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Notes
on James Mark Keshishian A.S.A.
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It is with great sadness I
report that Uncle Jimmy passed away May 15, 2003.
Just yesterday my one year old Monty was wearing
an outfit that Uncle Jimmy gave our son Max when
he was a little fellow. We were not related to
Uncle Jimmy by blood or marriage. Jim was a kind
and good man who was a great friend to us. I will
miss him and forever remember his countless acts
of kindness.
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James Mark Keshishian A.S.A.
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Uncle Jimmy Keshishian is the USA's
top appraiser of Oriental Carpets. He and
his brother Harold
operate Mark
Keshishian & Sons Oriental Rugs
in Chevy Chase Maryland. Uncle Jimmy is
the founder and past President of the
Armenian Rug Society. Jim has taught the
Oriental Rug course in the Appraisal
Science program at George Washington
University. Jim is a member of the Cosmos
Club and is father of three children. Jim
Keshishian is one of the finest men I
have met. His knowledge of Oriental rugs
is enviable and the generosity he shows
to others is extraordinary. .
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A-103 Karabagh S.S.R. "Avedis
Hagopov", ca. 1915-4' 1" X 7 ft
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Keshishian
is considered one of the or perhaps even
the top expert on Oriental rugs. He is an
senior appraiser in the A.S.A. and wrote
the appraisal test used by ORRA. Jim was
asked to write a chapter on Oriental
Carpets for a law book on Valuation
Strategies in Divorce Proceedings (I was
quite honored that Jim asked my help in
editing his draft of the chapter). Jim
has also been called upon to act as an
expert witness by the Internal Revenue
Service and US Customs in addition to
testimony in court cases.
Jim has been a leader in
the effort to recognize the cultural
achievement of the Armenian people. Jim
has been active in a wide range of
efforts including as a founder of the
Armenian Rug Society, as an officer, and
as President. He has also worked for the
benefit of his people, Armenia as a
nation, Armenian schools, the embassy and
so many others charitable acts as to be
too long to list.
Valuation Strategies in
Divorce
By: Feder, Robert D.
3rd ed//Hardback
472 pages
John Wiley and Sons Ltd
ISBN: 0471592323
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Armenian
National Institute Board of Governors
Chairman Robert
A. Kaloosdian (left) thanks James M.
Keshishian for his donation to the
AGMM during the Armenian Assembly's Board
of Trustees Weekend in Delray
Beach, Florida.
|
Armenian National
Institute
122 C Street, NW, Suite 360
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-383-9009
Email: ani@aaainc.org
Web:
<www.armenian-genocide.org>
LONGTIME
ARMENIAN-AMERICAN ACTIVIST DONATES MILLION-DOLLAR
UNIQUE RUG
COLLECTION TO FUTURE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MUSEUM
Washington, DC - Washington-area activist and
prominent businessman James M. Keshishian has
donated his rare Armenian rug collection to the
future Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial
(AGMM). The collection, appraised at nearly
one million dollars, includes over 100 inscribed
carpets - some of which were woven by survivors
of the Armenian Genocide.
One of the most discriminating experts on the
subject of Armenian rugs, Keshishian operates a
successful oriental rugs and tapestries business
located in Chevy Chase, Maryland. He
learned the family business from his father Mark,
who established the first Keshishian Oriental Rug
store in London, England. During the
Depression, the family moved to the U.S. and Mark
opened a store in Washington - and soon counted
the White House among its clientele.
James Keshishian expanded the family business and
in 1980 established the Armenian Rug Society, for
rug enthusiasts to discuss, research and document
Armenian-made rugs. His passion for rugs,
especially those woven in Armenia, also inspired
him to author the book, "Inscribed
Armenian Rugs of Yesteryear," published in
1994.
Keshishian,
who is equally as passionate about Armenia and
Armenian-American issues, is also a supporter of
the Armenian Assembly of America. A fellow
trustee for some 30 years, Keshishian was
recognized during the Assembly's Board of
Trustees Banquet March 1 for his generous
donation, with the establishment of the James M.
Keshishian Internship.
The
Armenian National Institute's Board of Governors
Chairman Robert A. Kaloosdian thanked Keshishian
for his unwavering support of the Armenian people
"and for all your life-long contributions
and acts on behalf of Armenia."
"On
behalf of the Armenian Assembly, the Armenian
National Institute and the Armenian Genocide
Museum and Memorial, I thank you and I applaud
you for this extraordinary gift," Kaloosdian
added.
Keshishian, expressing thanks for the honor, said
his collection of handmade Armenian rugs and
antiquities has been a labor of love and he is
pleased the AGMM will house the artifacts,
especially those made by survivors and known as
"orphan rugs." The collection,
mostly acquired from the Caucasus region,
includes pieces from the late nineteenth century.
The future museum will be housed in the historic
National Bank building and three adjoining lots,
located in downtown Washington DC - just two
blocks from the White House. Constructed in 1925,
the bank building is listed as a landmark in the
DC Inventory of Historic Sites and in the
National Register of Historic Places.
The Armenian National Institute is dedicated to
the study, research, and affirmation of the
Armenian Genocide. Visit its Web site at www.armenian-genocide.org.
PRESS
RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 17, 2003
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: ckojoian@aaainc.org
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A work of love from one of America's
top carpet experts. A thorough and
thoughtful examination of a very special
collection of rugs. |
Der
Manuelian, L. and M. Eiland: Weavers, Merchants
and Kings, Inscribed Rugs from Armenia
James
M. Keshishian Dies; Expert on Oriental
Carpets
Monday, May 19, 2003;
Page B06
James Mark Keshishian, 78, who for the
past 30 years was president of Mark
Keshishian & Sons, his family's
oriental carpet business in Chevy Chase
and who was also a leader in Washington's
Armenian community, died May 15 at his
daughter's home in McLean. He had cancer.
Mr. Keshishian's business -- started
by his father first in London and then in
the Washington area in 1931 -- provided
carpets to high-profile government
clients, including the White House, the
State Department and foreign embassies.
He lectured widely about oriental
carpets, was a senior appraiser with the
American Society of Appraisers and was a
founder and former president of the
Armenian Rugs Society. His book,
"Inscribed Armenian Rugs of
Yesteryear," was published in 1994.
He saw his rug collecting as a way of
preserving his family's Ottoman Armenian
heritage. He also raised funds for
Armenian causes and was a founding member
of Soorp Khatch Armenian Apostolic Church
in Chevy Chase.
Mr. Keshishian, who lived in Chevy
Chase, was born in Belgium and raised in
Washington. He was a 1943 graduate of
Wilson High School. During World War II,
he served in the Army in the European and
Pacific theaters and received two Bronze
Stars. After the war, he graduated from
the Ohio Mechanics Institute in
Cincinnati and took business classes at
George Washington University.
In the 1950s and 1960s, he was
president of his family business, Senate
Laundry, a commercial laundry service for
many Washington hotels and hospitals.
He was a former national president of
what is now the Association of
Specialists in Cleaning and Restoration.
His memberships included Congressional
Country Club in Bethesda and the Cosmos
Club.
His avocations included playing golf,
smoking cigars and collecting rare
Armenian coins, including some dating
back as early as AD 163. He also was a
Republican Party fundraiser.
His marriage to Elsa Carapetian
Keshishian ended in divorce.
Survivors include three children, Mark
Keshishian of Gaithersburg, Lora Picini
of McLean and Leon Keshishian of Potomac;
two brothers, Dr. John Keshishian of
McLean and Harold M. Keshishian of
Washington; and three grandchildren.
© 2003The Washington
Post Company
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| Seen on http://www.ascr.org/memorium.shtml
by Patty Harmon |
In Memorium
James M.
Keshishian
1925-2003 Renowned Rug
Specialist
James Mark Keshishian
graciously shared his knowledge,
resources and sense of humor with
those fortunate enough to cross
his path. His respect and
devotion to his Armenian heritage
were apparent in the many ways he
used his rug collection to
preserve its history, and the
causes to which he dedicated his
time and energy. Jim passed away
on May 15, 2003, of cancer. He
was 78.
For the past 30 years, Jim was
president of Mark Keshishian
& Sons, Inc., an Oriental
carpet store based on the
outskirts of Washington, D.C.,
and started by his father in
1931. A Washington institution,
the firm counts some of the
city's largest embassies and
public buildings among its
clients, including the White
House.
His knowledge of Oriental
carpets was legendary. He
authored a number of books and
articles on a host of topics
related to his passion, taught
courses on rug identification and
inspired an appreciation for them
in many individuals.
Among those so inspired was
ASCR's technical advisor, Dr.
Steven Spivak. Former NIRC
executive Robert Coleman and Jim
(with some "cajoling,
coercing and finally
badgering") were the impetus
behind Dr. Spivak's decision to
become affiliated with ASCR.
Dr. Spivak recounted their
last meeting at a Virginia
doctor's office. "We spoke
fondly of many years of working
together for NIRC and ASCR, and
its magazine where Jim wrote
Oriental rug articles. He was at
that time soon to leave for
Normandy, France and Belgium, to
join a reunion of his 'ole U.S.
Army buddies who survived World
War II; and returned home to
continue family traditions that
have made a 'mark' on America's
Oriental rug business."
"Keshishian would phone
me a few times every year —
always with a bright new idea or
[a] tough-nut technical question
on fibers, dyes, chemicals or
stain removal, ever to challenge
my mettle. These conversations
and my periodic visits to their
rug shop were always stimulating,
often madcap, witty or funny, and
forever friendly. A few rugs
found their way from Keshishian's
shop into our home, and still
adorn our floors."
Jim and his company were among
the early members of the National
Institute of Rug Cleaning. He
served as ASCR's treasurer for
close to two decades in the late
1960s and '70s before becoming
president in 1981. He was
considered one of the foremost
experts on Oriental rugs and was
a senior appraiser for the A.S.A.
In 1991, he received the Joseph
V. McMullan Award for
"stewardship and scholarship
in Islamic rugs and
textiles," one of the most
prestigious awards in the field
of Oriental carpets. (His
brother, Harold M. Keshishian,
was one of the first recipients
after the award's inception in
1988.)
Among his contemporaries at
ASCR who shared his love of fine
carpets were the Amirkhans,
Dohanians and Woodards. "He
was highly intelligent,"
says Inez Amirkhan. "He knew
about rugs and you couldn't beat
his knowledge about Armenian
rugs."
Jim was the founder and past
president of the Armenian Rug
Society. His collection of
Armenian inscribed rugs is world
famous and much has been written
and published about them. He saw
the collection as one way to
recognize and catalog the efforts
of the Armenian people.
"Jim Keshishian is one of
the finest men I have met,"
says J. Barry O'Connell, Jr. on
his website. O'Connell is the
former publisher and editor of Rug
Notes. "His knowledge of
Oriental rugs is enviable and the
generosity he shows to others is
extraordinary…'Uncle Jimmy'
is one of the grand old men of
the rug world..."
Donations may be made in Jim's
memory to the Armenian Tree
Project, a non-profit
organization that works to
reforest the country of Armenia,
or to the Armenian National
Institute, which is involved in
establishing an Armenian museum
in Washington, D.C.
Armenian
Tree Project
65 Main St.
Watertown, MA 02472 |
Armenian
National Institute
122 C St., N.W., Suite
360
Washington, D.C. 20001 |
|
|
| Seen on www.rugnews.com
JAMES MARK KESHISHIAN DIES AT 78;
DEAN OF ORIENTAL RUG APPRAISERS
James Keshishian
CHEVY CHASE, MD -- Funeral services were
held here May 19 for veteran Oriental rug
retailer James Mark Keshishian. He had
pancreatic cancer. He died May 15 four
days after his 78th birthday.
"Uncle Jimmy " Keshishian was
considered to be the USA's top appraiser
of Oriental Carpets. He was the founder
and past president of the Armenian Rug
Society. He taught the Oriental Rug
course in the Appraisal Science program
at George Washington University.
Contributions may be made to either the
Armenian Tree Project, 65 Main St.,
Watertown, MA or The Armenian National
Institute, 122 C St. NW, Suite 360,
Washington, DC 20001.
The Armenian Tree Project is a non-profit
organization working to reforest Armenia.
The Armenian National Institute is a
group working to establish an Armenian
museum in Washington, D.C.
Mr. Keshishian is survived by sons Mark
and Leon Keshishian and daughter Lora
Picini. He is also survived by two
brothers, Dr. John Keshishian and Harold
Keshishian, and granchildren Armand, Ila
and Liza Keshishian.
Mark Keshishian & Sons was first
established in 1907 in Istanbul, Turkey
by Mark Keshishian and one of his older
brothers. The firm moved to Washington,
DC in 1931. Mark Keshishian's degree as
Master of Pharmacy helped him understand
the chemistry of rug washing and dyeing.
Those skills helped establish the company
as a leader in the field, a position the
company maintains to the present.
In 2002, the company celebrated its 96th
anniversary and 71st year in the
Washington, DC area. James Kashishian and
his brother Harold continued to run the
family business after the death in 1985
of their father, founder Mark Keshishian.
Mark Keshishian, grandson of the founder,
is now president of the company.
For an in-depth memorial celebrating the
life of James Mark Keshishian, click
here: http://www.orientalcarpets.net/james_memorial.htm
A memorial by the Association of
certified rug appraisers, click here:
http://www.ascr.org/memorium.shtml
For your thoughts about Mr.. Keshishian,
email : lwyman@rugnews.com
|
The James M. Keshishian
Kashan
The James Mark Keshishian
Silk Kashan. The James Mark Keshishian
Silk
Kashan Circa 1920. 3 foot 4 inch by 4 foot 11
inch. This rug ... s
Guide To
Chelaberd Kazak Rugs
... Caucasian Prayer Rugs. Keshishian,
James Mark. Inscribed Armenian Rugs of
Yesteryear. ... Oriental
Rugs: Practical Seminar on Caucasian Rugs by James
M. Keshishian. ...
JBOC's Notes - K
... Adam Keshishian
Jewelers. Keshishian, Harold. Notes on
Harold and Melissa Keshishian.
Keshishian, James Mark. ASA: Notes
on James Mark Keshishian ASA. ...
Keshishian
Karabagh Floral Carpet Fragment
... Reprinted with
Permission from Inscribed Armenian Rugs of
Yesteryear by
James Mark Keshishian, Page 186. ...
Notes on James Mark Keshishian ASA.
...
Beginners
Guide to Oriental Rugs
... Oriental Rugs Technical
Analyses and Recordation by James M. Keshishian.
Oriental
Rugs: Practical Seminar on Caucasian Rugs by James
M. Keshishian. ...
Oriental
Rugs: Treasure of the Caucasus Comment
... Mr. and Mrs. Harold Keshishian,.
Mr. and Mrs. James Keshishian,. Mr.
and Mrs. Zaven Kish (Mr. Kish is since
deceased),. Mr. Kirk Landauer,. ...
The JosephV.
McMullan Award
... Recipients of The
Joseph V. McMullan Award. 1988. Harold M. Keshishian.
William Russell
Pickering. 1989. James D. Burns. ...
1991. James M. Keshishian. John M.
Topham. 1992. ...
Rug Societies
... Armenian Rug Society.
Contact - James Keshishian Phone -
301-654-4044 Fax
- 301-907-8236 E-mail - jkesh@msn.com. ICOC
Members Association. Brian. ...
5 Star Guide
To Oriental Rug Books G
... the Der Manuelian, L.
and M. Eiland: Weavers, Merchants and Kings,
Inscribed Rugs
from Armenia and the James Keshishian's
Inscribed Armenian Rugs of Yesteryear ...
Oriental Rugs:
Practical Seminar on Caucasian Rugs
Oriental Rugs, Practical Seminar
on Caucasian Rugs By James M. Keshishian
America's Top Oriental Rug Appraiser. ...
By James M. Keshishian ASA. ...
5 Star Guide
To Oriental Rug Books K
... Plate 16. The Dodds
Karabagh with Parrots and Peacocks. Keshishian,
James
Mark. Inscribed Armenian Rugs of Yesteryear.
Washington DC: 1994. ...
Persian Rugs
& Carpets - Kashan
... He was famous for his
religious poems and much revered in Persia.
Thanks for Reading
MyNotes! The James M. Keshishian
Silk Kashan Circa 1920. Silk Kashan Rugs. ...
Oriental Rugs:
Valuation Affected By Conservation, Repair and ...
... By James M. Keshishian,
ASA. Senior - Oriental Rugs. ... He knows.
JAMES M. KESHISHIAN.
4505 Stanford ST. Chevy Chase, MD 20815. (301)
654-4044. For Further Reading: ...
Oriental Rugs
Technical Analyses and Recordation
Oriental Rugs Technical Analyses
and Recordation. By JAMES M. Keshishian,
ASA. Senior - Oriental Rugs. ... JAMES
M. KESHISHIAN ASA. 4505 Stanford ST. ...
Guide to
Seychour Rugs
... Oriental Rugs Volume 1
Caucasian pages 301 - 303. The Keshishian
Alpan
Fragment. A Seychour long rug lot 17. ...
The James Cohen Zeykhur Rug. ...
Trusted
Resource List - Misc.
... Mark Keshishian
& Sons Oriental Carpets. Harold, James,
and Mark Keshishian
4505 Stanford ST. Chevy Chase, MD 20815 (301)
654-4044 Keshad.htm. ...
THE NEAR EASTERN
ART RESEARCH CENTER
... Inscribed Armenian Rugs
of Yesteryear, James M. Keshishian,
1994. Moroccan Carpets,
Brooke Pickering, W. Russell Pickering, and Ralph
S. Yohe, 1994. ...
Guide to Kazak
Rugs
... Kaffel, Ralph.
Caucasian Prayer Rugs. Keshishian, James
Mark. Inscribed
Armenian Rugs of Yesteryear. Schurmann, Ulrich.
Caucasian Rugs. ...
Oriental Rug Notes by Barry
O'Connell
... Jozan Magazine Sale
Galleries a new venue for online rug sale. In
Memoriam
James Mark Keshishian ASA 1925 -
2003. New Site Search! Google. ...
Trusted
Resource List - Rug & Carpet Dealers In The
US
... 330 N Stonestreet Ave.,
Rockville Tel: 301/762-0000. Mark Keshishian
& Sons
Oriental Carpets. James Harold, and Mark Keshishian
4505 Stanford ST. ...
Inscribed 1903
Armenian "Akstafa" Carpet
... this type of rug. James
"Uncle Jimmy" M. Keshishian
concurs in his
book Inscribed Armenian Rugs of Yesteryear. Of
course Max and ...
RugNotes - D
... One very prominent
older Armenian Rug Dealer (not Jim Keshishian)
told me that the
dealers used Derbent as the attribution you give
a Caucasian ... Dickie, James. ...
The Best Rug
& Carpet Appraisers
... James M. Keshishian,
ASA. Accredited Senior Appraiser ASA 4505
Stanford Street
Chevy Chase, MD 20815 Phone: (301) 654-4044
Facsimile: (301) 907-8236. ...
Guide to
Classical Carpets
JBOC's Notes on Oriental Rugs.
Guide to Classical Carpets. ...
An
Identification Puzzle
... in the field. Then
there are guys who grew up in rug businesses like
James Mark Keshishian ASA or Mark
Topalian. Then there are ...
RugNotes - M
... Mellaart, James
V. Notes on James Mellaart. ...
Members include William Russell Pickering,
Harold Keshishian, and the late Kim
Roosevelt. Metropolitan Museum of Art. ...
Perepedil Kuba
Rug
... Der Manuelian, L. and
M. Eiland: Weavers, Merchants and Kings,
Inscribed Rugs
from Armenia. Keshishian, James
Mark. Inscribed Armenian Rugs of Yesteryear. ...
RugNotes - Index A
... Allen, James.
Notes on James C. Allen. Allan, JW: Notes
on JW Allan. ... Alpan: Alpan
rugs are a type of Kuba; The Keshishian
Alpan Fragment. Alpert, Steve. al-Qaeda: ...
JBOC's Notes
on Oriental Rugs
... This rug is in
incredible condition. I showed it to James
M. "Uncle
Jimmy" Keshishian ASA and he said,
"Tell them it's all there". ...
5 Star Guide
To Oriental Rug Books D
... Good pictures and great
rugs. Armenian Rugs (15 of the rugs illustrated
in this
book are from Jim Keshishian's
collection.). Desai, Chelna. ... Dickie, James.
...
5 Star Guide
To Oriental Rug Books R
... Reid, James J.
Tribalism and Society in Islamic Iran. Malibu:
Udena Publications,
1983. ... A gift from "Uncle
Jimmy" Keshishian who felt I needed
this book. ...
Notes on The
Rugs of Afghanistan
... If you remember that
rule that Uncle Jimmy Keshishian taught
me, the way to become
an ... Years ago a Portland Oregon rug
dealer (James Opie) ran a series of very ...
For Further Reading:
Thanks and best wishes,
J. Barry O'Connell Jr.
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