ACOR II Program

Focus Sessions

Saturday Morning, February 26, 1994

Chicago Illinois

• #1 Persian Village Rugs.
  Roger Cavanna will discuss the village and cottage segment of the Persian weaving spectrum from around the turn of the century, using rugs and carpets from Heriz, Arak/Sultanabad, Sarouk, Malayer, Lillihan, Bijar, Ferahan, the Chahar Mahal, and Kirman. (Saturday 8:20 to 9:20 AM, French Room.)
• #2 Caucasian Soumaks, Etc.
  Jim Burns will explore various types and formats of old soumaks and other flatwoven textiles from the Caucasus, including kilims, silehs, and vernehs from Karabagh, Daghestan, Avar, and the Eastern Caucasus. (Saturday 8:20 to 9:20 AM, Grand Ballroom.)
• #3 Rug Construction and Deconstruction.
  Holly Smith- Reynolds and Robert Mann will use a loom with a rug in progress to demonstrate the mysteries of depressed warps, straight and sinuous wefts, Z-spun and S-spun warps, and varieties of sidewrapping and end finishes. Rug scraps will be available for participants to unravel. (Saturday, 8:20 to 9:20 AM, Parkside Room.)

• #4 Baluch Rugs.
  Michael Rothberg will explore early design motifs in a selection of rare balishts and bags from the Khorasan, after which Michael Craycraft will cast new light on the tribal group he believes is responsible for so-called "Mushwani" rugs. (Saturday, 9:30 to 10:30 AM French Room.)

• #5 Caucasian Discoveries. P
  aul Ramsey will discuss some of the previously unknown groups of weavings, especially kilims, that have begun to appear in Western markets as a result of political and economic realignments in the independent countries of the Caucasus. (Saturday, 9:30 to 10:30 AM, Grand Ballroom.)
• #6 Detecting Restoration.
  Led by Holly Smith-Reynolds, a team of restorers will analyze rugs with "invisible" restoration and point out ways to spot repairs in pieces being considered for purchase. Many tricks of restoration will be revealed, with lots of opportunities for questions. (Saturday, 9:30 to 10:30 AM, Parkside Room.)
• #7 Miniature Chinese Masterpieces.
  Ronnie Newman will present a collection of mostly small-format antique Chinese pile weavings of various shapes, structures, and palette -- comparatively idiosyncratic -- inviting observation and insightful discussion. (Saturday, 10:50 to 11:50 AM, French Room.)
• #8 Turkish Kilims.
  Using 18th and 19th C. examples, Peter Davies will demonstrate how the weavers' use of the slit-weave tapestry technique, and their preference for geometric abstraction and certain forms of symmetries have defined what he calls "the tribal eye" -- the distinctive visual language of the Anatolian kilim. (Saturday, 10:50 to 11:50 AM, Grand Ballroom.)
• #9 Detecting Restoration, (repeat).
  Led by Holly Smith-Reynolds, a team of restorers will analyze rugs with "invisible" restoration and point out ways to spot repairs in pieces being considered for purchase. Many tricks of restoration will be revealed, with lots of opportunities for questions. (Saturday, 10:50 to 11:50 AM, Parkside Room.)
• Restorers' Table.
  The art of restoration will be demonstrated all day long on Saturday, with a focus on showing work in progress and answering questions. Various restorers will coach the more experienced in techniques, and will supply needles and yarn for those wanting to try it for the first time. (Saturday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Drake Room.)

Focus Sessions

Saturday Afternoon, February 26

• #10 Fars Province Weavings.
  Tom Cook will show diverse but exemplary old pieces from South Persia that were probably woven by villagers for personal purposes rather than by workshops. There will be flatweaves and pile pieces, including a cradle, jajim, moj, and horse blanket, plus kilims, bags, and rugs. (Saturday, 1:40 to 2:40 PM, French Room.)
• #11 Anatolian Kurdish Rugs.
  Jim Klingner will focus on identifying the characteristics of early to late 19th Century Anatolian pile rugs from Kurdish looms, vis-a-vis the more familiar non-Kurdish village and nomadic products of Anatolia. (Saturday, 1:40 to 2:40 PM, Grand Ballroom.)
• #12 Restoration From The Owner's Viewpoint #I.
  Moderated by restorer Tina Kane, panel members Sharon Fenlon, Liz Callison Petillo, Bruce Hutchison and Ronnee Barnett will discuss the practical issues: when should a piece be repaired? How much restoration is needed? How should a rug be cleaned? And how does one determine the cost of repairs? (Saturday, 1:40 to 2:40 PM, Parkside Room.)
• #13 Southeast Caucasian Pile Weaving.
  Mike Tschebull will examine the influence of the Shahsavan and other nomadic groups on the pile weaving culture of this important area, known for its highly attractive 19th Century rugs. (Saturday, 2:50 to 3:50 PM, French Room.)
• #14 Uzbek Embroideries.
  Andy Hale will survey the rich variety of wall hangings, tent ornaments and other accessories woven by these Central Asian people. Examples will range from urban-influenced pieces to the traditional nomadic production of the Lakai, Kungrad, Katagan, and other groups. (Saturday, 2:50 to 3:50 PM, Grand Ballroom.)
• #15 Restoration From The Owner's Viewpoint #2.
  A panel consisting of restorers Richard Newman, Mary Rasmussen, Emily Sanford and Robert Mann, moderated by Tina Kane, will discuss the practical side of restoration: how to decide the amount of restoration needed. When to repair a piece. How to clean a rug. And how to decide what a restoration should cost. (Saturday, 2:50 to 3:50 PM, Parkside Room.)

Focus Sessions

Sunday Morning, February 27

• #16 Southeast Caucasian Pile Weaving, (repeat).
  Mike Tschebull will examine the influence of the Shahsavan and other nomadic groups on the pile weaving culture of this important area, known for its highly attractive 19th Century rugs. (Sunday, 8:45 to 9:45 AM, French Room.)
• #17 Turkoman Roundtable.
  Ned Long will moderate discussions of various pieces chosen by the panelists: Jim Allen, Michael Craycraft, Jerry Franke, Joan Long, Robert Pinner, Steve Price, and Michael Rothberg. Participants are encouraged to bring their own examples for discussion. (Sunday, 8:45 to 11:00 AM, Grand Ballroom.)
• #18 Ethnographic Rugs.
  In this panel discussion moderated by Maury Bynum, the members of the Chicago Rug Society's exhibition selection committee, (Roger Hilpp, John Bostjancich, Tom McCormick and Maury), will use various examples to define what constitutes an "ethnographic" rug, the theme of the Society's exhibit. (Sunday, 8:45 to 9:45 AM, Parkside Room.)
• #19 Rare South Persian Rugs.
  Jim Opie will present an array of bags, kilims, rugs and unusual trappings that illustrate the rarity of various groups of South Persian tribal weavings. (Sunday, 10:00 to 11:00 AM, French Room.)
• #20 Good, Better, Best.
  Using examples of Turkish, Persian, Baluch and Caucasian rugs, will discuss the various criteria by which collectors seem to select rugs. (Sunday, 10:00 to 11:00 AM, Parkside Room.)

The "Faculty"

Focus Session Leaders

Panelists

We profusely thank each of these talented people for so generously sharing their time and expertise.