About the Danish Rug Society

About the Society
The Danish Rug Society (Selskabet for Orientalsk Tæppekunst) is all about spreading knowledge and appreciation for oriental rug art.

We do that by hosting talks and visits, where we don’t just talk about rugs — we actually look at them, touch them, and check out pieces from members’ personal collections. Anyone with an interest in rugs and textiles is welcome to join. You don’t need to be an expert — not even close. We all started somewhere, and our members are more than happy to share what they know. Both private collectors and rug professionals are welcome. Just to be clear: we’re not involved in commercial rug sales.

Our meetings usually take place at Zeichner/Wiinstedt’s place on Strandboulevarden 9, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, unless we’re out and about visiting other spots.

Curious guests are welcome to drop by our events but notice that the spoken language is Danish, sometimes Norwegian or Swedish. It’s just 50 kroner to attend, so you can see what we’re all about — and maybe even decide to join. Every December, we have a cozy holiday dinner for members, complete with a fun and traditional auction where members trade rugs and sell rug books from their own collections.

A Bit of Our History
Back in 1985, the society was founded by Else Krøjgaard and the late Hans Elmby. Between 1975 and 1980, Else taught seven large evening school classes full of rug enthusiasts at FOF. When she stopped teaching, one of her most passionate students, Hans, took over. He kept teaching until he eventually opened his own rug shop, specializing in Turkmen rugs.

Else also ran a study group at the Museum of Decorative Arts, where she and her students cataloged, analyzed, and identified all the museum’s rugs — pieces that had just been sitting in storage for years.

A lot of her students felt there was a need for a club where rug lovers could keep connecting. “We thought it was a shame that all of us, who knew each other so well and shared this interest, would just stop seeing each other,” Else says. So, one summer evening in June 1985, the Danish Rug Society was born — right on Hans Elmby’s lawn in Gentofte. Over the years, that shared love of rugs has turned into genuine friendships for many members.

Hans Elmby, internationally respected for his expertise in Turkmen rugs, led the society until he passed away in late 2004. After him, one of his former students, Ulla Nissen, who ran the rug store Galleri Abrash in Gentofte, became chair. Sadly, she passed away too soon in 2006, and her husband, furniture designer Søren Nissen, was elected the new chair.

Boris Wiinstedt Zeichner is now chair of the Danish Rug Society.