If You Want To See the Carpet of Heaven Look At This….
Farsi script on silk carpet
Additional adventures in the Grand Bazaar – No trip to Istanbul is complete without a visit to a fine carpet pavilion. Always seeking the VV Best, I visited with Hakan Ozturk of Orient 100 Carpets. Established by Haci Mustafa Sefer in 1870, it is one of the leading rug companies in Turkey. The company has successfully continued in the rug business for four generations and established it’s first shop in 1955 on the famous Nuruosmaniye street, in the heart of the rug industry. Today, the company produces the most outstanding examples of Turkish Rugs and kilims with pure natural vegetable dyes. The master weavers of Orient Carpet also create splendid wool, pure silk and wool and cotton combination rugs in the company workshop located in the heart of Anatolia.
This is the treasure market of carpets, Hakan was kind enough to share their finest silk carpets, his years of expertise and a very simple explanation of the process of design and weaving…including sharing a handful of silk cocoons, the very beginning of a rug. Imagine, these simple cocoons and the time consuming process to complete a masterpiece. A small 2×4 silk rug can take up to 10 months to design and weave. The original date of weaving art is not recorded, however nomads in Central Asia most likely began weaving with goat hair, in making their tents. Eventually the nomads began weaving lighter carpets to cover the floors of their tents, in a flat weave design, these are known as Kilims, depicting pagan symbols.
A young girl learns to weave from her mother, traditionally the men are only involved in the dying of the wool or silk- as Hakan blurted to me when I ask if men weave: Oh No Never, Thank God! It is painstaking work, double knot tying, and an art that we can only hope will be continued with the generations of girls today. A loom is always in place and progressing in every Turkish home.
To own a carpet or kilim means two things. First, it is having a beautifully crafted piece of art, with harmonious colors and exciting patterns, with which to decorate the house. Secondly, it is like taking a page out of an Anatolian native’s life, a page out of a history of a rich, though sadly dying tradition. Small woven signs or symbols are called motifs and overall pattern is called the design. Sit and linger, imagine the nomads roaming, the work and creative thought which makes up these living carpets, there really is a story behind each one.
You must visit Orient 100, seek out Hakan for a personal tour, the ancient symbols and history of these fine old kilims are enchanting, truly a magical experience.
A few of the very special silk carpets that I had the pleasure to view are below. Of course, the fine hospitality includes the tea tray, carried and delivered to your lap, and served in delicate small tulip glasses.
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