Upstate Rug Supply

Visit : The Shop + Upstate Rug Supply

In 2016, Joanna Mahserdjian decided to carve out a niche for rugs of true antiquity and authentic provenance with Upstate Rug Supply. She traveled all over the US hand-selecting rugs from dealers, buying from private collectors, and bidding in estate auctions, all the while growing a virtual following. Looking to up her game and provide a physical outlet for people to have a tactile interaction with the rugs, last year she teamed up with two local antique dealers to create a curated storefront called The Shop at 557 Warren Street in Hudson.

Their collection of antique rugs date from the 1920s or earlier. These are naturally dyed, handwoven carpets, whose organic dyes only soften over time. Each rug in their collection is carefully evaluated by Joanna, professionally washed and preserved; striving to represent the character of each rug. They believe that the age of antique rugs adds to their distinctive beauty and the stories behind them. As such, each rug has some form of wear commensurate with their age.

Mahserdjian specializes in hand-loomed Persian and Caucasian rugs, which includes pieces from present-day Iran, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Turkey. To a collector’s eye, the colors, motifs, and techniques used in weaving shift considerably after the 1920s. “Because of the cultural tradition that is associated with them, and the fact that they are over 100 years old, these are the rugs that are naturally dyed,” she explains. “They’re from a time before rugs were woven for Western taste and for exporting. They were woven for collectors and for people in their tribes and their country. The quality is really different.”