Today, Black Mountain Looms no longer exists, but Teddy Sumner continues to produce Mahindras, the line of carpets formerly woven in India by Black Mountain Looms. Mahindras have been powerfully influential in the Oriental rug industry. They appeared at a time when Indian rugs were faulted for their lack of character — for being too regular, too stiff. Mahindras were truly revolutionary.
Often in designs found in no other carpets during the past sixty years, Mahindras are woven with natural dyes and hand-spun wool on cotton foundations. Warps are completely depressed. There are about 130 Persian knots per square inch. Most of their designs are based on unusual Persian city rugs, though a few seem to be based on old Indian carpets like Agras.
Today a few other manufacturers have captured the look of Mahindras, and others have knocked off their designs knot for knot. But Mahindras still are the leaders in a field created by Black Mountain Looms.
