Learn about antique rugs in this short and informative article.

1. Persian Carpets, Oriental Rugs: What is considered as antique?
When it comes to Persian carpets and Oriental rugs, a piece needs to be over 70 years old in order to fall
into the category of “antique rugs”. Of course, it would be difficult to determine the exact age of a rug
with certainty. In fact, there are very few experts and dealers who can claim to have an all-inclusive
understanding or knowledge about the subject. As the number of true antique rugs gradually gets
smaller, the information and practical understanding of them becomes more difficult to acquire. There
are simply fewer of them around to provide the examination opportunities.
It is generally presumed that the wool is dyed by natural dyes in antique rugs, because right about 70
years ago, synthetic dyes found their way into the production of Persian and Oriental rugs. One of the
most important qualities of older rugs is color. By exposure to natural light and wear, colors tend to be
clearer and more alive in older pieces as opposed to modern rugs. Limited resources forced weavers to
dye the wool in smaller batches, and as they ran out of wool while working on a rug, the needed new
batch of wool would almost never result in exactly the same shades. The presence of color changes both
in the field and the border, called “abrash”, is seen in older rugs. It is simply a reflection of the primitive
conditions under which rugs used to be made, and is considered completely natural, not a flaw. In
antique rugs, various colors will have worn unevenly since different natural dyes have different effects
on raw wool. Deep-blue areas which were created with indigo dye, as an example, should be a bit less
worn than other areas.
Although repairs, stains, and insect damage are all minus points for antique rugs, minor problems such
as very short fringes, or an even short pile, come naturally with age. In fact, to see an antique rug in
perfect condition should alarm you. It is possible that the rug has been treated to look old. By adding
chemicals during the washing process, this is rather easily achieved. It does make the colors softer and
creates overtones, making a better-looking finished product, but it also weakens the pile and wears the
rug faster.
If you are interested in furnishing with the older look, begin with the rugs and then select your furniture,
paint, fabrics, and wallpaper to match. This way, you will avoid falling into the trap of having to buy an
expensive rug –that you may not like so much- simply to match the rest of the room.
And finally, a piece of advice: The primary reason for buying Persian carpets and Oriental rugs
should be to enjoy them, and secondary, to view them as an instrument of investment. Although
greater demand in Western markets and diminished production in rug-weaving countries have
steadily increased their investment value during the past 20 years, prices of Oriental rugs are
affected by so many unforeseen factors. Political unrest, lowered cost of raw material, and
sudden increase in production due to government regulations, as well as strong fluctuations in
currency exchange rates could all affect future prices dramatically.