When Chicago antiques dealer Steve Starr published a book on Art Deco picture frames, he had no idea a rug retailer would be floored by it.
Once sold in department or dime stores, the metal or glass Art Deco frames of the 1930s often contained photos of such movie stars as Gloria Swanson or Marlene Dietrich. Starr’s 1991 book, “Picture Perfect, Deco Photo Frames 1926 to 1946” (Rizzoli, $30), featured his collection of more than 600 Deco-style frames and inspired Carnig Minasian to reproduce some of the frames’ decorative details on rug borders.
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The rugs can be ordered in two or three color combinations; knot counts range from 60 to 100 per square inch. Prices range from $350 for a 2-by-3-foot rug to about $3,500 for a 9-by-12, depending on knot count.
Rugs can be ordered through Minasian Rug Corp., 1244 Chicago Ave., Evanston, 708-491-0985. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. They also can be ordered through designers at Jorian Rug Co. in the Merchandise Mart, 312-670-0120.