I met Dolly when I was attending a biannual conference at the College of Charleston at the end of May 2008, of the Association for the Study of Esotericism where I presented a paper on the theme of "religion, nature and esotericism." Spending almost the whole morning in the shop the day before the conference, listening to Dolly sharing her fantastic knowledge about rugs and her infectious enthusiasm, was a delightful precursor and wonderful complement to my academic activities, making my stay even more memorable and enjoyable than it would otherwise have been. Living in the UK, I have met many professional rug dealers here, but Dolly's sincerity and generosity of spirit is quite unique. Naturally enough I took a modest bundle of wonderful tribal items back with me to England, and should I ever find myself in Charleston again, the shop would be my first port of call. It is a pure pleasure to do business in such a relaxed and sophisticated way. My only regret is that I had no time to talk to her husband, whom I only met before leaving for the airport, as I should have valued listening to his experiences and ideas immensely. Thank you both for your hospitality and inspiration, and I wish you every success in this wondrous ethnic woven world you are evidently so beautifully suited to, and that so perfectly graces and engages our deepest and most intimate aesthetic sensibilities. With kindest regards, David Llewellyn Foster
I met Dolly when I was attending a biannual conference at the Colleg...
