{"id":2573,"date":"2019-03-11T16:24:38","date_gmt":"2019-03-11T22:24:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/estatesales.org\/university\/?p=2573"},"modified":"2019-03-12T09:38:54","modified_gmt":"2019-03-12T15:38:54","slug":"a-guide-to-estate-oriental-rugs-persian-area-rugs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/estatesales.org\/university\/a-guide-to-estate-oriental-rugs-persian-area-rugs\/","title":{"rendered":"Identifying & Pricing Oriental Rugs at Estate Sales"},"content":{"rendered":"

When it comes to estate sales<\/a>, the contents of a home often vary, however it\u2019s very common to find area rugs in almost every home.<\/p>\n

From contemporary area rugs to antique Persian rugs and tapestries, researching and properly pricing them can be quite a task.<\/p>\n

We hope to shed some light on estate oriental rugs<\/strong> and provide you with a useful guide that will help you along the way.<\/p>\n

Are Oriental Rugs and Persian Rugs the Same?<\/h2>\n

Using the correct term is extremely important when identifying and selling estate rugs or any items for that matter.<\/p>\n

The terms are often used interchangeably but they\u2019re quite different. Persian rugs<\/strong> are made in the Middle East<\/a>, specifically in Iran which is formerly recognized as Persia. Persian rugs are a sub-category of Oriental rugs.<\/p>\n

The Oriental Rugs which also include Persian Rugs can be made in the middle east or Asia such as India, Egypt, China, Pakistan and Iran.<\/p>\n

Persian rugs are Oriental rugs, but not all Oriental rugs are Persian rugs.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Today, the term is used to identify style, technique and design rather than identifying the region it came from.<\/p>\n

There are over a hundred types of rugs which identify the village it originated from.<\/p>\n

Some of the most popular rugs are Tabriz, Kerman, Asfahan, and Kashan. These are the names of the towns in Iran where the Persian rug is made.\u00a0 Tabriz is highly desirable and so are the rest by avid collectors.<\/p>\n

The designs of these rugs are so distinctive, an avid collector automatically can determine the name of the rug by simply looking at the design on the rug itself.<\/p>\n

About Oriental or Persian Rugs<\/h2>\n

In order for a rug to be labeled an authentic Oriental or Persian rug, the rug must be handmade by a skilled artisan.<\/p>\n

Today many parts of rugs are machine made, like the dye and the thread used, however it\u2019s still knotted by hand using the same techniques rug weavers used for years.<\/p>\n

Antique Persian rugs are sought after for their artistic appeal. Their vibrant colors, unique patterns and designs show amazing skill by the artisans.<\/p>\n

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Estate Oriental Rug submitted by Lisa Kroese with Expert Estate Sales by L.A. Kroese<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Is the Rug Hand Made?<\/h2>\n

Identifying how a rug is made will help you further determine its value.<\/p>\n

As the manufacturing process evolved, machine made rugs were made to mimic high quality hand-knotted rugs, therefore it\u2019s important to understand the difference in order to determine proper value for an estate sale.<\/p>\n

Common Estate Sale Rugs<\/h2>\n
\"Estate
Photo Credit: Pascale Saliba ~ Estate Vintage Hand Knotted Persian (Iran) Rug<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hand-Knotted Rugs<\/h3>\n

Often referred to as Oriental rugs, these rugs are 100% made by hand using a loom.<\/p>\n

The process of making the rug is labor intensive, the weaver inserts knots into the rug to tie each one by hand.<\/p>\n

Just like a free-hand drawing. A hand knotted rug is made without a design outline to follow.<\/p>\n

Masterful artisans can take months to complete one rug, depending on the pattern details and material used. The finished product is worth the wait.<\/p>\n

Hand-knotted rugs increase in value as they age. They\u2019re often kept as family heirlooms and passed down from one generation to another.<\/p>\n

Since they\u2019re not mass produced, each rug is considered a one-of-a-kind find by avid collectors.<\/p>\n

Hand Tufted Rugs<\/h3>\n

These rugs are made on canvas backing which is outlined or filled with the design.<\/p>\n

They\u2019re not 100% handmade but do require a person to shoot pieces of wool through the canvas backing.<\/p>\n

To quickly compare, it can take anywhere between 6 to 9 months to complete a hand-knotted rug, but a hand tufted rug can be completed in a few days.<\/p>\n

As an estate sale professional, it\u2019s important to establish fair market value.<\/p>\n

They can be deceiving when compared, you must pay close attention to the difference between handmade and hand-tufted rugs found at estate sales.<\/p>\n

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Photo of a machine made rug, as you can see there is no design duplication on the back.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Machine Made Rugs<\/h3>\n

Often called “low effort rugs”, they\u2019re made by machines, mass produced, and don\u2019t hold much value.<\/p>\n

The guide to pricing these rugs at estate sales will require looking up the tag on the back, using your experience and judgement based on the condition and size of the rug.<\/p>\n

They\u2019re readily available at discount stores, and easily replaceable.<\/p>\n

The hand-knotted rug is often more valuable than the hand tufted rug, which is more valuable than the machine-made rug.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

How to Tell the Difference?<\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re new to the estate sale industry, and rugs in general, here are a few tips you can use to begin identifying how a rug is made.<\/p>\n

View the Back of the Rug<\/h3>\n

Flip the rug over and look at the back side. If the back side matches the front side, it\u2019s very likely a hand-knotted rug.<\/p>\n