Welcome to the Collins Gallery. We opened our
first gallery in 1979 in Newburyport, Mass.
For most of the 1970s I had restored antique
homes and dealt in American antiques. Collecting
rugs gradually took over so much of my life that
I left other business pursuits for the gallery.

In the beginning, the business was primarily a
venue for gathering rugs and selling them to
the European market. While there was an
abundant supply of rugs and carpets coming
out of New England estates, there were very
few American collectors. Over the course of time,
domestic sales gradually overtook exports. This 
growing awareness of the art value of rugs came
slowly.

The advent of HALI magazine in 1978 sent a jolt
of electricity through the rug community. My
friend Ron O’Callaghan was living in Newburyport
at that time and publishing an independent
newspaper. We spent hours together looking at 
and discussing rugs. Despite my doubts, in 1981
he boldly started THE ORIENTAL RUG REVIEW.
This uniquely American forum became a
playground for all interested parties to interact
and learn in an informal medium. All of this
helped to spread interest in rugs.

In a similar progression, the INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE ON ORIENTAL CARPETS had an
enormous impact on the American rug scene
when it came to San Francisco in 1990. The
AMERICAN CONFERENCE ON ORIENTAL CARPETS
was soon meeting in a different US city every
two years. Many of us have exhibited and
lectured at these events. Many dealers and
scholars have published books, articles, and
catalogues. Knowledge and enthusiasm has
burgeoned as a result.

We are no longer searching for consumers.
The American market is a world player now.
The challenge now is to source worthwhile
rugs and carpets. The supply of freshly
discoverable material has drastically dwindled.

I invite you to take advantage of my decades
of experience, expertise, and my network of
connections. Whether you are building a
collection or disposing of one, whether you
are decorating a home or an office, we are
glad and able to help.

John Collins