Hidden Treasures

KIMBERLY MACARTHUR GRAHAM

>>> Kimbulian & Noury Oriental Rugs, Denver, Colorado

In a repurposed industrial building that an art gallery owner would covet for its open-span ceiling, brick walls and finished-concrete floors, Kimbulian & Noury Oriental Rugs conducts business. The gallery feel is doubly fitting, for, under the guidance of owner Khosrow Noury, the seven employees of this 61-year-old firm are both artists and caretakers of works of art—they expertly repair and clean fine and antique carpets.

Kimbulian's large shop is resplendent with rugs of all sizes, ages, fibers, patterns and countries of origin. At the entry, a few top-notch antique pieces are displayed—many of which are for sale—including a lustrous room-size rug whose woven flora and feathers seem as if they might take wing. Along one wall, skeins of yarn in a shock of hues and textures hang loose in a great, fluffy waterfall. In-use looms and frames are scattered about floors and tables. Hundreds of textiles ready for customer pickup are rolled neatly, stacked and organized.

Kimbulian & Noury has earned a national reputation, with clients springing up across the United States based solely on word of mouth. The company's renowned cleaning and repair processes are intensely manual, based on ancient techniques and performed by people who have an aptitude and a love for the work.

A Kimbulian & Noury rug graces a home's spiral staircase.

Natural-fiber carpets should never be dry-cleaned. "That is really bad for them," cautions Noury, a native of Iran who learned early from master artisans how to care for Persian rugs. "Natural fibers need to get wet; the cold water rejuvenates the natural lanolins and gets rid of bacteria." Cleaning begins with a process based on the traditional practice of washing rugs in rocky rivers. "When we picnicked, we'd take the rugs with us," says Noury. "The young men would take them into the water and wash them, then the rugs would dry while we ate." Wide, shallow basins holding two or three inches of water are used to submerge each rug. Workers gently scrub, flip, then rinse the textile. Pretty basic stuff. Drying, Noury says, is a bit fancier, with machines doing much of the work. Natural-fiber rugs should be cleaned every three years, he gently chides, admitting most people are lucky to think of it once a decade.

Repaired rugs await their owners.

But many of the rugs that land at Kimbulian's are in need of much more than a gentle scrub. Thanks to hyper pets, dropped cigarettes, heavy furniture and a host of other suspects, even the finest carpets get damaged. When a new victim arrives, a Kimbulian's artisan closely inspects its structure. Noury says, "By now, we pretty well know them all." Once identified, the damaged section is painstakingly rebuilt. First, the underlying support structure (warp and weft) is patched if necessary, then appropriate yarn is woven in with extreme care taken to match the extant texture, color, pattern, luster, even wear and tear. Repairs are done so deftly that they're nearly invisible.

Skeins of yarn hang over a work station.

Like the family heirlooms he often cares for, Noury has a story to tell. In 1978 he came to the States to obtain an engineering degree, not imagining that following his passion of working with rugs could provide a livelihood. During that time, the Iranian government did not allow any money to be sent out of the country, so, unable to receive tuition money from his parents, Noury worked at what he could find and, in between jobs, sold his personal effects.

After selling his car one semester, in desperation he asked a carpet dealer to purchase a round rug of his grandmother's. The dealer agreed. A few days later, after finally receiving a bit of cash from his mother, Noury attempted to buy back the rug and also offered to help tackle the dealer's large stack of repairs. He was successful at the latter (though his grandmother's rug had already been sold to a client). Noury's skills were apparent, and so a part-time job eventually blossomed into a successful career. Though he did finish his degree, and even took masters'-level architecture classes, he never considered leaving the rug business, which allows him to work with his hands on a craft that blends art with science.

Tools, technique and water are used to restore rugs to their original beauty.

As with any other art, Noury says, one must care for and have interest in the subject, as well as exhibit technical knowledge and ability. "In this country, what we do [cleaning and repairing rugs] is interesting and so unknown. Many people don't even know this service exists. It's still very foreign." Always eager to share his knowledge, Noury has launched a Web site chock-full of information about the history of woven rugs, weaving tools and techniques, even a stain-removal page. Most recently, he authored an encyclopedia of Persian rugs, which he hopes will reveal to a few more people the beautiful woven world he loves.

Kimbulian & Noury Oriental Rugs, 126 Acoma St., Denver, CO; (303) 871-0551 or www.kimbulians.com.