Issue 228 · Summer 2026·Kazakh embroidered suede robes, Two 16th-century weavings linked by powerful art dealers, An inscribed Caucasian dowry rug and its matrimonial symbolism
The first HALI UK Tour concluded last month. We spent 10 days gaining a privileged, in depth look at the best carpets and textiles in Britain in the good company of just under 20 HALI subscribers.
R
Rachel Meek
Assistant editor
·1 min read·04 Jul 2014·
The first HALI UK Tour concluded last month. We spent 10 days gaining a privileged, in depth look at the best carpets and textiles in Britain in the good company of just under 20 HALI subscribers.
Here is a gallery of some of the highlights, for more photos see Parting Shots.
Enthusiastic experts and volunteers greeted us at museums and country houses throughout and shared their knowledge about the huge variety of art and objects on show. The group were given exclusive access to areas of venues that normally remain hidden from public view in archives, storerooms and private quarters. Some generous curators invited and facilitated thorough investigations of the items on show, which lead to some most interesting discussions and friendly debate. The material viewed and knowledge shared was truly outstanding.
We were treated to uncharacteristically fine and settled weather for June which further added to our appreciation of Cotswold villages, Scottish Borders, herbaceous borders and scented roses in full bloom. Hotels were all handpicked and generally excelled our expectations of what 5 star accommodation can be.
The inaugural UK tour has been hailed a great success and we plan to offer other opportunities to repeat the British HALI experience in future. The next chapter in the HALI Tours schedule will be a 12 day cultural textile tour in Spain and Portugal in May 2015. To register your interest in joining us, please contact ben.evans@hali.com or rachel.meek@hali.com
View from the window of Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland
Border detail from a late-16th-century Persian Sanguszko carpet, Boughton House
