How old is my oriental rug

However, there are some antique silk rugs that can go quite high. Prior to around , carpets were dyed using only natural vegetable dyes. These dyes tend to naturally fade with age, exposure to sunlight , and exposure to chemicals. Although you can find a wide range of colors in rugs using natural dyes, they are generally mellower than chemical dyes. However, many manufactures are now bleaching and treating their carpets to give them an aged appearance. But this is easy to spot.

Separate the pile and look at it with a magnifying glass. If the color is worn naturally, there will be a gentle transition in color from the top to the base.

However, if it has been bleached, there will be a sharp band of color in the middle of the fiber. Antique rug dyes were different than modern ones. In the article above we tried to give you pointers for figuring how old your rugs are. But it is important to take all of what we wrote with a gain of salt. The reason is that dating rugs is not an exact science and sadly, most pieces were not dated when they were made.

So you would need to see a lot of rugs, of a specific type, to start to be able to tell how old one rug is vs another. If you have questions about a specific rug, would like to know how old it is or maybe you would like to sell it, please visit our: Sell Your Rugs Page.

My Wishlist Login. How Old Is My Rug? June 16, omri schwartz Rug Blog. How Old Is My Rug. Antique Persian Bakshaish Rugs. Antique Persian Serapi Rugs. Antique Persian Heriz Rugs. The KPSI can help determine the age of a rug. Previous article The Craftsman House. Next article French Colonial Architecture. July 10, Read More.

November 20, Always rely on a professional when you suspect an item has high value. Join our private Facebook Group dedicated to the estate sale industry professionals where you can share, ask, and grow your business with others.

Subscribe for quality content on running your estate sale or auction business, plus important industry news. Persian rugs are Oriental rugs, but not all Oriental rugs are Persian rugs. There are over a hundred types of rugs which identify the village it originated from. About Oriental or Persian Rugs In order for a rug to be labeled an authentic Oriental or Persian rug, the rug must be handmade by a skilled artisan. Kroese Is the Rug Hand Made? Identifying how a rug is made will help you further determine its value.

Just like a free-hand drawing. A hand knotted rug is made without a design outline to follow. Hand Tufted Rugs These rugs are made on canvas backing which is outlined or filled with the design. Photo of a machine made rug, as you can see there is no design duplication on the back. How to Tell the Difference? View the Back of the Rug Flip the rug over and look at the back side. Look at the Fringe Detail The fringe on a hand knotted rug literally holds the rug together, the knots on them are extremely tight and do not come apart easily.

Once you begin seeing the difference between the two, it becomes second nature to you. Estate Persian Rug Material? Wool and silk are the two most common materials used in handmade estate oriental rugs. To tell the difference between the two is quite simple. A large silk rug is very light in weight, can fold down like a towel.

How Old is the Estate Rug? How Important is the Rug Design? Designs that include animals in Persian rugs are also considered valuable. Estate Jewelry , Antique Rugs, Antique Furnishings, etc… Finding a local, reputable rug dealer that can give you a range of pricing when you contact them would be wise.

Determining whether or not to do this will be based on the estate rug itself. Evaluate its condition stiff, soft, clean, dirty. For valuable rugs, especially antiques, we recommend a written appraisal for insurance purposes from your local rug dealer. If you are interested in purchasing an older rug, The Editorialist composed a guide of what to look for when shopping for a vintage rug.

Older rugs are more likely to have been touched up for aesthetic reasons, and these touch-ups may disappear after washing. Read our blog to learn more about the dyes used to impart color, the risks of color bleeding, and touch-ups. Tags: rug , antique rug , antique rugs , handmade rug , handmade rugs , how old is my rug , oriental rug , oriental rugs , persian rug , persian rugs , rug appraisals , rug value , rugs.

You must be logged in to post a comment. Posted on October 3, by Behnam Rugs Whether you recently purchased an older rug, inherited a rug , or were gifted a fine rug through family or friends, you may wonder about its age and value. Things to Look For: Wear — Is the pile worn down or foundation exposed? This is not a foolproof way to assess age, as an antique that experienced little to no traffic may retain its pile, and cheaply-made new rugs wear down quickly. Use wear in conjunction with the following indicators for better age estimates.

Check the Back — The back of an older rug will likely be grainy or smooth, while the back of a newer rug will be fuzzy. Foot traffic and furniture placed on the rug will erode the fibers on the back over time through abrasion from pressure.