Blog
What to pay
(Posted on 10/12/13)The amount you pay should primarily be determined by what you can afford. This may seem self-evident, but it is not unknown for people to be carried along by the atmosphere of an auction, or the sales patter of a dealer. The first step is...
Prices and value
(Posted on 03/12/13)Prices is determined by number of factors, including the cost of purchase in the country of origin, shipping, washing, import tariffs and the wholesaler's overheads; but by far the most important influence on the price you will pay in shops is the...
Dates and signatures
(Posted on 27/11/13)Dates and signatures sometimes woven into the pile of the rug, usually in the border; this can be taken as a clear indication of when and by whom the rug was made. (Copies of old rugs sometimes include the original date and signature, but there is rarely...
Dating
(Posted on 12/11/13)Discovering exactly when an undated rug was made is almost impossible. However, complete accuracy is not important, as a few years either way make little difference to its value or collectability; placing it in the right quarter of the appropriate...
Assessing Quality
(Posted on 02/11/13)CONTRARY TO POPULAR MYTH, assessing quality is not difficult as it might first appear; armed with a little basic information, anyone should be able to distinguish a good from a poor quality rug. Obviously, there is some truth in the old maxim that...
Oriental Rugs (Size)
(Posted on 26/10/13)Choosing the correct size is not as simple as merely ensuring that the rug fits into the appropriate space. Oriental rugs need room to breathe, and unless they are given the right amount of space they can either be swamped by the surrounding decor...
Decorative considerations
(Posted on 25/10/13)DesignIn many ways, design is less critical than colour, as the colour of a rug has far more impact on its surroundings; a discordant pattern will still blend into most rooms, providing the colours are harmonious. How ever, choosing the right design...
Buying a rug (Colours)
(Posted on 19/10/13)Decorative considerations (Colour) Today, rugs are an important export for most producing countries, and many weaving groups have consciously broadened their palette in order to appeal to Western tastes. This is particularly true of India...
Buying a rug (Choosing)
(Posted on 17/10/13)Choosing an oriental rugThe most important factor when choosing an oriental rug is he reason 'why' the rug is being bought. This may seem self-evident, but it is not unknown for people to purchase extremely attractive and reasonably priced items...
Sizes and Shapes
(Posted on 10/10/13)In the East it is customary to employ several rugs in an overall floor plan, rather than opting for one large, centralizing carpet as in the West. This has a number of practical advantages from a furnishing and decorative point of view. If...