Posted by Patrick Weiler on June 12, 1999 at 09:33:43:
1. I bought a small, crude, sloppy Afghan at auction and only paid three times what it was worth. Now I buy from dealers and antique stores.
2. As a confirmed collector I am like the shark, never stopping, always searching or I will die.........
However, due to my Limited Means, I mostly admire the better pieces and buy less expensive bags. I have found that quantity is comforting. It puts the better pieces in context.
3. As I become more immature in my collecting, I find that older is better. Pieces with garish synthetic dyes are not welcome anymore, even though I still have several.
4. Condition is one of the variables of relative importance, but not the most important. In fact I would not have half the rugs I own now if not for some minor blemish or defect. Otherwise they would be too expensive to own. Besides, I am suspect of the "too perfect" very old rug. Has it had its face lifted, tummy tucked and liposuction?
5. My first rugs were, of course, for the floor. When that filled up, they started going on the walls. When that filled up, I bought a bigger house with more wall space. Some are stored only because to have them all out would invite insurance claims due to tripping over the darned things.
6.Organization is my strongest suit. Now, where did I leave that suit again? We got a computer and I put a list together with the intention of scanning in a photo of each with description. I can't afford to retire and rent a warehouse and hire assistants to do that yet though. And, now with Turkotek and e-bay, I have no time to organize my collection.
7. Books have been the most important learning tool. Dealers, even friendly ones, don't care to spend all of their time explaining the subtle differences of every rug in their store for rubbernecking window-shoppers. Even rug club meetings tend to be too short to get into the real details, and, unless it is written down, information is like money, once spent, not much remains.
8. I have found one dealer who will allow me to trade my mistakes for a new rug. He always insists on a little cash to consummate the deal, and I do pay dearly for my mistakes. I no longer own many "lesser" rugs, but still have a handful that I keep in store for that special opportunity when I don't have enough money for a real good rug. I still have the second rug I bought, but mostly because I paid so much for it I could probably never get enough back for it. Besides, I got married on it, so now it is a family heirloom!
9. When I pass on to the great ateleir in the sky, my rugs will be dispersed to the winds. Unless, of course, I get my act together with that little organizational situation described above in item 6 and put a comprehensive list of value and provenance so my estate can sell the whole lot to pay off my unpaid bills due to buying too many rugs.
10. Novice collectors of Limited Means should subscribe to Hali, go to every rug store they can find, buy as many rugs as their spouse will let them, spend all of their free time on the internet looking at rug sites and Keep The Moths Away!