"I like to play blackjack. I'm not addicted to gambling, I'm
addicted to sitting in a semi-circle."—Mitch Hedberg

For Area Rugs Collectors

International Conference on Oriental Carpets
This conference began in 1976 and features exhibitions. Probably the most notable are "The Eastern Carpet in the Western World" & "Carpet Magic" (London 1983), "Orient Stars" (Hamburg 1993), and "Studies in Colour and Geometry: Turkish Pile Carpets from the Christopher Alexander Collection" & "Anatolian Kilims: The McCoy Jones Collection" (San Francisco, 1990). As well as exhibitions from museum collections worldwide, ICOC exhibitions have always featured the collections of "local" collectors, such as "Oriental Rugs from Atlantic Collections" (Philadelphia 1996). In addition, since 1986, the conference has hosted an ever more successful Dealers' Fair. An international conference exists on many levels. As a forum for academic papers, it also serves as a godfather to research. The conference also provides a good meeting place to discuss fashions in rugs and theories. Perfect for newcomers because of the easily understandable forums.

Asian Arts
The online journal for the study and exhibition of the arts of Asia, which naturally includes Oriental rugs and carpets, offers articles, photo galleries, information on exhibitions (in public and private institutions and galleries) and associations, as well as sections for a discussion forum, a calendar of events, books, and links to other related resources. .

San Francisco Bay Area Rug Society
Home page to the San Francisco Bay Area Rug Society, this site is informative for rug collectors and area residents. Articles about Ersari, Armenian exhibitions, curious fragment, Moghul rugs, mosaics, Syrian rugs, Afghan War rugs, and more. Includes pictures from the Heavenly Gardens exhibition, membership information and more for those interested in rugs and textiles.

Jozan Magazine
Jozan Magazine is an International website and digital magazine about oriental rugs and carpets. Jozan Magazine also includes Danish, Swedish and Norwegian versions. Jozan Magazine includes articles on oriental rugs and carpets, an auction calendar, sales gallery with rugs from our members and a very large educational rug gallery. The educational photo-gallery with more than 1450 Persian, Anatolian, Caucasian, Turkmen and Balouch rugs is a important part of the magazine. Most of the images are published with permission from friendly dealers, auction houses, collectors and museums. Site includes rug news and articles, auction information, rug sales, vendors, a free rug newsletter, an oriental rug sales gallery, rug guides and photographs. Information about Persian rugs, Turkish rugs, Caucasia rugs, Turkman rugs, textiles and kilims is noted.

The Tibetan Rug Market
Article discusses the history and progress made in the Tibetan rug industry, although it states that the public still is mixed in feeling towards the industry. 'Tibetan Rugs - A Tribal Tradition' was met with derision and incredulity by the traditional Tibetophile crowd at the time of its publication. The market and collector focus had revolved around pictorial designs, and those with Buddhist elements. Geometrics and simple patterns were scorned in spite of Philip Denwood's 1974 publication that casually mentioned that these were in fact the oldest rugs extant from the plateau region. Where is the market today? Most runners to Tibet go to Beijing to look for rugs and to other locales in China. Tibet itself has been mined and the availability of good, old Tibetan rugs is very, very limited. The adventure, the excitement of going to Lhasa to look for rugs is over. The time is past when Tibetan rugs will come onto the market, fresh from the plateau region itself.

See RugCollecting.com for more resources.

Or see the related category of area rugs crafts.