Past Activities

Silk Ikat coat, Uzbekistan

The Society organises visits to dealers, museums and private collections, such as the May Beattie rug study collection at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford; the fabulous Keir Collection which is now bequeathed to Berlin; and the superb Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge's collection of saddle rugs, the following year their large carpets, and this year their Ottoman and Greek Island Embroideries, all from the reserve collections shown by the curators.

Recent trips have also been to Scotland, seeing with the curators, Edinburgh's National Museum of Scotland, Lauriston Castle's rugs and tent bands, and the Burrell Museum of Glasgow, where we saw their amazing Susani's being restored for the current Exhibition. At each of these venues the curators have been exceptionally generous with their time and expertise, showing us their treasures not normally seen by the public.

Journeys overseas to examine particular collections, or to observe local weaving customs, are offered. Recent trips have been made to Romania, Poland, Hungary, Istanbul, Berlin, Morocco, Armenia, and Paris.