What To Look For In Persian Rugs


Selecting a Persian rug can be a daunting task for most people. There is a lot of misinformation out there as to what to look for. Let's face it, a good Persian rug can cost a lot of money, and most people will be hesitant to make a significant investment on something they know little about.

The best solution for most is to find a reputable dealer who will work with you to find the rug you are looking for. The disadvantage to this is you will be paying for their help and advice in the markup of the rug, which can be quite high.

Another alternative is to use the power of the internet. There are a number of sites out there that sell authentic Persian rugs, with money back guarantees and free shipping.

Which ever way you choose, a little knowledge can go a long way.

An authentic Persian rug is handmade. There are a lot of machine woven imitation rugs out on the market. How do you tell the difference? Two ways:

1. The loops on the back of the rug will be visible on a handmade rug.

2. If the fringe is sewn on, then the rug is probably machine made.

Another advantage of an authentic rug is its durability. The natural fibers have a greater level of strength than machine-made rugs with synthetic fibers.

Once you have determine a rugs authenticity, there are several things to look for in selecting a rug. Probably the most well known and widely used is Knots Per Square Inch, commonly abbreviated as KPSI. Persian rugs can typically have between 20 and 700 knots or more in a one-inch by one-inch area. Generally, the more knots per square inch, the more valuable the rug. As a rule, a good quality rug should have at least 70 knots per square inch.

Another factor to look for is how long it took to make the rug. This can help determine the value when comparing similar rugs. It is not unusual for a hand woven rug to take many months to many years to create. A typically sized rug can taken between 6-12 months to complete.

How old a Persian rug is important as well. An older carpet is generally more expensive. Be careful of dealers who chemically wash the Persian rug to give it that aged look.

Learn about the different styles. Various terms you will hear are Tribal styles and City styles. Selecting among the two is more a matter of personal preference. Within each style, there are many popular and well known variations. Gabbeh, Shiraz and Bakhtiari are popular Tribal styles. Heriz, Tabriz and Qum are popular City styles. There is a story behind each rug.

This is just the starting point. Use the internet or your local library to learn more.

Jeff Brokob is a freelance writer providing tips and advice for consumers buying Persian rugs of all types including Oriental, antique and contemporary rugs. His numerous articles offer money saving tips and valuable insight on typically confusing topics.







Related News



Tengelmann Sees `Severe Recession,' Says Discounters to Prosper - Bloomberg

Tengelmann Sees `Severe Recession,' Says Discounters to Prosper
Bloomberg -17 hours ago
By Holger Elfes Oct. 15 (Bloomberg) -- Tengelmann Group, the German owner of Plus discount stores and the Obi home-improvement chain, forecast a ``severe ...

Corbett praises new home improvement protections - Legal News Line

Corbett praises new home improvement protections
Legal News Line, DC -Oct 14, 2008
(Legal Newsline) -- Pennsylvania has made steps towards protecting home owners from the increasing prevalence of home improvement fraud. ...

10 Home Improvement Tips for Seniors - Examiner.com

Examiner.com

10 Home Improvement Tips for Seniors
Examiner.com -Oct 14, 2008
by Judy Browne, Denver Home Improvement Examiner According to an AARP survey (May, 2000) www.aarp.org most older Americans want to remain living ...


Home improvement - Winnipeg Sun

Home improvement
Winnipeg Sun, Canada -Oct 15, 2008
With the NHL and Russia's new Continental Hockey League in a dispute over Alexander Radulov, the forward says he wants to stay home and help grow the sport ...

New, Stronger Work Towels Introduced in Time for Fall Home ... - MarketWatch

New, Stronger Work Towels Introduced in Time for Fall Home...
MarketWatch -Oct 13, 2008
The new WypAll Work Towels are ideal for painting, caulking and a variety of other fall home improvement, remodeling and construction projects. ...

Lakeland Police Nab Suspect In Home Improvement Scam - Tampa Tribune

Lakeland Police Nab Suspect In Home Improvement Scam
Tampa Tribune, FL -Oct 13, 2008
Lakeland police have arrested a man they say was involved in a home improvement scam that targeted residents of a retirement community. ...

BBB Warning on Home Improvement - WOWT

BBB Warning on Home Improvement
WOWT, NE -Oct 14, 2008
The Better Business Bureau has issued a warning against a Heartland home improvement company. The BBB has more than one major concern with the company. ...

YourNeighborsPlace.com - Home Improvement Advice - Killer Startups

Killer Startups

YourNeighborsPlace.com - Home Improvement Advice
Killer Startups, FL -3 hours ago
The premise behind the Your Neighbor’s Place is quite simple in itself: you share pictures of your home online with others and see their pictures, ...

Home improvement partnership to deliver boost for Lincolnshire - 24dash

Home improvement partnership to deliver boost for Lincolnshire
24dash, UK -Oct 14, 2008
An £8million contract is set to deliver massive improvements to Acis Group homes in West Lindsey over the next four years. Frank Haslam Milan (FHM) is ...

MSHDA Offers Low-cost Loans for Home Improvements - MarketWatch

MSHDA Offers Low-cost Loans for Home Improvements
MarketWatch -Oct 13, 2008
"Home energy costs can be a significant part of a household budget, particularly in the winter." Visit www.michigan.gov/mshda and click on Home Improvement...