The Encyclopedia of Antique Carpets: Twenty-Five Centuries
Original price was: $250.00.$199.00Current price is: $199.00.
Product Overview
The Encyclopedia of Antique Carpets is a meticulously curated two-volume boxed set that documents the rich history and artistry of handwoven carpets across twenty-five centuries and countless cultures. Spanning from the Far East to North Africa, from Europe to India, and encompassing both Old and New World traditions, this authoritative reference offers an unparalleled visual and scholarly journey through the evolution of textile art. With more than six hundred detailed entries, each profile includes a high-quality photograph alongside comprehensive information about design, technique, coloration, size, historical context, and market relevance. This clothbound collection serves as an essential resource for collectors, historians, interior designers, appraisers, auction professionals, and anyone passionate about cultural heritage or antique textiles.
Published by Princeton Architectural Press in December 2015, this special limited edition combines academic rigor with aesthetic beauty, making it both a functional reference tool and a treasured addition to any library. Its substantial hardcover construction and carefully organized structure reflect its intended role as a lasting, browsable archive rather than a casual read—ideal for deep study or professional use. The encyclopedia’s depth and clarity make it particularly valuable for those seeking to authenticate, evaluate, or simply appreciate the craftsmanship behind antique rugs.
Key Features
- Two-Volume Boxed Set: Thoughtfully divided for easy navigation, this format allows readers to explore major regions and styles without losing continuity, supporting both broad overviews and focused research.
- Over Six Hundred Entries: Comprehensive coverage includes major centers such as Persia (Iran), Anatolia (Turkey), the Caucasus, Central Asia, China, India, North Africa, Europe, and indigenous weaving traditions of the Americas, ensuring global representation.
- Rich Visual Documentation: Each entry features clear, full-color photographs that capture intricate details of motifs, knotting techniques, dyes, and structural composition—critical for identification and appreciation.
- In-Depth Descriptions: Beyond basic facts, every profile provides insights into weaving periods, regional influences, dye sources (natural vs. synthetic), knot types (Turkish vs. Persian), loom methods, and estimated age, helping users distinguish between villages, workshops, and imperial ateliers.
- Cultural and Art Historical Context: Explores how trade routes, migration, religious symbolism, socioeconomic shifts, and artistic innovation shaped carpet aesthetics over millennia, linking material culture to broader human narratives.
Technical Specifications
- Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press
- Edition: Special Limited Edition (Slp)
- Publication Date: December 15, 2015
- Language: English
- Binding: Hardcover
- Page Count: 672 pages
- ISBN-10: 1616893877
- ISBN-13: 978-1616893873
- Item Weight: 10.32 pounds
- Dimensions: 9.38 x 3.25 x 15.38 inches
Benefits & Use Cases
This encyclopedia functions as both a scholarly archive and a practical guide for professionals engaged in rug authentication, appraisal, restoration, curation, or interior design. Auction houses, dealers, and conservators rely on its technical details—such as knot density per square inch, warp and weft materials, border patterns, and dye analysis—to verify authenticity and assess value. Collectors benefit from the visual clarity and contextual depth that inform informed acquisition decisions and long-term stewardship.
Beyond commercial applications, the book supports academic inquiry in anthropology, art history, and textile studies by mapping regional variations and technological developments across time. Students studying world cultures gain insight into how socioeconomic factors, colonial exchange, and artistic patronage influenced the form and function of carpets—not merely as floor coverings but as portable expressions of identity, status, and belief. Interior designers may draw inspiration from authentic period examples while respecting historical accuracy in sourcing and placement.
Important Notes
The Encyclopedia of Antique Carpets is designed as a reference work rather than a portable guide; its substantial dimensions (over 15 inches tall) and weight (more than 10 pounds) make it best suited for home, study, or institutional use. Readers should handle it with care to preserve the spine and cloth cover. While it does not include digital search capabilities or interactive features, its physical organization enables tactile browsing and serendipitous discovery.
As a printed publication focused exclusively on historical, handwoven pieces, it does not cover machine-made rugs or contemporary designs. No additional materials—such as maps, glossaries, timelines, or appendices—are confirmed beyond what is listed in the product details. The boxed set format underscores its collectibility and suitability as a gift or long-term investment, emphasizing durability and presentation over lightweight convenience.
Customers consistently praise the book for its detailed historical information, beautiful illustrations, and excellent value, noting that it enhances their understanding of rug history and supports informed collecting. The combination of scholarly content and visual richness makes it a standout resource for serious enthusiasts and professionals alike.
10 reviews for The Encyclopedia of Antique Carpets: Twenty-Five Centuries
Add a review
Related Products
Washable Oriental Area Rug – 9×12 Rugs for Living Room Soft
YJ.GWL Area Rug 4×6, Boho Vintage Washable Bedroom Rug, Soft
Original price was: $250.00.$199.00Current price is: $199.00.
Kindle Customer –
Marvelous resource for collectors
Must have, even though it is only antiques and so a little less helpful for the average collector. Although some text is boilerplate/cut and paste, that’s ok—lends a certain quick consistency. Lots of detailed information, including auction prices and market valuations. Wonderful resource. Be aware that many plates (all in color) are small, but this is an encyclopedia, and the examples are from many collections, auctions, and museums. Includes very helpful appendices and maps.
Lola –
Wealth of information
Got it at a great deal. This is essential for a carpet collector or lover. Provides lots of pics and information. It’s a useful resource if you buy or sell antique carpets. The books are very sturdy and much bigger and heavier than I thought they would be. Overall, I’m very pleased.
J. Vandegriff –
I’m thoroughly enjoying these books!
What a lovely set of books these are. The photos are great, and the explanations, while not completely thorough, are useful in getting a historical look at a fascinating combination of artistry and industry. I recommend this collection.
The Professor –
For Antique Carpet Enthusiasts.
As its title makes clear, this weighty, two-volume, slip cased set of books is meant for antique carpet enthusiasts. Its entries are primarily on pile rugs and flat weaves from the mid-East but also on rugs from Europe and America. The entries are compact and properly focused on examples produced up to the early 20th century yet occasionally close by mentioning tidbits of useful information on developments or changes in later production of the rug type under discussion. The quality of the over 1000 color illustrations is good and these are made more useful by the excellent factual information beneath them. When later outdated, the monetary values given for many of the examples illustrated will stand as a record of carpet values in the early 21st century. Given its ambitious scope, the encyclopedia is necessarily limited in the depth of its entries. Overall, its introduction, maps, entries and seven appendices (including such things as color illustrations of master weavers’ signatures) are an addition to rug literature for those in the trade and for those able to own or admire antique carpets like the examples illustrated but who are not herein seeking the scholar’s specialized knowledge of structural or design elements in studies of limited types of carpets. I am pleased I have added it to my library of books on carpets.
Sara J –
Great Read
Amazing read, truly phenomenal information on rug history and a great addition to anyone in the trade or art lovers who will be fascinated by the designs and how art has progressed through time and place. I enjoyed it immensely.
Michael H. Kaplan –
Excellent color photos
A bargain with excellent color photos. Gives pricing informations up to 2015. Some of the text is superfluous such as describing the location in the world of China. Still informative and a must own for those of us who are collectors of oriental carpets.
Jason Christensen –
organizational issues
The glossary with examples of motifs that appear in rugs — essentially to understanding the subject matter of the text — appears (misplaced, I would say) at the end of volume 2. The glossary should appear at the beginning of volume 1. Also, there should be examples of rugs with lines drawn to areas indicating for example “Shah Abbas,” especially because there are variations on the motifs. The author will describe the types of motifs popularly used in a region, and then show an example of a rug produced in that region, but for a beginner reading this, it can be difficult to discern if for example the example carpet shows an arabesque motif (if it was common for the area). Also, there is a lot of “cut and paste” type phrasing, e.g. “…world market demand” at the end of many sections based on regional designations. Also, the descriptors seem quite technical; since beauty is a qualitative experience, it is interesting that subjective descriptors such as “beautiful,” “stunning,” etc., don’t really make up any part of the descriptions of the rugs shown. The history related to the times is awesome, and perhaps the strongest part of the book, but in light of the above criticisms, as well as the expensive price tag of the book, I feel that the book could have been better.
j e –
Beautiful set
This is a wonderful and thorough encyclopedia of antique carpets, with beautiful color photos throughout. Highly recommend. Well worth the price.
MARIANNE WOHLER –
Wer sich intensiv mit der vielfalt Orientalischen Teppichen beschäftigen möchte wir diese 2 Bände sehr schätzen.
Skipper –
I still am appretiating….and not fieling tired. Very complete publication….