‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎34r] (66/949)

PRINCIPAL ARTICLES OF COMMERCE.
33
Number in
Table of
Statistics.
61
The Ferahan district, in which Sultanabad lies, produces only
some 60 to 80 kharwars of wool, and supplies have long been
drawn from the Khoncharand Ispahan districts, and now regularly
from Kermanshah also. The disturbed state of Lunstan forbids
the import of fine wool grown in the Shuster regions 1 he wool
is usually imported in the form of yarn, the local population being
more profitably employed in weaving. Wool, 10 years ago, was at
krs 16 per Shah man, now it is at krs. 30 to 32. In carpet making
about 23 per cent, of the yarn is lost in clippings, which are
valueless. The yarn employed must be good white wool; brown
or dark wool can be dyed only to dark colours even for reds the
white wool is needed. M1
The increased duty on indigo under the Tariff of J903 will not
materially affect carpet making, as the cost of dyeing is not a large
factor in the price of carpets . .... ,
The bulk of the carpet industry is carried on in the weavers
homes the women and children doing the weaving. The so-called
manufacturer supplies to the weaver the design and the quantities
of wool in different colours required for one carpet. (1 his latter,
to ensure the same shades being employed throughout.) He also
advances sums to account of the price arranged, the balance being
paid on delivery of the finished article. The practice has the
usual disadvantages of home employment, slovenly and dilatory
work with little progress towards skill and finish, as the looms,
scattered over a wide area, cannot be constantly inspected. The
vast majority of weavers, however, living in small isolated villages,
and having also household duties, can work only in this way.
The untrustworthy weaver sells the good wool entrusted to him
and substitutes inferior wool, and sometimes even sells the finished
work and sets up a new piece, to be delivered long after contract
There is only one European (British) house now competing
with Persians in carpet weaving. Their method of business is
as indicated above. They usually employ some 3,000 looms, on
which, perhaps, 10,000 hands are kept at work Much loca
experience is needed in placing out work according to the skill
and trustworthiness of the weaver. They purchase and dye in
their own premises all the wool employed in their caipets.
Of course, the wholesale and export traders buy great numbers
of carpets made for small capitalists, or by weavers who can afford
to lie out of the cost of material and labour till finished. <
A manufacturer with long experience of the industry in bul-
tanabad considers that it would not be difficult to get women
weavers to attend at a properly appointed factory An East India Company trading post. , and that
economy of material, and increased skill and finish of supervised
work, would enable such an undertaking to prosper.
In Tabriz, where carpet making is quite a recent industry, the
weaving is done by boys who attend at the factories. W ages are
Iboul krs. .2 per month, and the midday meat say another krs. .2
ner month. There is a foreman, say at krs. 50 per month.
P A carpet of 9 feet by .2 feet with .5 by .5 stitches to the
square inch will employ say $ boys and an overseer. The
rate of process will depend on the intricacy of the design, say
about ‘ Square feet per month. The Tabriz carpets have attained
a reputation for good workmanship, but the local wool coming
chiefly from Khoi, Urmiah, and Soujbulak is of a hard texture and
makes the carpets stiff and unpliable. The quality depends
greatly on the number of stitches. The coursest qualities -ned
out have about 8 by 8 stitches to the square inch The average
quality of Tabriz carpets runs about .5. by >5 st f h f ■ a "^ *
fine carpet 20 by 20 Silk carpets contain from 15 by 15 to 22 by
^ stitchos. It does not pay to produce the coarser qualities in
F