Page:The Practical Book of Oriental Rugs (1913).djvu/558



Felt rugs are made to a certain extent in nearly every part of Persia, but chiefly at Ispahan, Astrabad, and Yezd. They are made of wool, goats' hair or camels' hair or of a combination of two or all of these substances, according to the color desired. As no dyes are employed and the finished product is the same in color as that of the materials used, they are usually gray, white or buff, most frequently the latter. The material is matted together by being pounded, occasionally sprinkled with water in which rapeseed-oil cakes have been soaked for a long time, and then pounded more until it becomes compact and solid. The finished product varies in thickness from three-quarters of an inch to three inches and is as soft and pliable as cloth, but too heavy for exportation, consequently few come to Western markets. In the Orient they are used as floor coverings on top of which ordinary pile carpets are placed. In this country they have been used in bedrooms, also as a covering for dining tables, and as silence cloths, but they will not stand the wear of chairs and are an easy mark for moths. They can be purchased for from $7.00 to $10.00 per yard.