Antique Persian rugs are one of the most valuable rugs in the market. Are you planning of buying an antique rug? Here are tips on how to determine whether the Persian rug you want to buy is antique:
Size
An antique Persian rug measures 9 by 6 feet or smaller. If you are buying a rug and you find that it’s larger than these dimensions, it can’t be an antique rug.
Foundation fabric
The foundation is the base or mesh of an antique rug. An antique rug starts with a woollen foundation. There are some unscrupulous sellers who will try and sell you a rug with a foundation made from synthetic fibres. If you come across such a rug, you shouldn’t buy it as it isn’t antique.
Knots
Knots in antique Persian rugs are made with woollen or silk threads. To determine if the threads are natural you should rub them. If they get warmer, they are most likely silk or wool.
Another way of testing them is pricking a few fibres and burning them. Wool and silk are protein based; therefore, they will smell like burning hair when you ignite them. Synthetic fibres smell like paper when burnt.
To be sure that you are buying the right rug you should consider hiring an antique Persian rug expert to test the fibres for you.
In addition to determining the fibres used in making the knots, you also need to take a look at the type of knots. Antique rugs have two types of knots: Persian and Turkish knots. The Persian knot is a half knot while the Turkish knot is a full knot. If you come across a rug with a different type of knot, it’s most likely not an antique rug.
Images
Antique Persian rugs have unique images. The most common images include: birds, dragons, fighting animals, leaves, vines and floral arrangements, and hunting. Since it’s hard to tell whether a rug is antique by simply looking at the images, it’s wise that you hire a Persian rug professional to help you in identifying whether the rug is antique.
Conclusion
These are tips on how to identify an antique Persian rug. To increase your chances of buying a real antique rug you should only buy from a reputable store.
