COMPILATION ON PILE RUGS UNTYING RESTORATION FROM CURRENT CONSERVATION PRACTICES

Abstract

The pile rug has a unique status unlike all other textiles. It has been studied as a utilitarian object, artwork, product of trade, and prized collectable. The uniqueness of pile rugs cannot be attributed to a single factor. Construction, material, history, and previous care compound their complexity and allure. The restoration and conservation of pile rugs is an equally complicated history blurred by parallel treatment and preservation methods. The scope of this research is limited to the structural stabilization and compensation of visual loss in pile rugs. The goal of this research is to create a compilation on the methods in conservation and restoration of pile rugs from 1990 to present. In 1990, the Textile Museum in Washington D.C. hosted a symposium on the conservation of Oriental rugs. While the goal of the symposium was to spark further dialogue on the subject, published literature has since been sparse. This compilation contains two major components. The first is a literature review based on selected papers from the symposium and other published sources since the symposium. Secondly, interviews with experienced conservators provide further insight, which is then compared to the information found in the literature review. Conclusions draw on changes to practice over time and the comparison of current practices in the conservation of pile rugs.