author
John Kimberly Mumford
1863–1926
A journalist turned expert on Oriental carpets, he wrote lively, practical books that introduced American readers to the history and craftsmanship of rugs from across Asia. His work also ranged beyond textiles into industry and technology, showing a wide curiosity about how things were made and used.
2 Audiobooks
The Mentor: Chinese Rugs, Vol. 4, Num. 2, Serial No. 102, March 1, 1916
by John Kimberly Mumford
Outspinning the Spider: The Story of Wire and Wire Rope
by John Kimberly Mumford
About the author
Before he became known for books on rugs, he worked as a journalist and contributed to newspapers and magazines. Sources consulted for this entry describe him as a Princeton student, a newspaper writer in New York, and later an authority on Oriental carpets.
His best-known book is Oriental Rugs, first published in the early 1900s and reissued in later editions. The surviving library and catalog records linked to his name also show a broader writing career, including Outspinning the Spider: The Story of Wire and Wire Rope and other works on industry.
Born in 1863 and deceased in 1926, he seems to have written for readers who wanted expert knowledge in an accessible form. Even now, his books give a clear sense of an author interested not just in objects themselves, but in the craft, trade, and human stories behind them.