The carpet trade is our families life philosophy and has been passed on from generation to generation. We come from Sultanhani, a town in central Anatolia that has a long history in the carpet trade. Sultanhani was built by the Seljuks in 1229. Sultanhani claims ownership of the largest Kervansaray in Turkey (an inn for travellers) and it is located between the city of Konya and Aksaray. Almost 90% of the residents of Sultanhani earn their livelihood from the carpet and rug industry.

The reputation of the township of Sultanhani is known to all carpet dealers from around the world. It has also become an important historical and tourist location that is visited by many people all year round.

The Kervansaray in Sultanhani, Turkey.

           

What was seen previously as a form of art and made for personal use has been transformed into a commercial enterprise by the Boge brothers (Ali and Fevzi). My family were one of the first to start restoration work on antique and old rugs, we have since diversified our business into mass production and the maintenance of new and old rugs and carpets.

As a Boge family tradition, all family members have, at one time or another, sat in front of this loom to weave carpets. They have ranged from small rugs to rugs large enough to be laid on the floor of the family living room.

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Ali Boge Ali was born in 1963 in Sultanhani, a town located between Konya and Aksaray in Central Anatolia, Turkey.

In the past, the main source of income was from farming and grazing of livestock. In the township, a change of culture brought about the art of carpet weaving,to be performed mainly by the women. Originally this was to weave carpets and rugs for personal use and for decoration of the household and gradually it also became a source of income.

Once Ali finished his schooling in 1977 he started as an apprentice at his brothers antique carpet and rug repair and restoration business in Konya. His older brother, Melunet, had trained in the rug repair and restoration trade in Istanbul.

With the advancement and success in his profession, Ali was invited to Sydney, Australia as a professional rug and carpet repairer in 1982. After working with various carpet repair businesses, he opened his own carpet and rug restoration business in 2000. Whilst working in Australia Ali has kept in contact with his relatives and associates in Turkey to keep up to date with the advancements in the carpet industry and to further his own knowledge.

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Fevzi Boge Fevzi was born in 1965 in Sultanhani, a town located between Konya and Aksaray in Central Anatolia, Turkey.

Once he finished his schooling in 1979, he started as an apprentice at his brothers' antique carpet and rug repair and restoration business in Konya as did Ali. Fevzi furthered his education and experience in the carpet industry in Turkey until 1986.

With the advancement and success in his profession, Fevzi was invited to Austria as a professional rug and carpet repairer to work at Galeri Sailer in Salsburg in 1986. He worked in Galeri Sailer for six years until 1992.

In 1992 Fevzi opened his own business and ran it with his wife until health problems caused him to close it in 1998. He realised a life long ambition of working with modern rug designs. As was used in the past, he worked with colours obtained naturally from roots of plants and hand spun wool to produce modern carpet and rug designs with the use of Flat weaving, Cicim, and Sumak techniques. Fevzi's work of modern rugs was displayed in Austrian galleries with a show entitled "Renaissance Der Kelimkunst".

In 1998, due health reason, Fevzi has stopped his hands-on work but continued to assist his brothers with his designs and knowledge. He built and maintained a bridge open between Austria and Turkey by continuing his profession as a designer and interpreter. He can speak Turkish, German and English.

The piece of art was woven with various flat weaving techniques. The wool was hand spun and the colours are derived from naturally grown plant roots.

It portrays the light shining onto water and the reflections created.

This was designed and woven by members of the Boge family.

 

This piece depicts a hand woven rug with an image of the world famous Whirling Dervishes and the Mausoleum of Mevlana located in Konya.

This was designed and woven by Keziban Boge.

The writing on the rug is roughly translated to "Be as you appear or appear as you are."

 

Ali Boge at work.

Proffesional Memberships

The Rug experts are members of the following professional  associations.

Member af the Australian Antique And Art Dealers Association.

The AAADA is the leading industry body, with six state chapters, representing 137 leading antiques and art dealers in Australia.

 

Member of the Oriental Rug Society of NSW.

The Oriental Rug Society of NSW Inc (ORS) is a non-profit voluntary society now in its 26th year.

We welcome as members everyone interested in the hand-made rugs and textiles of the tribes, villages and urban workshops of Eurasia.