Museums Sites
Most museum sites have some basic information about their collections, but the following have “worth visiting” information or carpet images.
Armenian Rugs Society Organization devoted to the appreciation of Armenian rugs.
Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum – Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum in Baku holds a large collection of pile rugs and flatwoven rugs which are displayed at their website.
The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, San Francisco, USA A site for the De Young Museum & The Legion of Honor, with some information about the textile collections. Be sure to check out their Imagebase – an amazing database of tens of thousands of items from the collections, including kilims & textiles.
Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, USA The Boucher Collection of Belouch rugs is included in the site.
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA Beautiful site where you can relive the splendour of Flowers Underfoot, 1998’s blockbuster Mughal exhibition.
National Museums, Berlin, Germany A huge web site, with basic information about the collections and a few images. Only in German. Go straight to the Islamic Art Museum.
Nickle Arts Museum, Canada Home to the Jean and Marie Erikson Collection of Carpets which presntly numbers around 700 pieces.
Philadelphia Museum of Art, USA A superb collection of Safavid Persian and Ottoman Turkish and Mamluk Egyptian carpets, with several dramatic Dragon carpets from the Caucasus.
Textile Museum of Canada, Toronto, Canada Excellent site from the small Museum for Textiles.
The Textile Museum, Washington DC, USA Major site for the major museum of rugs & carpets, with plenty of resources for the beginner and good information about upcoming exhibitions and events. Two other sites associated with The Textile Museum are Symmetry & Pattern an on-line version of a past Textile Museum exhibition, co-web-authored by curator Carol Bier and Textile Arts of the Islamic World: Working Bibliographies a useful resource from the Textile Museum Library & curators.
Victoria & Albert Museum, London, UK A small site, but useful for its link to the National Art Library.
Rug Clubs and Societies
Hajji Baba Club New York based, the oldest society of rug collectors.
International Hajji Baba Society Washington, D.C. rug society.
New England Rug Society A very active rug collector organization.
Philadelphia Rug and Textile Society A very active rug collector organization.
TKF Austrian Society for Textile Art Research Home page for Austria’s rug society.
Forum für Textil- und Teppichkunst Home page for the rug and textile society in Basel.
Danish Rug Society Home page for the rug society in Denmark “Selskabet for Orientalsk Tæppekunst”.
Pazyryk Oriental Rug Society Home page for “Orientmattsälskabet Pazyryk” in Stockholm.
Textile Museum Associates of Southern California Website under construction but their newsletter is one of the best on world wide web.
Oriental Rug and Textile Society of Great Britain was established in 1977 to encourage enthusiasm and interest in carpets and textiles of Asia and the Middle East. They are active with virtual lectures.
Publications & Web Publications
HALI, The International Magazine of Antique Carpet & Textile Art Basic information, and subscription and advertising details.
Jozan Magazine Online magazine with rug news and articles, rug events calendar, Oriental rugs lexicon, price guide, educational gallery and bookstore.
Carpet Home International Trade Magazine for Carpets & Rugs.
Books from ICOC Beautifully illustrated Exhibition catalogues and the indispensible reference series: Oriental Carpet and Textile Studies.
Other Ressources
Turkotek Salon-style moderated discussions with a scholarly bent, other useful resources and comprehensive links page.
Rugrabbit An active online marketplace for rugs and textiles from all over the world.