News & Information

The first famous use was as prayer rugs, which most of us are familiar with. A small three by five foot rug could be transported where ever the owner traveled. And consider many of the peoples inhabiting the ancient Middle-East were nomadic. Today we think of decorative Oriental hand-woven wool rugs primarily as a floor covering, and occasionally as a wall decoration. But, thousands of years ago, when the art of rug weaving was being perfected, dozens of practical uses were attributed to rugs and carpets.

The first famous use was as prayer rugs, which most of us are familiar with. A small three by five foot rug could be transported where ever the owner traveled. And consider many of the peoples inhabiting the ancient Middle-East were nomadic.

Traveling constantly brought about a few other uses like saddle rugs, emergency protection from the elements, communication and even as currency.

Saddle rugs, for horses and camels today, are primarily used for padding the back of the animal so a saddle can be placed on top. For long nomadic trips through the desert, a rug can also be placed on top of the saddle and around the torso of the rider. Thick, durable wool rugs provide good protection from sandstorms and extreme temperatures.

How were these rugs and carpets used as vehicles for communication? It is believed that families separated by large geographic distances sent messages to each other via rugs and carpets. In addition, important events, people and histories have been recorded with pictorial detail. These skilled rug and carpet weavers have drawn descriptive stories into rugs like paintings. There is no doubt that this is an art form.

Finally, these textiles were used for barter and currency. Many of the masses in that time period considered their rugs the most valuable material items they possessed. Hand-woven wool carpets and rugs represent a standard of quality and craftsmanship whereby a definitive value can be determined and compared to others.

Germany, a major driving force in the Oriental and Persian rug market for hundreds of years has finally seen a slight cool-down in terms of demand. Although, we must keep in mind that their market has always had a steady base of sales and “rug lovers.” German investors have been recorded as founders of large rug and carpet manufacturing centers in Persia and the Orient over the past several hundred years. Oriental rugs have a defined place in the German culture.

Recent reports from Persian rug dealers in Germany confirm that the bulk of growth in the sector has been coming from the United States. It seems Americans are starting to appreciate these wonderful textiles as much as the major European countries. U.S. Demand points to a trend in interior design whereby Oriental rugs are the centerpiece of a room. Mainstream Americans as well as design experts are fueling the growth.

Its not just the traditional antique Oriental and Persian rugs either. Modern machine-made rugs, with contemporary designs are flooding the market to accommodate the demand.

For example, a library rug that you walk on just a few times a day would not need vacuuming more than once or twice a month but your entry hall rug which gets the most traffic and dirt would probably need to be vacuumed once a week. Every two to three of years we suggest you have your rugs picked up and professionally cleaned. Also to help wear the evenly we suggest rotating your rug every time it come back from cleaning.

This simple but very effective measure will aid in adding many years to the life of your rug. When it comes to fraying, unraveling or holes we suggest getting immediate assistance. As in life, the more you put it off the worse off you may be in the long run. A small hole or wear area will grow and grow and before you know it a minor and inexpensive matter could evolve into an avoidable headache which can cost you hundreds even thousands more than if you had attended to it immediately.

Jason scours the globe for the most lavish pieces, which are primarily displayed in his flagship store on Madison Avenue, NY. The new Short Hills location, his third, will feature these fine antiques as well as modern rugs and carpets which are distributed from his second location in Red Bank, NJ.

The Nazmiyal collection of rugs and carpets showcases only the most unique, one-of-a-kind pieces from the Orient and Persia. His most recent travels have been to Asia, India, China, France, England and other European countries. His skilled eye for beautiful carpets and rugs has been honed over the course of the past 25 years. And he was no stranger to these textiles before he started in the trade, he is descended from a long line of connoisseurs. Therefore, its no wonder he has assembled the most eclectic and elite rugs in the world.

Jason’s clientele ranges from interior designers and architects to homeowners looking to purchase fine carpets. In addition, a whole new group of antique rug aficionados have emerged in the past few years, and he has received many accolades about his taste for rugs, carpets and textiles.

“My passion for fine art has let me to much success in this business. I am fortunate enough to be able to offer my clients some of the most elegant antique rugs in the world.”

The new antique rug gallery in Short Hills is a spacious, 4000 sq. ft., with a very high ceiling. There are no support beams or pillars to obstruct the flow, so it is a very relaxing atmosphere, similar to an art museum. Always a forward thinker, Jason has set up a projection system similar to that of a movie theatre, whereby rugs can be viewed in high-resolution on a 5 x 7 foot screen. Traditionally, finding a rug required the dealer to physically open each by hand, which is strenuous and time consuming.

We have a few tips to make the process easy, and enjoyable. If at all possible, start the design of a room by first finding the rug. There are many fabric swatches that will complement a fabulous rug. While not impossible, it is more restricting to find rugs that will work with fabrics.

To begin the adventure of buying a rug two things must be established before we have fun. We need to know size, and you need to establish a budget. Measure your room; determine the minimum and maximum size you can use. Determine the use of the room. Are your purposes and/or aesthetic sense served better by one large rug, or several smaller rugs?

Now you have established the size; lets move on to the budget. You want something that you truly love; you want to get the best piece you can afford. Antiques, undoubtedly, are the most beautiful. Therefore they tend to be more expensive than new. For a 9×12 antique rug, you need to figure on spending at least $15000. If this is beyond your budget, do not despair, some of the new productions are fantastic. Naturally the 9×12 that costs $3000 will probably not be as interesting, or as pleasing as the one for $7500.

Once you have determined the size and budget, the adventure of finding the right rug for you can begin. If you have already picked a color scheme, or are buying a rug for an already furnished room, make sure you bring swatches with you.

Once you have selected a rug, or rugs, most reputable dealers are happy to have you view the rug in your home, before finalizing the sale. Usually the moment you see the rug in your space, you will know if it is the right one for you.