Press Release

Claremont Rug Company Prints First 2015 Catalog Of Rarely Seen Antique Oriental Rugs

A Peek into How Connoisseurs Display Art-level Carpets in Private Residences

Oakland, CA—March 19, 2015—Featuring first-rate antique Oriental rugs from the Second Golden Age of Persian Weaving (ca. 1800 to ca. 1910), the newly published catalog from Claremont Rug Company (www.claremontrug.com) features rarely seen pieces that display the highest levels of artistry and quality, according gallery founder/president Jan David Winitz.

Within the 32 pages, 28 carpets from its 3500-piece inventory are featured, along with 12 pictures of 12 rooms of Claremont’s clients furnished with antique rugs. “We’ve presented a broad array of in situ rugs that exemplify how art and antique collectors employ their rugs to highlight a room or to create an interior design motif for an entire residence,” he said.

“Additionally, the catalog presents rugs from our collection which we identify as primarily Tier 2, 3 and 4 in our proprietary Rug Pyramid™ that classifies Oriental rugs by their collectability and level of beauty.”

In the Pyramid, Tier 1 rugs are almost entirely held by museums and royal families. Tier 2 and 3 rugs and some Tier 4 pieces are the most sought after by collectors for their artistic merits as well as their investment potential. Rugs in Tiers 5, produced circa 1925 or later, and Tier 6, encompassing the gamut of contemporary hand-woven rugs, are not considered collectible because they are largely commercial endeavors that lack distinction as works of art.

“Our clients have graciously allowed us to include photos of their residences that feature remarkable rugs they purchased from us,” said Winitz, author of The Guide to Purchasing an Oriental Rug.“Because Tier 2 and Tier 3 rugs are increasingly becoming central elements to private collections, the opportunity to view them in any context is a rare treat.”

Among the highlights of the catalog are photos from the metropolitan apartment of a long-time client who is a world-class collector of statuary, paintings and antiques as well as Second Golden Age tribal rugs. The photos appear on pp. 2-3 and 14-15.

Among the highlight rugs from the new brochure are:

• A mid-19th century Persian Bijar room-size rug of highly original design
• First-caliber antique oversize carpets of the important Hadji Jallili Tabriz and Sultanabad groups.
• Six innovative collector’s 19th century rugs from the Caucasus Mountains.

The catalog features rugs in settings that range from high-ceilinged country lodges to urban condominiums, contrasting contemporary art with carpets displayed on walls and on floors. “Our connoisseur clients employ their pieces as integral parts of their art collections,” said Winitz, “as a contrast or as complementary.”

Rugs at CRC are valued in the $20,000 to more than $400,000 per piece range.

Claremont provides the brochure for $25 to interested parties who may order a copy at http://www.claremontrug.com/persian-carpet-services/ordercatalog.aspx or by calling 1-800-441-1332.