Robert and Holly Mosby, antique rug dealers from Sarasota Florida, took part in the ‘Carpet Study Tour to Western and Central Anatolia’ organized by Stefano Ionescu 5-20 June 2024.

‘We have approximately 1.000 fine antique rugs in our inventory but I can’t resist to buy a fine antique rug if the condition is good and the price reasonable’ said Robert Mosby from Antique Oriental Rugs to Jozan Magazine.

At the end of the Carpet Study Tour the Mosby’s still not had enough of rug shopping. They extended their stay and met up with a longtime friend and reputable rug dealer in Istanbul, who took them around to introduce them to merchants in the bazaars and backstreets of Istanbul.

Here they met a dealer they haven’t seen in 20 years. He told that in the 1990s after the break up of the Soviet Union when the Caucasus States were gaining independence a lot of Caucasian rugs flooded through Istanbul and subsequently were sold to dealers in European cities and in America.

These antique Caucasian rugs have largely left Istanbul, but occasionally they found a gentleman with a private collection to sell if the price was right. It seems that the price was right because Robert Mosby left Istanbul with a beautiful collection of antique Caucasian rugs.

Antique Caucasian Kazak Rug ~#8203~ 3‘6“ x 6‘5“

‘This was a most exciting part of the trip for Robert. For me it was the friends made along the way.’ said his wife Holly Mosby to Jozan Magazine.

The ‘Carpet Study Tour to Western and Central Anatolia’ organized by Stefano Ionescu took place 5-20 June 2024. Read the full tour report.

More information and contact: Antique Oriental Rugs, Sarasota, Florida. Robert Mosby rtmosby@verizon.net