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The carpets have been acquired since December 1984 and the vast majority since 1998. They were purchased primarily in Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and a few in the United States. One of us (JWC) lived in the Middle East and traveled widely in the region. When younger, a fascination about the “Silk Road” and its peoples and cultures led to an interest in textiles and the lives and culture of nomadic people. The decision to search for and collect carpets made by the people of the “Black Tent” was a natural extension of earlier historic interests.
We both grew up in the State of Wisconsin. The influences of interests in and experiences of agrarian lives, being raised among animals and making use of their products, and loving the earth and its magnificent resources in nature are some the bedrock of our interests in nomadic carpets. We are also progeny of parents who had their lives shaped by the Great Depression in the United States and World War II. Our clothes were often made at home without patterns or instructions but by guidance of experienced elders. Similarly, the nomadic women pass down their knowledge, skills, and artistic designs to young girls who are weaving their carpets in anticipation of marriage and their needs for carpets. Their wonderful designs and colors add beauty, warmth, and much more to the difficult and challenging lives of the nomadic peoples living in the regions near the ancient Silk Road.
We also share in our lives a passionate love of nature, natural products, and natural and artisan-created art. We tote camera equipment around this country and the world seeking to find and record images in these areas. This collection consists primarily of old and very old carpets. The colorations in almost all of the items are derived from the use of natural dyes. These are typically acquired from the flora and fauna near the carpet weavers. In many of their indigenous regions, the climate is mostly adverse and the terrain barren and rugged. The accumulation of sufficient quantities of dyes is not always easily achieved. Being nomadic, the sources are neither constant nor assured. We have hiked some rugged terrain and traveled in deserts. However, the sight of an extended nomadic family moving their flock, possessions including their collapsed horizontal carpet loom is daunting and adds an extra measure of awe as we look at and feel our carpets. These families have often raised their sheep, camels, and goats and, sheared their coats. The older women typically spin the wool and other fibers. The making of the dyes from natural products is quite secretive and an excellent dyer is highly respected. Nomadic families may barter and trade different dye lots of fibers to extend and enhance their “color palettes” of fibers in their collection. The gathering of materials to make dyes somewhat mirrors our quests to find uncommon plants and animals and to capture photographic images of them.
Given these parallels, our interest seems to be a natural outcome of our own experiences. However, it still is not a complete rationale. We believe that the most compelling reason for our passion for collecting nomadic carpets stems from our love and respect of people who maximize their talents to make a special life despite complexities and challenges. The people of the Black Tents are perfect examples of humans who see “problems as opportunities”.
While we have acquired carpets from many sources and dealers, two warm, incredibly knowledgeable Afghani brothers have found most of the carpets in our collection. Several generations of their family have been in the trade. Using family, long-term relationships and door-to-door visits, they continue to move about the regions of the Silk Road and find special carpets. On occasion, they are the third generation to visit well respected weavers’ homes and obtain pieces that were never before available. Mirza and Hazrat are first and foremost highly respected friends who are truly experts. Their acquaintances and friendships are treasured. We have spent hundreds of hours sipping tea, learning about their families and lives over many generations. Their personal accounts have given us insights into the history and culture of these peoples that can never be felt and learned in any other way. Meals were often shared, usually typical Afghani cuisine, and tales about life in these rugged regions were heard. Other times down on our hands and knees, we spent several hours pouring over virtually every carpet in the collection trying to ascertain origins, variations in designs, characteristics, and qualities. One definite quality of almost every carpet in the collection is that Hazrat and Mirza felt that it was outstanding.
The collection (including a few gifts to our children) is more than 130 carpets. Each has some special meaning or reason for being a part of the collection. There are a few larger carpets that were made in villages or cities on large vertical looms. Again, they were acquired because of their high quality. We enjoy the carpets continuously, often changing which ones are displayed.
It is a pleasure to share the beauty of carpets with you and urge you to browse through the images. We have provided some information on each carpet including size, composition, some categorization of origin (with nomadic migrations and marriage among clans, designs are not as pure a “science” as with city carpets, and it is enjoyable to try and figure out the implications of hybrids), and approximation of age. With the exception of a few newer carpets that almost certainly have chemical dyed fibers, this is a collection that features carpets with fibers colored with natural dyes.
Our goal in sharing this collection is to give you the opportunity to enjoy the artistic creations of the nomadic people along the regions of the historic Silk Road. We continue to believe that the only way to completely appreciate the wonders of artistic textiles is by the combination of visual and tactile sensations. But, visual sensory pleasure alone in your visit to this web site is a great first step.
Enjoy!
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