Antique Turkish Rug Angora Wool Oushak

Fine Antique Turkish Rug Angora Moher Wool, Hand Knotted, Circa 1890

Design: Directional

Oushak rugs originated in the small town of Oushak in west-central Anatolia, today just south of Istanbul, Turkey. Unlike most Turkish rugs, Oushak carpets had been greatly influenced by Persian designs.

Almost from the beginning of the Ottoman empire, Oushak has been a major production center of Turkish rugs. After the design revolution in the late 15th Century, area rugs began to be produced in Oushak for commercial purposes due to the easy access of superb wool and natural dyes. Antique Oushak carpets tend to be coarsely woven on a wool foundation with a wool pile, and are distinctive in both pattern and color palette. The designs of Oushak rugs and carpets are typically based on geometric motives with central medallion drawings, smaller all-over medallions or scattered sprays of vine scroll and palmettes. They are also famed for the grand, monumental scale of designs. Today, Oushak rugs are highly desirable and decorative for elegant room settings.
(Other spelling: Ushak)

Mohair /ˈmoʊhɛər/ is usually a silk-like fabric or yarn made from the hair of the Angora goat (not to be confused with the Angora rabbit which produces Angora wool). Both durable and resilient, mohair is notable for its high luster and sheen, which has helped gain it the nickname the "Diamond Fiber", and is often used in fiber blends to add these qualities to a textile. Mohair takes dye exceptionally well. Mohair is warm in winter as it has excellent insulating properties, while remaining cool in summer due to its moisture wicking properties. It is durable, naturally elastic, flame resistant and crease resistant. It is considered to be a luxury fiber, like cashmere, angora and silk, and is usually more expensive than most wool that is produced by sheep.

Mohair is composed mostly of keratin, a protein found in the hair, wool, horns and skin of all mammals, but its special properties are unique to the Angora goat. While it has scales like wool, the scales are not fully developed, merely indicated. Thus, mohair does not felt as wool does.

Mohair fiber is approximately 25–45 microns in diameter.It increases in diameter with the age of the goat, growing along with the animal. Fine hair from younger animals is used for finer applications such as clothing, and the thicker hair from older animals is more often used for carpets and heavy fabrics intended for outerwear.

The term mohair is sometimes used to describe a type of material used for the folding roof on convertible cars. In this instance, mohair refers to a form of denim-like canvas.