Just remember that if you are looking for silk carpets, they do not have natural dyes. Silk cannot take natural dye, it's not absorbed.

Sounds great bhaklava, I will PM you.

Also remember that about 99% of the silk carpets in Turkey are actually made in China - no matter what they tell you as the industry has almost ceased to exist in Turkey, furthermore that these same carpets can often be had for 10% of whatever the lowest price you haggle for them in China itself so don;t bother buying them in Turkey.

[quote user="utabe" post="90348"]Thank you Dekolte, that sounds fantastic.
So if we go to the spice bazaar and ask our way through we should find it, right?

Girls, any ideas about the pipes for women?[/quote]

In the spice bazaar (when you enter from the north -where the sea is) go all the way up and then to left and when you exit turn left ; it is 2nd entrance on the street going down back towards the sea. Big entrance, looks like an art gallery.

[quote user="bhaklava" post="90354"]cequirk & utabe - "we" is my husband and I. We have a small shop in Corlulu Alipasa medresesi, on the tramway street just before the bazaar. We have old carpets and kilims, almost all with natural dyes. Most of the business is done with interior designers in the States, but we always have stock on hand. We know the majority of good dealers in town and can take people to other shops and get dealers prices. PM me if you want info. [/quote]

Hey you are not the little lady I met at Verjen's pizza shop's opening, right?

[quote user="tallpony" post="90405"]Also remember that about 99% of the silk carpets in Turkey are actually made in China - no matter what they tell you as the industry has almost ceased to exist in Turkey, furthermore that these same carpets can often be had for 10% of whatever the lowest price you haggle for them in China itself so don;t bother buying them in Turkey.[/quote]

not at Dosim, which is owned by cultural ministry! heyo!

Didn't make it to verjen's opening, so I'm not the "little lady" in question.
99% of silk carpets in Turkey are made in China? Interesting figure.....where did you come up with that? Not that I'm an expert, as some may be here, but I work with textiles as well as write about them and have never heard that figure bandied about.

[quote user="bhaklava" post="90464"]Didn't make it to verjen's opening, so I'm not the "little lady" in question.
99% of silk carpets in Turkey are made in China? Interesting figure.....where did you come up with that? Not that I'm an expert, as some may be here, but I work with textiles as well as write about them and have never heard that figure bandied about. [/quote]

That figure is wrong TP. What's more Chinese weave patterns are inferior and so are their quality. Their rugs have single knots, Turkish rugs have double knots, which make it stronger the older it gets and will last hundreds of years.

My GF knows the best places for the best quality rugs in Istanbul, so if you want independent advice I'll put you in touch.

No, that was maybe a decade ago. Over the last decade the Chnese have effectively taken over the entire worldwide market in all weave patterns, they export them here in a variety of states, from semi-finished product to fully made product. The best you can hope for is something that was "finished" in Turkey generally as the industry here has been decimated.