The Hajji Baba Club and its Influence on Oriental Carpet Studies in New York: A Study in the Social History of Art (1932–1959)

Shadlou, Davood

doi:10.30465/shc.2025.51254.2609

The Hajji Baba Club and its Influence on Oriental Carpet Studies in New York: A Study in the Social History of Art (1932–1959)

Document Type : Review Article

Author

Davood Shadlou

Assistant Professor, Department of Carpet, Faculty of Applied Arts, Shiraz University of Arts, Shiraz, Iran

https://doi.org/10.30465/shc.2025.51254.2609

Abstract

Until the mid-19th century, Oriental carpets remained relatively unfamiliar in the United States due to limited availability. However, following World War I, the expansion of American infrastructure facilitated increased imports, which in turn heightened demand for these carpets. It was within this context that the Hajji Baba Club was founded in New York in 1932.

This study examines the role of the Hajji Baba Club in establishing Oriental carpet studies as a recognized scholarly field in the United States. It addresses two central questions: How did the club emerge within the socio-cultural landscape of the early twentieth century? And what influence did it exert on the scholarly study and collecting of Oriental carpets?

Employing a social-historical framework and qualitative methodology, this research draws on archival materials and library resources. The findings suggest that the Hajji Baba Club played a pivotal role in shaping systematic scholarship and serious collecting practices. Founded during a downturn in the commercial carpet market, the club responded to a growing cultural and artistic interest in carpets. By bridging commercial and academic interests, it fostered deeper inquiry into rural and tribal carpets and, through exhibitions, publications, and expert collaboration, significantly contributed to the recognition of carpets within American art historical and cultural discourse.

Keywords

Hajji Baba Club

Oriental Carpet

Collecting

Carpet Studies

New York

Subjects

socialhistory and art

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