques Roadshow/Tips of the Trade: Tips on buying an antique rug

2006-03-21T14:59:00.000-05:00

Antiques Roadshow/Tips of the Trade: Tips on buying an antique rug: "

Appraiser Peter Pap inspects Susan's Hereke prayer rug at the Hot Springs ROADSHOW.

In Hot Springs, Arkansas, a woman named Susan discussed two oriental rugs that her grandparents had bought in 1931 for the exact same price: $2,000. One of the rugs, a very large Serapi, was woven in the late 19th century in northwest Persia, present-day Iran. In a little over 100 years this rug has appreciated twentyfold, to a retail value of $40,000. However, the other rug, a small Turkish Hereke prayer rug, has appreciated to only $6,000, which means its worth hasn't even kept pace with inflation.

What happened? Why does one old oriental rug soar in value over the years, while another one, just as old, stagnates in value?

We took these questions to Peter Pap, the ANTIQUES ROADSHOW rug expert who evaluated the two Hot Springs rugs. He says the differential in the appreciation of these two rugs, and of oriental rugs in general, is closely related to each rug's respective quality. He's quick to add, though, that the worth of a rug at any given time is also tied to cycles of the market and trends in people's taste.

The popularity of Turkish prayer rugs in the early 1900s spawned many copies, of which this is an example.

"What happens to the value of an oriental rug over time is in many ways no different than what happens to any antique or collectible," Peter says. "Supply and demand, and the effects of fashion, play major roles." Susan's two rugs serve as prime examples.

First, Authenticity
Older Hereke rugs — and other Turkish prayer rugs similar to the one Susan showed in Hot Springs — were in great demand during the first few decades of the 1900s, Peter says. This fact inflated their value at the time. The keen market in turn inspired ever more exaggerated sales pitches — a factor Peter says likely played a part in the grandparents' purchase.

The original paperwork from the interior designer who sold the Hereke rug lists it as a "semi-antique," a term used to refer to objects that are more than 50 years old, but not yet 100 years old — the minimum age for a bona fide "antique." But Peter says that this rug was not in fact a late 19th-century specimen; rather, it was a copy made no more than 20 years before Susan's grandparents purchased it.

"They were definitely misled, and they overpaid for the prayer rug," Peter says.

The rug's value is diminished by its poor-quality red dye, which has bled into the lighter colors over time.

Quality Matters
Quality of craftsmanship — or lack of it — has also played a role in the Hereke's lackluster appreciation in value. The red dye used in the pattern was of poor quality and has bled into the rug's lighter colors. Peter also notes that the rug is not actually made of silk, as was claimed, but instead is woven from treated cotton.

On the other hand there is the second rug, a Serapi, which Peter spotted in a photograph that Susan showed him of the St. Louis penthouse that her grandparents lived in. But how can Peter tell from the picture that this rug is a winner? Serapis, he explains, only started being made in the last quarter of the 19th century; in the 1930s, this type of rug hadn't been around long enough, nor become popular enough, for rug makers to begin producing copies for sale. That's why Peter doesn't have misgivings about its authenticity. And Susan reports that the Serapi is still in excellent condition. A wealthy collector, her grandfather even built a special museum-like room in St. Louis to house his rugs. So Peter feels comfortable that his $40,000 estimate is accurate provided the Serapi has continued to be well cared for.

"While large Persian carpets with primitive geometric designs were relatively inexpensive at the time this was bought, they are now one of the most desirable types," Pap says.

So the first — unsurprising — lesson illustrated by Susan's two rugs is that quality matters in oriental rugs. But what may be a more important lesson, even for collectors of fine hand-made oriental carpets, is that the market is fickle.

Susan's much more valuable Serapi rug can be seen in this old photo of her grandfather's St. Louis penthouse.

Fickle Market
Peter says that in the 1950s, oriental rugs lost their allure when buyers began to develop a preference for the color beige, as well as for wall-to-wall carpeting. Peter knows old-timers in the antiques business who had to dump the oriental rugs they bought as parts of complete estates. "One of my mentors in the business would drive from Washington in his Volkswagen Beetle to New England with $200 and be able to fill the car with antique rugs purchased at antiques shops," Peter says.

In the 1950s and 1960s for about $500 you could purchase a 9x12-foot Persian Bidjar carpet made in 1920. That same rug, if kept in good condition, is worth about $10,000 today.

Prices for Turkoman tribal rugs and saddlebags, however, which collectors eagerly sought in the 1970s, have moved in the other direction over the last 10 years. "Now collectors are only looking for the masterpieces to round out their collections," Peter says. "And there isn't a second wave of younger collectors to support the entry-level pieces, so the prices have dropped in value."

In addition to changing patterns of demand, changes in the supply of oriental rugs have also affected the prices of mid-century rugs. As part of the renaissance in oriental rugs over the last 20 years, rug makers have begun to use quality natural dyes again and have created vibrant designs that borrow from 19th-century patterns.

"These rugs now make many of the semi-antique rugs look stiff in design and have caused that market to come down in price," Peter explains. "Any rugs whose designs and colors evolved to meet current taste in the West after World War II are bound to experience drops in demand and therefore price."

So perhaps the ultimate lesson in all these up-and-down swings is to buy what you like and treasure what you have. "Investment should not be your number-one requirement with a rug," Peter says. "An oriental rug, if it's cared for, will last a hundred years or more. You don't want to discount the value of something that can be used for a lifetime."

Editor's note: This article was updated on November 10, 2003, to correct a reporting error, which stated that the making of Serapi rugs started in the first decade of the 1900s. In fact, as Peter Pap explained, Serapi rugs were made beginning in the last quarter of the 19th century."