By Jane Tulanian

In Oriental rug jargon, “Magic Carpet” is a term you’re apt to hear. Also referred to as a “Flying Carpet”, the description is bantered about frequently among dealers and collectors alike. So just what defines a “magic” carpet?

Referenced in early literature and mythology, a magic carpet possessed the power to quickly transport its rider to a desired location. Perhaps the most famous was the legendary flying magic carpet of King Solomon.

Reportedly made of green silk, it was large enough to hold the King and his entourage while traveling. Following the King’s commands, the wind would quickly transport the rug and all upon it to the desired destination.

With that description, it’s no surprise that children find Oriental rugs magical. Adults, recalling their childhoods, tell me so often how a rug design could elicit a world of fantasy for them.

A visit to Grandma’s house meant playing games on the floor while the adults visited. In the day of children being seen and not heard, grandma’s Persian rug would provide hours of entertainment.

The borders within the carpet were transformed into roadways for their toy cars to travel. Motifs within the design were markers for towns, buildings and attractions.

The rounded edges of flowers became winding paths leading to destinations unknown. An entire town was emerging in the middle of grandma’s living room and creating memories that would last a lifetime.

One woman shared with me that a rug she had just inherited from her parents had images of human figures within the design. It had begun to wear and show signs of fraying, but none of that mattered. That rug was her prized possession.

As a child, she creatively appointed the male figure a prince and the female a princess. She recounted the hours she spent making up stories about her hero and heroine.

She recalled every detail of her childhood dreaming days, and stood before me entranced as she described what each figure and motif, such as the King’s crown on a Kirman rug [left] represented to her.

Just as each child sees something unique within the design of a rug, so do adults. Many consider them works of art. For adults, the wonderment is a deep appreciation of the workmanship and time devoted to making a rug.

Antique finely woven rugs have extremely small knots, which produce an image like that of a painting. The curvilinear features are remarkably precise. The resulting high definition of design allows your eye to see intricate details lost on coarsely woven rugs.

Our antique rug collection on display is routinely likened to being in a museum. You may stop for a moment to admire a carpet’s color, but quickly find yourself uncovering treasures within the designs. A sense of time becomes lost as you are immersed in the beauty before you.

if you thought your Oriental carpet was merely a floor covering, look again. Rugs are filled with images of flowers, trees, animals, birds, fruit, fish, and much, much more. If you look closely, you might find something magical awaiting you, too.