FAQs About Oriental & Persian Rugs

What are the classifications of Oriental Rugs?

Just like wines from different regions have different characteristics, the same is true for Oriental Rugs. Although rugs come from all over the Asian Continent (Central Asia, India, and China are all rug-producing regions) and beautiful rugs from all those places, the rugs from Persia are often the most beautiful.

Another classification is between tribal rugs and workshop rugs.  Tribal rugs are made by nomadic groups. Tribal rugs are made in primitive looms that can be easily assembled and disassembled while tribes are on the move. A workshop rug is created in a mini-factory of sorts although the rugs are still handmade.

Why are Persian rugs valuable?

In a word: Knots. Persian rugs are more exquisite-looking if they have a higher level of detail. To get more detail, the rugs has to have a higher density of knots per square inch. It also shows that the process of making the rug was a more time-consuming process.

Think of how it's a better viewing experience to watch TV through a high-definition set.  Knot density was the equivalent of high-definition TV hundreds of years ago in Persia.

Additionally, Persian rugs are hand-made which means that every rug is unique.

Does rug beauty correlate with price entirely?

There are some rugs that are of striking beauty but how pretty the design is does not necessarily predict the degree of wear.

What factors contribute to the price of a rug?

As mentioned before, the density of the rug is a big contributor to price. In addition, there's the quality of the material. Whether it's wool or the more valuable silk, or some combination thereof, the quality of both wool and silk are very important to consider.

Persian rugs are valuable because they're hand-made and fake?
Watch out for the terminology and the price. Rugs aren't cheap, so if they're being sold cheaper than market value, start asking questions. A store that sells "Oriental Design Rugs", for example, is not authentic.

You have to look very carefully and inspect the knots from both the top and the bottom. An expert can tell very quickly.