Timeless Pieces of Art: Persian and Oriental Rugs

The oriental rugs that Christine Delanjian personally selects to sell at her Cushing Square gallery tell of a world beyond the Atlantic and she is the interpreter of the creator’s individual work.

“When I look at them, I see the personality of the weaver,” said Delanjian, owner of Andre Delanjian Oriental Rugs.  

“Depending on where the rug is from the weaver may decide the pattern, so that is where you directly see the weaver’s personality,” she said.

Delanjian can tell the story and craftsmanship of the more than 200 hundred rugs in her store that occupies a corner of Cushing Square at 432 Common St.

Some of the rugs have colors that are bright and vibrant like the jewel-toned tiles that add mystique to centuries old mosques. Viewers of tiles and the symbolic carpets can be beholden by their representation of a culture that is vastly different from the European-influenced West.

And other rugs are a mirror to the artists view and natural settings.

“If you look at this, there are birds or animals, some rugs symbolize what the weaver sees,” said Delanjian as she explained how the differing qualities between a village, tribal and city rug.

“This is a tribal rug and this is interesting because this is woven in southwestern Iran where it is mountainous, so this could symbolize a little hill or vegetation,” she said pointing to the angled-horizontal line with a continuous zigzagging pattern lending the knowledgeable to believe the weaver lived and worked near a rugged mountainous area.    

The rugs and carpets are pieces of art that are windows to a vast world beyond, a view into Afghanistan, Armenia, Iran, China, India, Pakistan, and recently added Tibet from where the shop's collection originate.

There are several characteristics that can clue the viewer to where the carpet was woven.

Deciphering patterns

With ease Delanjian walks over to a grouping of rolled carpets and knowingly pulls out a city rug, easily unrolling it while speaking in depth about the piece.

“The city rug tends to be more curvilinear and more detailed in pattern,” she explained. “As opposed to village and tribal patterns which tend to be more geometric.”

The imperfections and spontaneity of the tribal and village patters is what renders the pieces precious and individualistic.

When you walk into the shop, Delanjian eases customers into what could be an overwhelming experience as there are so many pieces to choose from. And even though the samples are detailed works of art, there is not an ounce of intimidation in the gallery.

Although it is her business, one does not feel rushed or pushed to buy. She truly imparts her knowledge on those that stop by so that they can purchase a furnishing that she hopes will add beauty to the space it will soon occupy.

“When someone comes back a couple of weeks later and says they love the rug more today than when they bought it” Delanjian said, is proof that she has sold the customer the proper rug.

Delanjian knows the importance of choosing the right rug as they are life pieces that should be passed on generation to generation, appearances improving with age.

She shares the buyer’s fascination and love for the works. And that love was passed down to her by her father.

Coolidge Corner beginnings

Delanjian’s father, Andre, now deceased, started the carpet business in 1948 in Brookline near Coolidge Corner. He not only sold rugs but also cleaned, repaired and restored them which Delanjian said is a dying art.

He strictly sold handmade works and just like her, he chose each piece for sale in the store. She took a “detour” in her previous career as a librarian in 1980 and moved the gallery to its Cushing Square location in 1986.

A mother of three, she is passing down the heritage of the business to her 23-year-old son, Greg.

Keeping up with her father’s standards, Delanjian tells customers to shop around and feel out the market in order to distinguish who has fair prices. Her carpets are already priced according to the market.

“I rarely have sales because we price things fair from the get go. To me, a sale is a game,” she said, telling a story of how she helped a friend barter down a $16,000 priced rug to its true value of $2,400 at another shop.

Because rugs are her pride and passion, Delanjian also holds informational classes where participants learn how to discern the true value of a piece and buy from a trusted source.

Delanjian has an array of pieces that range from $99-$2,500 in various sizes and patterns.  

She also tells customers that they need to see the rug in the space it will be occupying.

“I tell people to take them home and look at them on a cloudy day, sunny day, daytime and nighttime. The rugs change and look different,” Delanjian said.

Andre Delanjian Oriental Rugs

Tuesday-Friday
10 am-6 pm

Saturday
11 am-5 pm

Also by appointment

432 Common Street
(Cushing Square)
Belmont, MA 02478
617-489-8800

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