The Beauty of Imperfection

This past weekend, I went to my favorite used bookstore near my house and found this great stack of beautiful carpet, rug, and kilim books - many of them now out of print, and collectibles in and of themselves. I love looking through these kinds of books - another nerdy obsession of mine. Anyway, as I was looking through them, I found myself reading all the "how to buy an oriental rug" guides that many of them offered. On almost every list, the writer advises buyers to avoid curled edges, asymmetrical patterns, and crooked rugs. Then I thought about my own private collection and the collection of most of my colleagues who collect and sell fine antique handmade carpets and kilims. We all have been collecting carpets and kilims for years (generations, actually) - and I don't think any of us own these seemingly "perfect" carpets. In fact, we all seek out imperfections in the carpets and kilims we collect for ourselves. I personally love the beauty in the asymmetry of rugs like the one pictured above. For one thing, the asymmetry is a sure sign the rug is not a mass produced reproduction, but a true product of artisanal skill, creativity, and yes, imperfection - beautiful crooked imperfection. - www.traditionalrugrepair.com