Claremont Rug Company, Oakland

I visited Claremont Rug Company last month, and I must say I have never seen such amazing carpets. In their unassuming, yet gracious gallery, what I experienced was rug-after-antique rug of fantastic quality and great beauty, all with designs and color combinations unlike anything I have experienced before. Although they were 100-150 years old, all were in wonderful condition. Jan Winitz and his incredibly knowledgeable staff could not have been more helpful. He is quite a pro, and after listening carefully to my tedious description of my dining room, he showed me the ideal rug in his very first selection! Of course, like the majority of his rugs, it is not inexpensive -- a classical case of you get what you pay for. However, knowing that rugs of such rare quality and great beauty are excellent investments, my husband and I are discussing which rooms we wish to furnish first and plan a return trip soon.