Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 23, 1987)
Oriental rugs: imported, handmade By Micki Haller Staff Reporter Wall-to-wall carpeting is part of the American dream, but 2,500 years ago Persians were making rugs to adorn their homes. Today, Lincoln residents can decorate their homes with fine Oriental rugs from Soltan Oriental Rugs, in the Candy Factory, 201 N. Eighth St. Owner Mark Cheraghali said the store deals in new and antique Oriental rugs from Persia (now part of Iran), India,China, Pakistan and Turkey. The rugsare imported and hand made, he said. A rug must be handmade, indi vidually loomed and from Asia to qualify as an Oriental rug, he said. Cheraghali said the finest rugs come from Persia. The Persian rugs are intricate, complex and eye catching. Cher aghali said they make good conver sation pieces because each charac ter and design, and even color, is a symbol. The rug may be religious, or may symbolize a w ish for happi ness for a newly married couple. Before the 1700s, Cheraghali said the rugs were only made as gifts and as an artistic expression. After the 1700s, Europeans started buy ing rugs and created the mar ket, he said. Cheraghali is from Persia. He said he grew up around rugs. His uncle is in the carpet business in Iran. Cheraghali came to Lincoln to study. Alter graduate studies, he began Lincoln’s only Oriental rug shop, he said. “Interest and demand are tre mendous,” he said. The store has been in business for two years, and has recently moved to its present location in order to expand. The rugs are no longer luxury items, and people of all classes buy the rugs, Cheraghali said. He said people buy the rugs be cause they are made to last. With normal traffic (20 people walking on the rug every day), the carpet should last 50 to 150 years, he said. A rug under 20 years old still is considered new, w hile any over 50 are considered antiques, Cher aghali said. The carpels are investments, he said. Cheraghali said their value and beauty increase with age. A new carpels costs SI 2 to S40 a square foot,Cheraghali said. A 3 by-5-foot rug may cost S4(X). The rugs seem expensive, but their long life makes them compa rable to a normal carpel, he said. When the amount of work on a carpet is taken into account, the rugs arc a bargain, Chcraghali said. He said it takes 400 hours to finish a 3-by-5 rug. He said two people can w cave about 2 inches of carpet in a 10-hour day. Most carpets are made of wool, but a few arc made of silk, goal hair or camel hair, Cheraghali said. Cheraghali said his favorite car pel is a simple one that has been in his family for 130 years. “1 personally like rugs with dark red and dark blue in it. I appreciate older rugs myself,” he said. Chcraghali gels his carpets from the three major carpel centers in London, New York, and Hamburg, West Germany. Hcalsocan import some Persian rugs from Iran. The Soitan Oriental Rug Shop is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sun day. Mark Cherighali, owner of Soltan Oriental Rugs. September23,1987 isthe Deadline! All app! cations for the Student Health and Accident Insurance must be received by September 23, 1987. /^x^^ Brochures and information are available at: UNIVERSITY HEALTH CENTER ; -TV A or call 472-7437 Check these points: • Am I still eligible for coverage under my parent’s plan? A. Is there an age limit? Most policies limit the age for dependent coverage to age 23. B Are you thinking of marriage? Most policies exclude a dependent after he becomes married. • Have I declared financial independence from my parents by receiving financial aid, and no longer eligible as a dependent under their plan? 0 • Would a medical emergency deplete funds set J . set aside for my education? g k Artist’s guild donates works The Lincoln Artists’ Guild has donated a painting toadd to its perma nent collection available for check out at the Bennett Martin Public Li brary, 14th and N streets. The painting, “Still Life,” by Emma M. Baegl was the 1987 Pur chase Award winner at the guild's spring show. While living in Chi cago, Baegl attended classes at the Chicago Art Institute and also look work with Professor Frank DcForcst Shook on weekends. On reluming to Lincoln Baegl aliened evening art classes at UNL. The guild has a long standing tra dition of donating art work to their permanent collection at the library so the citi/cns of Lincoln and Lancaster County can enjoy original works of art. Great Nation performs pop hits at UNO The four-man group, Great Nation, will perform a free concert tonight in University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Pep Bowl, south of the Bpplcy Ad ministration Buildim*. The ram loca tion is the Milo Ban Student Center Ballroom. The group, under contract with Angle/Twm Tone Records, performs many pop hits by artists and groups such as Robert Palmer, Peter Gabriel, The Rolling Stones, Tears for Fears and others. They will also perform a 9 recently released original single, “Beat the Wall.”
