WOVEN TO FOOL: IS YOUR SILK RUG REALLY SILK?

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#appraiser, fake silk rug, indian rug, mercerized cotton, Oriental Rugs, rug dealer, silk fiber vs cotton, silk rug, turkish rug, woven

Martine M. White, ASA, AAA

Oriental rugs are hand-made works of art. Woven on looms, both village and city rugs are unique in their design, knot and color palette. As an appraiser of Oriental rugs, I am often placed in an awkward position in that I have to inform my client that the rug they thought was authentic silk is actually something other than that– in most cases, it’s mercerized cotton.

Silk fiber is produced and harvested from the cocoon of the silkworm, whereas mercerized cotton, although natural, or man-made rayon, another substitute, is a manufactured product. While rugs made with non-silk fibers may initially have a beautiful, soft texture and sheen, they are not as resilient to foot traffic nor will they return from being cleaned with that alluring sheen, texture or appearance. With use and subsequent wear, the pile of a rug made with a mercerized cotton fiber will actually lay flat, clump together and lose its vibrancy. Unlike natural silk, mercerized cotton or rayon will start to accumulate dirt and take on a soiled look, even though it may have just been cleaned.

So how do you determine if you have an authentic silk rug? One method for identifying silk is to clip off a loose fiber from the rug and burn it. When silk fiber burns, it will curl up and leave a hard, black ash and skeleton of the fiber. This natural fiber will also smell like burning hair. Conversely, when mercerized cotton is burned it will turn into black ash that will be loose and flakey. Ignited mercerized cotton fiber will also smell more like burning paper. If the burn test seems extreme, you can also rub the fibers with your finger to determine the difference. Silk will stay cool to the touch when you rub it, and mercerized cotton will feel warm. That noted, this is a difficult technique for discerning a difference reliably. Also, don’t be fooled by a silk fringe, as many of these faux-silk rugs have the fringes sewn on to deceive the eye. The fringe in a hand-woven rug is always the extension of the warp.

Beyond the techniques noted above for identifying whether your rug is silk or not, the best advice is to rely on the expertise of an appraiser or an experienced, trusted rug dealer who is apt to have silk rugs on hand for comparison – which is the best way to tell the difference!

Applied fringe woven onto the end of rug

Tufted pile of mercerized cotton after washing

Irregular appearance of worn, washed mercerized cotton rug

A true silk fringe is an extension of the warp threads

Guitar Masters of the Jazz Age & Beyond

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#appraisals, #appraiser, #CFMartin, #D'Angelico, #estatefinds, #guitars, #jazz, #jazzguitar, #musicalinstruments, #valuation, Auction, Value

Martine M. White, ASA, AAA

The guitar masters I’m referring to are not the virtuosos who play the guitar, rather the three men whose influential designs in guitar-building have attracted famed musicians not only to play their instruments, but to treasure them. Along with James D’Aquisto (1935-1995) and John Monteleone (b. 1947), John D’Angelico (1905-1964), was also part of the Italian American community that resided in and around New York in the early twentieth century. Direct descendents of Neapolitan craftsmen, these guitar makers primarily built mandolins due to their popularity at the time. But when musical tastes changed in the 1920s, the young D’Angelico applied his old-world craft to build a new type of instrument, the archtop guitar. Incorporating features of violin construction, including f-holes, arched sound board and a moveable bridge, this distinctly American instrument had a sound that cut through big band instrumentation. Soon the archtop guitar became the choice instrument by notable guitarists, including Chet Atkins, Bucky Pizzarelli and Johnny Smith. D’Angelico’s innovations in guitar building set the standard for generations to come and established him as the most revered guitar maker of the jazz age.

After D’Angelico’s death, his apprentice James D’Aquisto broke from the past and took the guitar to new aesthetic and acoustic directions attracting a new generation of guitarists, including George Benson, Eric Clapton and Steve Miller. As the acoustic guitar market declined in the 1970’s, John Monteleone forged his reputation by introducing new innovations in archtop guitars and mandolins that were played by many top performers, including David Grisman.

Besides being remarkable craftsmen, these three guitar builders honed their skills to create the most innovative jazz guitars. In a radical departure from the standard guitar form, they also created the ‘Teardrop’ guitar which had a serpentine shape extending to a fin at the lower right corner. The ‘Teardrop’ would soon become one of the most famous guitars ever made.

I recently had the pleasure of appraising a D’Angelico guitar which was played by my client’s late husband. Although it was not in good condition, and didn’t have all the decorative elements that collectors desire, it still maintained an auction value of $7,500.00. Early and rare guitars will always appreciate in value, especially if they are kept in good, original condition. Although guitars come with a protective case, they are still sensitive to fluctuations in temperature and humidity. That said, attic storage is definitely out of the question!

 

Photographs:

1. C.F. Martin 19^th Century Parlor Guitar. Value: $2,500.00
2. D’Angelico Archtop Jazz Guitar
3. D’Angelico New Yorker ‘Teardrop’ Guitar