EVENTS
A BEAUTIFUL HERIZ CARPET FROM THE LATE NINETEENTH CENTURY WITH AN UNUSUAL ALL-OVER DESIGN OF MEDALLIONS ON AN IVORY GROUND. 10'2" X 12'10" PRICE IN THE REGION OF £8,500
TURKISH RUNNER, ONE OF A PAIR MADE CIRCA 1850 IN WESTERN ANATOLIA (TURKEY).TOGETHER THEY MEASURE NEARLY 30' BUT EACH ONE IS 3'5" X 14'10". PRICE IN THE REGION OF £9,500 FOR THE PAIR
LURI GABBEH RUG, CA 1890, SOUTH WEST PERSIA, 6'3" X 8'4". PRICED AT £6,600
London Antique Rug & Textile Art Fair (LARTA) LARTA, the UK’s only specialist event for period rugs, carpets, tapestries and textiles, returns for its sixth edition this Spring.
Aaron Nejad, a specialist in fine textiles and rugs, and a dealer for more than 20 years, launched LARTA in 2011 as a London-based focal point for collectors and international buyers, since there were no other UK fairs catering to this niche market. Many auction houses have also closed their specialist rug departments, so buyers who love the exoticism and sophisticated romance of period woven art have come to rely on this colourful, souk-like boutique show.
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he trend for using vintage rugs is on the up. “We’ve seen a steady growth in sales over the past year or two,” said Aaron. “Decorators and private buyers are definitely looking to introduce soft floorcoverings. The subtle tones of natural dyes, used in most antique and period weaving, is also a lovely way to introduce layers of colour to a decoration scheme. People want pattern and texture back in their homes.” LARTA Online, a virtual fair viewing gallery goes live at www.larta.net as the Fair opens: exhibitors post images and details of their most important pieces and many buyers have come to purchase at the Fair as a result.
16 MARCH2016
LARTA is the one occasion every year that UK collectors and aficionados know they can see the widest and best selection of rare and beautiful period rugs, textiles and tribal weavings available on the market. Decorators and the international trade visit to The Showroom, source antique items originating from Persia, India, China, 63 Penfold Street Central Asia, Anatolia and the Caucasus as well as from (off Church Street , Marylebone) Europe and Africa. Works are of all periods up to the NW8 8PQ early 20th century and range in price from around £500 to over £25,000. 14-17 April Aaron Nejad adds: “Prices for decorative antique rugs 2016 are great for non-specialist buyers at the moment. You can find a beautifully-hand loomed, vintage piece, carefully crafted using time-honoured traditions for the same price as a mass-produced new one at a department store. Why spend thousands on a brand-new rug which will lose most of its value the minute you get it home?” A boutique event with twelve specialist exhibitors, LARTA is presented in a souk-like atmosphere, with rugs, runners, embroideries, tapestries, kilims, decorative textiles and a selection of tribal artefacts such as woven baskets and bead-work. At no other UK event can you discover more about the skills of woven art and tribal design traditions stretching back centuries. LARTA offers exceptional works, rare collectors’ items and a fine quality array of pieces perfect for decoration. THE DETAILS Visitor Information and list of Exhibitors: www.larta.net. The Organiser can be reached on 07976 826218 or info@larta.net. Admission is free. The Showroom is close to the antiques shops of Church Street, Marylebone, London NW8.