Oriental Rug Books Authors Beginning with K

If I lost it I would not replace it.

Of some use but not one I would go out of my way to find.

Useful.

Very useful and one I would recommend strongly.

A very important or even the definitive work on the subject. It does not have to be perfect but if I give it 5 stars and you are interested in that area then you should own a copy.

Not Yet Rated - I haven't gotten to it yet so if you wish to review it please feel free. There is a limit to how many books I can read so it is not rated do not assume anything is wrong with the book. If you disagree with any of my opinions write me and I may annotate this list with your comments.

Kaffel, Ralph. Caucasian Prayer Rugs. London, UK. Laurence King in Association with Hali, 1998.

"Prayer Rugs" by Ralph Kaffel was a pleasant surprise. Instead of just another pseudo-scientific rehash of someone else’s field work Kaffel has presented us with a lesson in connoisseurship. All too often someone will read all the literature and present their distillation as fact. In "Prayer Rugs" Kaffel show us his sources and when there is disagreement he shows us the differences in opinion. In the discussion of Daghestan Prayer rugs he even gives us the opinions of auction house specialists such as Mary Jo Otsi and Jo Kris. This book is not ethnology or anthropology it is about collecting Caucasian Prayer rugs and in the light it gets a solid 5 stars.

Guest Review: Daniel DSD. Ralph Kaffel's book “Caucasian Prayer Rugs” not a 5 stars but a 6 stars book. I have read for the second time Ralph Kaffel's book “Caucasian Prayer Rugs”, and it is a pleasure to report that the whole book is of very high quality. This outstanding book serves both as a primer for the freshman collector and an exceptionally addition to the expert's library. One need no look deeper than the cover to be appealed to the aesthetic merit of the rugs shown. Photographs are excellent and commentaries on the 97 prayer rugs are accurate and particular informative. Description of designs, colors and structural features particular to each weaving area are a worthy read.

Kalter, Johannes. The Arts and Crafts of Turkestan. London, England. Thames and Hudson Ltd., 1984.

This book show the way of life of the people of Turkestan. To understand the Turkman it helps to see an Oy (Yurt) loaded on a camel. Good pictures and excellent text, for just under $20 this book is a real bargain. Turkmen Rugs Lib.

Kalter, Johannes: The Arts and Crafts of Syria ; London: 1992. 13 x 9.5 Hardback, Major chapters on costumes and textiles., 200 CP.

Katzenberg, Dena S.: Blue Traditions, Indigo Dyed Textiles and Related Cobalt Glazed Ceramics from the 17th through the 19th Century ;

Katzenberg, D.S. And Eagles Sweep Across The Sky. 1977,

Katzenberg, D. S. The Great American Cover-Up: Counterpanes of the 18th and 19th Centuries. Record of the Baltimore Museum.

Kay, Shirley: The Bedouin ; New York: 1978. 6 x 8.

Kell, Thomas and R. Jay Friedman: Oriental Rug Price Guide. Carpenteria: 1977.

Kendrick, A. F. & Tattersall, C. E. C. Hand-Woven Carpets: Oriental and Occidental. 1922, Scribner's Sons, N.Y./ Benn Brothers

Kendrick, A. F. and Tattersall, C. E. C. Hand Woven Carpets. 1922 rpt. New York: Dover Publications, 1973.

A very impressive book. Solid consistent scholarship. As you will notice from the number of times I reference it my footnotes this was a book I used extensively. This book stands up well after 75 years and I use it regularly as a reference book. The inexpensive Dover reprint belongs in every rug library. A present from Ron O'Callaghan.

Kerimov Kerim. Azerbaijan Miniature, baKbI: NLLIbIT, (?) 1980

Nice book but I wish more of it was in English. I think some of his Azerbaijan miniatures may have come from much further east but not being able to read the text I do not know how he justified it. It has very nice illustrations from a Shahnama similar to the Demotte but clearly superior.

Kerimov, Latif. Azerbaijan Carpet II ; Baku: 1983.

Kerimov, Latif. Azerbaijan Carpet ; Baku: 1985.

Kerimov, Latif. Folk Designs from the Caucasus ; NY: 1974.

Kerimov, Latif et al. Rugs and Carpets from the Caucasus Vienna 1984.

Kerimov, Latif, Nonna Stepanian, Tatyana Grigoliya and David Tsitsishvili Rugs & Carpets from the Caucasus The Russian

Keshishian, Harold M. Rugs of The Caucasus, Washington DC: Arts Club of Washington, 1967

A very different catalogue and show because it focused on rugs in use rather than rugs in collections. The show dealt with Caucasian rugs in use in Washington homes. This gives an interesting glimpse of the use of rugs in 1967.

Keshishian, Harold M. The Treasure of The Caucasus: Rugs from American Collection, Washington DC: Near Eastern Art Research Center, 1992

A very nice book with 48 color plates one of which Harold says is bad. I looked and can’t find the bad one. Besides 47 good pictures there is a good structural analysis of each rug. I wish more books would include structure. By the way plate 30 is an Alpan fragment from Harold’s collection. Certain people laughed at him when he bought it asking "why do you want that rag?" After he got it cleaned up no one laughed anymore. It has perhaps the best natural vegetal yellow dye I have ever seen. Plate 16. The Dodds Karabagh with Parrots and Peacocks

Keshishian, James Mark. Inscribed Armenian Rugs of Yesteryear. Washington DC: 1994.

A work of love from one of America's top carpet experts. A thorough and thoughtful examination of a very special collection of rugs.

Keshishian, Mark  Sr. Guide to Oriental Rugs. Washington DC: 1970.

A good solid dealers look at rugs. Now dated but excellent in it's day.

Kévorkian, R. H. & Achdjian, B. Tapis et Textiles Armeniens. 1991,

Khaldun, Ibn. Rosenthal, Franz, Translator. The Muqaddimah, Princeton: Princeton University Press, (?) 1967

I bought this book because the key anthropologists in the field seemed to reference it so frequently. It is immensely important. You can not study tribes with out reading this book. Anthropology, Lib.

Khan, F.A.: Architecture and Art Treasures in Pakistan; Prehistorical, Protohistoric, Buddhist and Hindu Period ; Karachi: 1969. 8.5 x 11 Hardback in dust jacket, 145 CP 111 b/w,

Khatibi, Abdelkebir and A. Amaham: From Sign to Image, The Moroccan Carpet. Casablanca: 1995.

King, Donald. et al. Ikats, Woven Silk From Central Asia The Rau Collection. 1988,

King, Donald. et al. Turkoman Rugs in the Victoria and Albert Museum. London: 1980.

King, Donald. Imperial Ottoman Textiles. London: (1981?).

Kinross L. The Ottoman Centuries. New York: Morrow Quill, 1977

A good general history of the Ottoman Empire. Overly euro-centric in focus and weak in regards to Ottoman/Persian border wars. Poor tie in between maps and text. Gives borders without dates. Turkish History, Lib

Kirdok, M. Fetzan. 1991,

Kircheim, E. H.: Orient Stars; London: Kircheim and Hali 1993. 12 x 14, Massive. Kircheim collection of early carpets. Mainly Anatolian. 250 CP.

Considered by many to be the ultimate in Rug Books. Picture quality is exceptional and it is well written. focuses on the Kircheim collection of early carpets. Michael Franses: 'The Appreciation of an Art Form'; 'The Historical Carpets of the Caucasus and Surrounding Regions', 'The Dragon and the Palmette'; 'The Caucasus or North-East Persia: A Question of Attribution', 'The Influences of Safavid Persian Art upon an Ancient Tribal Culture', 'An Animal Carpet in a Safavid Design'; 'The Historical Carpets from Anatolia', 'The Crivelli Star', 'The Bellini Keyhole', 'Some Anatolian Stars'. Jurg Rageth: 'The Anatolian Kilims'. Friedrich Spuhler: 'The Yellow-Ground Konya Carpets', 'Ottoman or Anatolian? An Attempt at a Redefinition'. Garry Muse: 'Early Turkish Rugs'. Eberhart Herrmann: 'New Light on Ancient Designs'.

Kleiber, Helmut. Afghanistan: History, Culture, Folk Art, Rugs. Landesberg: 1989.

Kleiber, Helmut. Turkestan: History, Culture, Folk Art, Rugs. Landesberg: 1991.

Kleiber, Helmut. Turkestan: History, Culture, Folk Art, Rugs. Landesberg 1991. German text.

Klimburg, M. Ikat, Textile Art from the Silk Road ; Wien: 1993.

Klimburg-Salter, Deborah: The Silk Route and the Diamond Path ; Los Angeles: 1982. 9 x 11, Esoteric Buddhist Art on the Trans-Himalayan Trade Routes., 23 CP 117 b/w 63 figures.

Knobloch, Edgar. Beyond the Oxus, Archaeology, Art and Architecture of Central Asia ; London: 1972.

Kolahi, B, & Ceretto, E. Kazak. 1995,

Kolahi, B. I Gabbeh. 1988,

Koll, Harry: Kultkelim, Ausgewahlte Anatolische Flachgewebe ; Aachen: 1999. 8.5 x 12 Hardback in dustjacket, Attractive old (mid 19th Century) Turkish kilims, most in fragmentry condition. German text., 36 CP.

Komaroff, Linda. The Golden Disk of Heaven. Costa Mesa and New York: Bibliotheca Persica, 1992.

Marvelous work by Komaroff. This is the definitive work on Timurid metalwork. Very useful in understanding Timurid artistic expression. Islamic Art Metalwork, Lib

Konieczny, M. G. Textiles of Baluchistan. London: 1979.

Konig, Hans. Historical part of Central Asian Carpets, with Ulrich Schurmann, Frankfurt, 1969.

Excellent older book. Good pictures and solid scholaship. Before Mackie, Louise & Dr. Jon Thompson. Turkmen this was the best book on Turkmen rugs and it still hold value today. I was able to obtain the copy copy Hans Konig inscribed to Christopher Hueblein Perot.

Konig, Hans. Old Eastern Carpets, with Spuhler, F. & M. Volkmann, Munich, 1978.

Konig, Hans. "Beziehungen zwischen den

Teppichen Ostturkestans und Moghul-Indiens," FestschHft fur Peter Wilhelm Meister, Hamburg, 1974.

Konzett. Alte und Antike Kaukasische Teppiche. Graz: 1982.

Konzett. Alte und Antike Turkmenische Teppiche. Graz: 1983.

Korean Art. The Flavor of Korean Folk Painting. Seoul: Encyclopedia Britannica, Korea. 1972.

Good color and nice pictures of Korean art.

Kossak, Steven. Indian Court Painting. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1997.

A nice general overview of Indian court painting. Weak in specifics but strong in vision. Includes a number of miniatures I have not seen published elsewhere. Indian Miniature Art, Lib.

Kosven, M. O. ed. et al.: Peoples of the Caucasus Vol. I ; Moscow: 1960. 7 x 10 Hardback, Russian text. Devoted to peoples of the North Caucasus. Chapters on Avars, Lesghi etc., 2 CP of rugs 10 b/w textiles.

Krader, Lawrence. Peoples of Central Asia. Bloomington Indiana: Indiana University, 1966.

This is a great book for untangling the ethnic mix in central Asia. Wonderful information on Turkoman and other Turkic peoples. All Turkoman collectors should track down a copy of this book.

Kramer, Jack: Natural Dyes Plants & Processes ; NY: 1972. 8.5 x 6.5, Recipes, "how to" guide., 19 CP, 30 b/w.

Krausse, H.J. Fruhe Teppichkunst. 1990,

Kreissl, Rainer: Art as Tradition - Anatolia ; Prague: 1995. 8.5 x 12, The Rainer Kreissl collection of 100 antique Turkish kilim and piled rugs presented as a gift to the Prague Castle and the, Naprstkovo Museum., 100 CP.

Kreissl, Rainer: Gates to Heaven. Anatolia ; Munchen: 1998. 8 x 12, Kreissl collection of antique Anatolian prayer rugs and kilims., 120 CP.

Kuhnel, Ernst: Maurische Kunst ; Berlin: 1924. 7 x 10, Moorish art and architecture. German text. 12 b/w of Spanish textiles and 4 b/w of Spanish rugs., 155 b/w.

Kuhnel, Ernst: The Minor Arts of Islam ; Ithaca: 1971. 6 x 9, 255 pp., Covers books, pottery, metalwork, glass, wood, stone & stucco, but no textiles or rugs., 15 CP 209 b/w.

Kuhnel, E., & Bellinger, L. Catalogue of Spanish Rugs. 12th - 19th Century. 1953,

Kuhnel, Ernst and L. Bellinger: Cairene Rugs and Other Technically Related 15th-17th Century. Washington DC: 1957.

Kuhnel, Ernst. Miniaturmalerei im Islamischen Orient. Berlin, Cassirer, 1922.

• This is the original work that  La Miniature En Orient (vide infra) was translated from. I reviewed the French translation because my German ability is poor.

Kuhnel, Ernst. La Miniature En Orient, Paris: Les Editions G. Cres & Cie, 1925.

Kuhnel did his best work in the field of Islamic Miniatures. This is a very good book which in honor of the 75th anniversary I am slowly translating and republish here in RugNotes.

Kulczycki, W. Beitrage Zur Kenntnis Der Orientalischen Gebetteppiche. 1914 (reprint: n.d.)

Kuløy, Hallvard K. Tibetan Rugs Bangkok 1982.

Kuløy, Hallvard K.: Fra Tempel til Hesterygg den Tibetanske Teppettradisjonen (Tibetan Rugs) ; Oslo: 1989.

Kybalova, Ludmila. Carpets of the Orient, London, England: Paul Hamblyn, 1969.

A rather dated general basic rug book.