Rugs and carpets come to us directly from village cooperatives and tribal communities. We are direct importers of many of our rugs. Aryana rugs are made by Turkoman tribal weavers in the high mountains of The Northwest Frontier Province. Aryana is the ancient name for a region that includes Beluchistan and areas of Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. These rugs are woven of raw, hand-carded, handspun Karaqul wool from Afghanistan. Because of hand-dipped natural dyeing techniques, high lanolin content and the uneven density of hand-spun wool, color variation, or abrash, will occur throughout the rug. This color variation will always be present and is prized by collectors of antique rugs. Aryana rugs and runners are reminiscent of Sultanabad and Mahal rugs woven in Persia in the nineteenth century.

Azeri rugs are made in northeastern Turkey. Kurd weavers delight in a profusion of bright primary colors. The weave has a heavy, Bidjar-like density. The wool comes from fat-tailed Karaman sheep that are summer-pastured in high mountains. The dense fibers result in a heavy yarn that is especially resistant to wear. Plants and roots used for dyes are grown locally. Each village forms its own cooperative, joining with other villages to establish dye centers and weaving schools for young people. We offer an educational video (This Beautiful Country) which presents the Azeri weavers of northern Turkey.

From Project for Cultural Survival we receive rugs made by Tibetan refugees in Nepal, as well as traditional Ersari Turkoman tribal weavings from northern Pakistan. Tibetan rugs are woven of lanolin-rich Himalayan highland wool, sheared from Tibetan sheep raised on the extensive grasslands of the central plateau. This is a luxurious and hard-wearing long-staple wool resulting in rugs soft enough to be used as sleeping mats. The designs and colors are traditional, and derive from the old Buddhist culture of Tibet. Younger weavers present us with gaon nauksha, rugs that picture village life. All dyes used are indigenous to Nepal.

The Ersari are an ancient nomadic Turkoman tribe that left Turkmenistan, in Central Asia, in the early 1920's. Until the 1980's they lived in northern Afghanistan, but have since migrated to northern Pakistan. Ersari tribal rugs are identical to rugs woven over a hundred years ago. The colors derive from natural madder and indigo. Handspun long-staple wool from the spring clip is purchased from shepherds in the mountains of Afghanistan. The rugs are washed only with mild soap and water, never with chemicals that impart an unnatural sheen. After years of use these carpets develop their own deep patina. Each Ersari carpet contains an inscription giving the name and identity of the weaving family: Turkoman "Mahajer" or pilgrim.

From a women' s cooperative in central China we import Little River rugs. These rugs are woven in a women's cooperative in the town of Little River, Shandong Province, close to Qing Doa in south-central China. They are woven with fine handspun wool, resulting in a more tightly woven rug. The have some of the formal look and feel of old Persian rugs. The colors are striking, with a deep glow reminiscent of old Sarouk and Kashan rugs. This is a very limited production. We are proud to be one of the few shops with access to Little River rugs.

Mahindra rugs prove that rugs made in India with vegetal dyes and handspun wool can rival rugs made in other parts of the world. These rugs are made in small villages throughout the province of Uttar Pradesh, in northern India. Traditional weaving and dyeing techniques have been revived and today many of these rugs are highly prized by collectors, decorators, and homeowners. Ths too is a very limited production, and although we have many Mahindra rugs in stock we are always looking forward to rugs arriving in the next shipment.

David Levine Oriental Rugs is a dfferent kind of rug shop, selling different kind of rugs. Since we deal directly with producers our rugs are less expensive. There is never an issue of abusive child labor with our rugs. We know our weavers personally; many of our productions support schools established for the weavers' children. We doour own repair work and our own hand-washing. Just as we work in partnership with our weavers, so we work in partnership with our designers and with our customers. Some of our rugs do not fit into the above categories. We buy rugs from other small producers too numerous to mention. On buying trips to Third World countries we discover new and old tribal weavings and kilims that we cannot leave behind and we always have a selection of antique rugs as well. There is a great serendipity about all good rug shops. We look forward to meeting you and talking about rugs. At David Levine Oriental Rugs you will always find a friendly smile and a splendid cup of tea.

There is a great serendipity about all good rug shops. We look forward to meeting you and talking about rugs. At David Levine Oriental Rugs you will always find a friendly smile and a splendid cup of tea.