Buying a Persian Rug: Making the Best Choice
The term Oriental rug refers to rugs handmade from the Asian continent including Iran (Persia), Turkey, Afghanistan, China, India, Pakistan, Mongolia, Nepal, Kirgizitan as well as Uzbekistan. Although a Persian rug is an oriental rug, not all Oriental rugs are Persian. The Persian rugs have been considered the leaders in the world of carpets and weaving for thousands of years and that is why most people go for them to this age because of their designs and quality.
One important point to note though is that although most of the Persian rugs are of high quality and handmade, there are fakes that may range from mediocre to poor in quality especially those that are machine made. I am certain that when you decide to get a Persian rug you would wish to have the best in quality, I have a few guiding tips you will find beneficial.
a) When purchasing a Persian rug, it is important to deal only with a reputable dealer. You will be very vulnerable to fakes and poor quality rugs if you choose to go to ‘out of business’ deals.
b) Avoid buying Persian carpets from travelling auctions; they are known to be outlets for rejected goods. Deal with direct importers of handmade rugs.
c) Choose a Persian rug that is aesthetically pleasing to you, that is in color, pattern and overall look and feel. Check the size to be sure it is appropriate and that the dimensions are not off-beat. They may not necessarily be standard in sizes because they are handmade but you should be able to tell what rug is proportional.
d) Slight inconsistencies in the rug may be considered the perfect imperfection, proof that the Oriental rug is authentic and hand knotted or wove. Since most traditional looms used are made of wood, their reaction to cold, dry and moist conditions causes it to warp thus the resulting irregularities.
e) Be sure that the material used to make rug should be natural materials such as cotton, wool, goat hair and silk.
f) Check the knots per square inch (KPSI) detail. This will largely depend on the location the rug was made, the style and the characteristic of the city and the country.
g) Lastly, take time to examine the back side of the rug and make sure that the pattern is very clear and the knots distinguishable. The knots will not be as regular or grid-like if the Persian carpet is handmade.
