Oriental Rug Bazaar Closes Their World Headquarters Location

As featured on Houston Life (Channel2 Houston):

HOUSTON, TEXAS — Antique carpets proved airborne in the closing sale hosted by Lewis & Maese on December 2, an onsite sale of rugs and carpets.

After 43 years in business, Oriental Rug Bazaar was closing its world headquarters location. In conjunction with Oriental Rug Bazaar, Lewis & Maese Antiques & Auctions offered at low prices quality handmade carpets from around the world, including Turkey, Iran, India and Pakistan, to name a few.

“The sell-through was kind of low but we sold a lot of expensive rugs,” said David Lewis, partner in the firm with Ernest Maese.

The Taghdisi family established Oriental Rug Bazaar in 1980 to provide the Houston community a source for rugs, carpets and tapestries. Prior to Houston, the family had been working worldwide in the industry for generations. The family’s interests have recently moved into the real estate business, according to Lewis, which is more lucrative. “The best use of the property they own would be putting up a hotel or a highrise,” he said. There were approximately 200 registered bidders who connected with the sale through LiveAuctioneers and HiBid. Finding a new home in Saudi Arabia and leading the sale was an ivory/red rectangle wool and silk Tabriz from Iran, 119 by 162 inches, which left the gallery at $53,505. “It was silk, it was very rare and quite challenging to obtain from a Jewish family on the East Coast, who after it was sold wanted it back.” After some negotiation, the consignor prevailed.

In this sale, it was purchased by a Saudi prince, said Lewis. Alive with mythical figures, including a flautist and a female dancer, was a wool Kerman from Iran. Featuring a background red/black rectangle, the 58-by-89-inch textile sold for $27,060. Bringing just a bit more, $27,135, another heavy hitter in the sale was a sand-colored wool and silk Tabriz, also from Iran. Its dimensions were 118 by 164 inches. A wool Iranian Qum was also a study in figural decoration with warriors on horseback and dogs swirling across its red and navy rectangle, 119 by 80 inches. It realized $7,380.