Handmade Chinese Rugs in Portsmouth

China has woven hand-knotted rugs for centuries. There are reports of rugs being woven inMap of China north-central China, in the area around Ningxia, as early as 1696. By the 1860's there were workshops in Beijing making rugs for the imperial court. In the 1920's and 30's many rugs in vaguely Art Deco style were produced for the American market in rug "factories" in Hebei and Shandong provinces. These rugs were woven by hand, but the workshops were highly organized with foreign companies controlling all phases of the production. Many rugs from this period had plain grounds of pearl grey or navy with wide solid-colour borders and simple floral spray design elements.

The 1950's and 60's saw the Chinese government take over the carpet factories, and the development of thick, carved rugs from China in "Chinese" designs and pastel colours. Most of these rugs are made in state-owned co-operatives in and around Tianjin. Common qualities are "70 line" (34 knots per sq. in.) and "90 line" (56 knots per sq. in.).

By the late 1980's, some factories began to produce more finely woven rugs in Persian patterns. In qualities like "160 line" (177 knots per sq. in.) and finer, these "Sino-Persian" rugs have intricate floral patterns and closely-clipped nap. These rugs are not carved. In the last few years, there has been a huge development in the production of needlepoint and aubussons.

Nemetnejad import a range of qualities from China including:

• Reproduction needlepoint rugs and carpets. Sizes range from 5' X 3' to 18' X 12' and in a wide variety of designs.
• Reproduction Aubusson rugs and carpets. Three carpets copy the weaving method of the great18th and 19th century French carpets
• Reproduction Savonnerie carpets woven in a thick lustrous pile in traditional designs
• Antique style Chinese carpets with their traditional symbols and motifs in a range of sizes
• Fine needlepoint cushions based on 17th and 18th century designs
• 300 line silk in Turkish and Persian designs