Buyers Guide to Carpets & Rugs

Exceptional carpets, rugs, and runners have always been synonymous with wealth and beauty, which might be one of the reasons these items maintain such a high re-sale value.  Ranging anywhere from the 15th to 20th centuries, antique carpets and rugs tend to originate from Europe, Turkey, Persia, Asia, Caucasus, and Turkmenistan. In June 2013, Sotheby’s New York’s Important Carpets from the William A. Clark Collection Sale brought in an astounding total of $43.8 million. The event’s star lot was a 17th-century carpet containing the “Sickle-Leaf, Vine Scroll and Palmette ‘Vase’ Technique,” likely originating from Kirman, which was purchased for an impressive $33.8 million, four times its high pre-sale estimate.  However, much more modestly priced carpets can be found at auction as well.



Styles

There are several types of rugs each with their own unique attributes and styles. The three most popular are listed below:

Persian and Oriental Rugs

These rugs originated from all over Asia.  Persian rugs rest within the category and come from the area now known as Iran.  Persian have been making rugs for thousands of years.

Key features
•    Paisley designs and central medallions or rosettes
•    Bordered areas with a design that is overall symmetric
•    Both bound edges and fringed edges
•    Occasionally flat woven, many are higher pile and hand knotted

Continental European Rugs

Key features
•    Often feature asymmetrical designs
•    Generally tones are muted, favoured colours gold, soft rose and green
•    Flower and garland motifs are very common
•    Often pile or flat -woven

Scandinavian Rugs

Key features
•    Often have strong geometric designs
•    Often asymmetrical
•    Abstract designs
•    Almost any colour


What to look for?

Weaving styles

There are several types of weaving styles and it is important to know what you are looking for when trying to find an antique rug.

Hand- Knotted
Also referred to as pile hand knotted rugs, these are prized around the world.  There are a number of different knotting styles, but all of them involve tying fibre pieces around a sturdy woven foundation. The pile, which refers to the density of the fibres, can very in length and thickness; less than 1/4? (low); 1/4? to 1/2? (medium); 1/2? to 3/4? (plush); some shags get even longer. A hand-knotted rug may have an open or closed back. This means that when you look at the underside of the rug, you may be able to see the fibre pieces. Alternatively, the back may be covered with fabric.
Flat-Woven
The construction process for these rugs involves stretching fibre, called the weft, on a loom then interweaving additional fibres called the “warp” and are often much thinner than knotted rugs.  While they provide less insulation, they are more versatile and have been used for thousands of years as prayer rugs, flooring, wall hangings and saddle pads.