http://www.rugreview.com/orr.htm

Even though it ceased publishing (in its print form) in 1996, it maintains a vivid presence online. Unlike any other oriental rug journal, it is putting many of its early articles online in their entirety. For the novice or expert alike it is a valuable resource.

Cordially,

-Jerry-

But don't you find the Afghan War-rug article pathetic? AK!2234 guns. Anti-tank-helicopters!
Serious....it wasn't a cry for help from the refugees. I know a guy who imported the rugs by the thousands. Anyone interested out there?
The best rug was a rug with schools and hospitals in flames. The best of best was a rug with the bullet holes in a nice design, one problem though..it wasn't finished.

The only site I like is Turkotek and Marla Mallett. The rest should stick to writing letters in private.

Best regards,
Vincent

I like your refreshing candor. Very "American." But you need to reconsider your view of Oriental Rug Review.

It was a deliberately "whimsical" journal that tried to do serious things (like translate and/or publish Martin and Moskova when no one else was) without taking itself too seriously.

They were a collectors' magazine, not too proud to publish interesting things that might not always aspire to scholarship.

Ron O'Callahan and George O'Bannon did a lot of good work for a quite sustained period.

I don't much care for Afghan war rugs myself but I have a retired world authority on Roman archetecture living above me, who told me that he bought one early because he considered it a "historic artifact." Jane Ware, the rug book author once wrote that if you dislike Afghan war rugs too strongly, you may lack a sense of humor.

Clearly doesn't apply to you but something to consider.

Regards,

R. John Howe

I got a sort of warrug by email. 7.5 mb for a rugsize 150x80 cm wich is a sort of military overpowered way of sending email.
The gentleman want's me to make a cave for it. I'm building him a bunker, with a retired general I hired as guard. One of Richards embroideries is stolen, so I hope the general will help.
(Someone saw it happening in cave nr.8)

He knew the article on rug review, but didn't think this is a warrug, though the border shows helicopters.

Have a look in "The Caves", a private museum.
http://www.vincent-perzen.nl/
"The Caves"
The bunker (cave.9) , where the "warrug" will be shown to the public, will be open on Sunday, if I can find the time to finish it.
I am waiting for more warrugs, but they will be discussed by the general. (Between us, the guy keeps his hat on day and night, so he can't see a thing.)
Make rugs, not war.
Make war, make rugs?

War in Dutch is Oorlog....makes sence ggggg.
Oor = EEEEar, log = heavy, slow
Heavy ears..........oh no.....

Best regards,
Vincent

It may be useful to point out that as of this morning Vincent has 20 pieces display in his Caves exhibition.

Many of the items invite you to move to the next one with an explicit "next" button but the rug on the right at each level does not. It took me awhile to discover that you get to the next level by clicking on this rug on the right at each level.

Interesting work, Vincent. You might say a word or two about your selection criteria for inclusion in the Caves exhibition. I think you said once they are not intended necessarily to be world class pieces but should instead be pieces actually owned (that fact suggesting that they are of the sort perhaps more accessible to most of us) that someone would like to have displayed. Please correct me if I got this wrong.

No war rug or guarding general yet today but I'm looking forward to it "ears" and all.

Regards,

R. John Howe

It took me a while to get the "war rug" in. My old Mac got overheated at times, while I was trying to get the 7.5 mb back to normal workable proportions. It's in the air now.

http://www.vincent-perzen.nl/cave9.html

Think I'll get all the next buttons out. It makes The Caves tour more mysterious. Click on whatever shows up. But don't be angry with me if anything happens out of the ordinary.

The Caves is a 24 hours open museum. Anyone having a textile, but doesn't have webspace, can send me a digital image and I'll put it in the Museum. If they want to give some extra info about the rug, why they like it, what it is, where it comes from etc. they are free to do so. I'll put in text as a side page to.
No money involved here.

Best regards,
Voncet

Hickup......hickup.....Burp.

Best regrets,
Vincent

This "war rug" pattern resembles some I encountered in a book entitled "Soviet Textile Design of the Revolutionary Period," by I. Yasenskaya. It contains a number of similar designs from teh 1920s and 1930s with names like "electric bulbs, The Turkestan-Siberian Railroad, construction site, electrification, tractor and steam engine. There's even a quite attractive one entitled "waste utilization."

I put a few of them up in a show and tell once and I think Stephen Louw confessed that he was actually a bit partial to some of them and I have to admit that many are much more attractive than their titles.

But the point is that people did do designs in that part of the world that might commemorate something like an airport.

The best "war rug" I have seen was about a 5' X 7' with a white ground. It's design was subtle enough that you had to really look to notice that it was in fact a war rug.

Regards,

R. John Howe

Thank you for helping me. So now I can change the bunker into a 1920/1930 Soviet Art Cave.
This makes it more trendy. Soviet billboards, posters. I'll buy a couple of posters in Utrecht, and put them up as decoration in the cave. Would be nice if people came up with all kinds of, soviet made, rugs adressing this subject. You've created a new collectors heaven.

Thank you, John.

Best regards,
Vincent

"Normal member?"
I'm not normal.

Best regards,
Vincent