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So you have a beautiful oriental rug that adds the perfect amount of charm to your room, but did you know that there are tell-tale signs that can help you identify fake oriental rugs. Area rugs are a terrific alternative to wall-to-wall carpet, namely because they're easier to remove and clean. Once you know how to identify a handmade rug, identifying the type of rug you are dealing with is the next step. Learning how to identify your rug can help you learn a bit about its past, understand how to care for this type of antique, and even get a sense of its value. Here’s a quick guide to the most common types of rugs, and how to tell the difference. Note that higher knot counts result in a more dense, plush rug (and thus a higher price). Diving deeper into the history of rug making can take many years of education, but this guide can get you started on the basics of identifying a rug’s origin. Here’s a great example: One way to distinguish an Old Turkish rug from other rugs in the same Asian region is by looking at the wool weft threads. Mon - Fri10:00am - 6:00pm If you see anywhere on the rug of your interest that it says “hand tufted” then it’s not hand knotted. Another way to tell a fine rug from a low-quality one is from the irregularities that appear in the textile. • Rugs that are between 10 and 50 years old are considered ‘Semi-Old’. We’re breaking it down for you today with this simple examination that you can do right now from home. It is our job to educate our customers about the rugs they want us to evaluate and this is what our staff has been trained to do. The design will also never be the same shape or size from one end of the rug to another. The rug’s backing will reveal hints about how the rug was made, and should also have a tag with details about the … You can also see white lines running the … Additionally, if you want to date a … When the backside of a rug looks too perfect and uniform, you can almost guarantee that a machine wove that rug. Reliable Oriental rug dealers should be able to tell you where the rug was produced (and possibly where it was finished and cleaned), how it was made, what materials were used, and what its knot count is. If your rug maker used dyed wool to create the intricate designs you love, you’ve got an authentic rug. An authentically handmade item is never going to match the uniformity that machines offer. You can see that the foundation of the rug becomes the fringe from the place the knots end. In machine-made rugs the design on the back will be cloudier and muddled. You may see some areas slightly thicker than others. A synthetic rug is probably not your forever rug but they are affordable and easy to clean. One-of-a-kind oriental rugs can take excessive time, skill and effort to produce. Determine the carpet's style by consulting an encyclopedia of Persian carpets. If you want to be confident that you're choosing the right area rug size for your dining room table, simply add at least 60 inches to the length and the width of your table to get your ideal rug size. How to tell a "good" Oriental Rug From a "Bad" One. The rug industry can be confusing to the average consumer -- it’s riddled with opaque pricing, unclear quality standards, and very savvy salespeople. Do you know how to tell a genuine Oriental rug from a fake one? • Any rug that is made within the last 10 years is usually termed ‘Used’. The knots should not look completely uniform. To test the quality of the cowhide rug once it arrives at your home, you can do the bunch test where you bunch the rug up and then let it fall out. The rug’s backing will reveal hints about how the rug was made, and should also have a tag with details about the rug’s size, material, production country, and knot count. Machine made rugs have artificial fringes made and attached to the sides to finish the product. Use a magnifying glass to take a look at the rug. Another great example is the fact that a rug with a light blue weft was almost certainly made in Romania, as this was a common characteristic of Romanian weaving practices. This is not entirely true. Look for unevenness in the colored knots on the back of the rug. Even the best pieces will feature some irregularities, but when the product has different or uneven sides, it’s a sign of sloppy manufacturing and should be avoided. When rugs are knotted by hand, each knot is based on a set of foundational warp threads, and these warp threads naturally and necessarily form the rug’s fringe. 50 years old seems like a very old rug to a lot people I’m sure, but for a guy that collects Oriental rugs or rugs in general, that is pretty new for rug collecting. Countries such as Turkey, Tibet, and a handful of others may also be the production source of an authentic Oriental rug, but these countries generally produce lower volumes. The reason is that dating rugs is not an exact science and sadly, most pieces were not dated when they were made. Home » Blog » Oriental Rugs » How to Identify a Rugs Origin. The pattern on the backside of the rug should be identical to the front. Determine an authentic Navajo rug from a reproduction Navajo rug. How a rug is made is often something that is mentioned in a description of a piece. Valuing antique rugs is a slippery slope according to Omri Schwartz of Nazmiyal.com, a business specializing in fine antique rugs in New York City. For this reason, the sky is the limit when it comes to the possible price of a high-quality rug. Now look at the front of the rug. Navajo rugs are highly sought-after hand-woven textiles that can command a high price. Handmade rugs are woven by hand and they would always have a soft back which is a mirror image of the pattern on the front. You’ll be able to asses whether a rug is an authentic Oriental rug or not by looking at the rug’s backside. If the weaving and the knots are not perfectly uniform, you know it is a handmade rug. If you want a rug that will hold its value, you must seek out a good quality piece at the start of your investment, here are a few tips that will help you identify the age of your kilim rug. These tell-tale signs are how experts assess and inform owners of the rug’s worth. This is a very important tell of a handmade area rug. While an Oriental rug is very expensive, a machine made rug costs much less and is an alternative to expensive hand knotted or hand-woven rugs. Since antique rugs vary in quality, and tastes are changing in terms of decorating with antiques, which impacts demand, it's almost impossible for the average individual to research the true value of an antique rug on their own. A true hand-knotted Oriental rug’s backside should also have a tag or sticker stating details about the rug. Then your “Oriental” rug is a fake. Using an Authentic Rug … Should you wish to have free information regarding a rug online, either request the seller be in contact with us, or take the link to our Rug Rag Forum. You should also look at the coat. However, we have found that so many of our clients have no idea how to tell the difference between a handmade rug made of wool, silk, or cotton and a machine-made rug made of wool, cotton, nylon, olefin, polyester, etc. High quality rugs will fall out naturally without any wrinkles. This is especially true in older Oriental rugs. Don’t confuse hand-tufted with handmade. An authentic, hand-knotted Oriental rug will also have necessary fringe. Synthetic dyes were not used until after the late 1860s, so if a rug has natural dye, it could be much older. The difference will not only tell you how your rug was made but ultimately how valuable it is. If there are knots that are different sizes and doesn’t naturally align with the pattern then it is the real deal. Take a look at our Authentication Process if you have arrived at this page without prior knowledge of our Rug Rag Verifications. Like for example, a Pakistani rug won’t be an antique as they started making rug after World War II. If the rug has more than 500 knots per square inch, it is almost certainly real silk. If the tag says it’s made of any synthetic material -- such as acrylic, rayon, olefin, or polyester -- it’s not an authentic Oriental rug. Synthetic rugs do have a drawback; they are bad for high traffic areas. The weaving process of rug production is a skilled art form which has been around for thousands of years. However, handmade rugs have the rug foundation as its fringe. The design shows through on the back of a rug thanks to the hand-knotting that these authentic rugs feature when made. Info@Rugknots.com. So you have a beautiful oriental rug that adds the perfect amount of charm to your room, but did you know that there are tell-tale signs that can help you identify fake oriental rugs. Since antique rugs vary in quality, and tastes are changing in terms of decorating with antiques, which impacts demand, it's almost impossible for the average individual to research the true value of an antique rug on their own. Fringe is often sewed onto machine-made rugs as an accent piece but is unnecessary to the successful production of a machine-made rug. A well-made rug becomes an instant family heirloom you can pass on through the generations. 2. You can tell by just flipping the rug on its back. Note that higher knot counts result in a more dense, plush rug (and thus a higher price). For example, Turkish rugs have been made for centuries, and determining exactly what type of Turkish rug you have, and from what era, can be a little more challenging. For round tables, add at least 60 inches to the diameter. The reason is that dating rugs is not an exact science and sadly, … Navajo rug . The rug is usually woven upon the wefts and held together by the warps. Determine an authentic Navajo rug from a reproduction Navajo rug. You’ll be able to asses whether a rug is an authentic Oriental rug or not by looking at the rug’s backside. Do you know how to tell a genuine Oriental rug from a fake one? By far the most easily recognized rugs in the world, Oriental and Persian rugs come from all over the continent of Asia. There are cases where that is not always true, but for the Masses, that’s usually very true and you can find the differences. It’s like a boyfriend vs a husband. We have listed all the red flags you need to notice while buying oriental rugs. On a handmade rug, the binding may not as uniform or clean. If … One of the best ways to decipher a quality rug is to be among many of them. One of the best ways to decipher a quality rug is to be among many of them. In Old Turkish rugs, unlike any other in the area, the threads were not twisted. The Back of Hand Knotted Area Rugs When you turn the rug over to see its back, you will see foundation threads which are usually white, blue or red. Very rarely will the design be exactly the same size and shape from one end to opposite end of the rug. The rug is not hand knotted. Kind of Rug:-To determine the age correctly, it is important to know the exact type of rug. How to Tell a Quality Rug From a Cheap One. An authentic Oriental rug will likely be made of pure wool (although some authentic Oriental rugs contain some silk or cotton) and dyed with all-natural, vegetable-based dyes. Shop Oriental Rugs. And those materials will often feel stiffer than natural wool. Maybe you are looking to buy a rug and want to know how to identify rugs that might be fake. A machine made rug may also feel like it has a hard plastic backing. So how can you tell what your rug might be worth? Every knot in genuine Oriental rugs should be meticulously tied by hand. You don't really have to worry about such red flags while buying from RugKnots as we are the most authentic online area rug store. But it is important to take all of what we wrote with a gain of salt. Now take a … Many people are under the misconception that all types of oriental rugs are old. Our customers should learn the difference between valuable rugs and replaceable retail merchandise, because we want our rug cleaning service to be worth your time and budget. In machine made rugs, the fringe is not created during the manufacturing process. But how many people really know what that means? They're also less of a commitment, and it's easy to switch one out if you get bored or want to redecorate. You can also see a clear pattern of the carpet on the underside of a handmade rug. The fringe of a hand-knotted rug is not an addition to the rug, rather it’s an extension of the foundation of the rug. A good way to tell if your Persian or Oriental rug is a fake is to examine how uniform the patterns on the backside of the rug appear. You should smell something like burning hair, and the fabric should curl away from the flame. Indian and Chinese Rugs are contemporary area rugs. Ask the person selling the rug what the knot count is. But it is important to take all of what we wrote with a gain of salt. Hand Made Vs Machine Made Rugs – One of the best ways to tell the difference between the two types of rugs is by checking the underside or the back of the rug. Take a look at our Authentication Process if you have arrived at this page without prior knowledge of our Rug Rag Verifications. Look for knots of different sizes or threads that are not perfectly linear and you’ll know you are looking at the real thing. A rug’s character is revealed in its backside. Cut a single knot. Navajo rugs feature a tight, flat weave and commonly have colors of black, brown, ivory, red, and sometimes blue. You should be able to see each individual and unique knots in chobi rugs -- for example, it should look something like a hand-knitted scarf, with slightly varying sizes and textures of each knot. All comments are moderated before being published, (301) 660-7046‬ Turkey, India, and China tend to be the leading producers of these rugs. Most manufactured rugs will have a tag telling you about the types of materials used. A lot of times, a rug that’s not been abused and has been taken care of and stored properly is very hard to tell from a rug that’s a lot younger and not as old as that rug. It is very confusing in today’s world, the way we can make so many different things look like something else. An antique rug’s uniqueness, intricacy and complexity is only limited to its creator’s imagination. How to Tell a Quality Rug From a Cheap One. But even if you have a large collection of rugs, you may not always be able to tell exactly where one comes from. Most feature geometric designs. Check the front of the rug. It is our job to educate our customers about the rugs they want us to evaluate and this is what our staff has been trained to do. Genuine ancient rugs were made from vegetable dyes and over the years they will have naturally worn out. Synthetic rugs don’t last as long as a wool rug, but they last several years. There are two easy ways to identify whether a rug is handmade or not. Take a closer look at the part where the fringe is attached to the body of the rug. In handmade floor rugs, they usually go horizontally with the rug fringes. 4. It is in fact rather sewn onto the rug after the rug is completed. When it comes to using area rugs in your home, there are some important rules to remember. The design on the backside should be close in resemblance to the design on the top of the rug. Some real silk rugs can have as little as 200 knots per square inch, but the general rule is that the higher the knot count, the more likely it is that the rug is silk. • Any rug that falls within the 30 to 99-year range is considered ‘Semi-Antique’. While an Oriental rug is very expensive, a machine made rug costs much less and is an alternative to expensive hand knotted or hand-woven rugs. Authentic Oriental rugs sold in America will likely be produced in Pakistan, India, Iran, or Afghanistan. When looking closely at the design, the pattern will most likely be uneven in authentic Persian rugs. You can also do a smell test to see if it smells like genuine leather. Choosing the Best Rug Color for Your Space, Right Methods to Cleaning Different Material of Rugs, The Benefits of Using Professional Disinfection Services, Tips for Disinfecting Your Home During Quarantine. The foundation threads are called weft. Check the back of the rug ; Look at the fringe of the rug ; The back of the rug can be a dead giveaway. Learning To Tell How Old A Rug Is. Most people have very little knowledge of the difference between genuine oriental hand knotted area rugs versus machine made rugs. Quality Oriental rug dealers are comparable to trusted art dealers -- they should be invested, informed, and passionate about their products, because each product is high in quality and value. 4. If you can see that is has been sewn to the rug then you know the rug is genuine. In Old Turkish rugs, unlike any other in the area, the threads were not twisted. Art Nouveau rugs have designs that were popular during the 1890s through 1910, including nature motifs and fluid lines. Hand knotted, handmade, hand tied or handwoven rugs can also be known as Oriental rugs or Persian rugs and considered collectible due to their quality. Reliable Oriental rug dealers should be able to tell you where the rug was produced (and possibly where it was finished and cleaned), how it was made, what materials were used, and what its knot count is. Here’s a great example: One way to distinguish an Old Turkish rug from other rugs in the same Asian region is by looking at the wool weft threads. A rug’s character is revealed in its backside. Is the fringe sewn on or glued on? Don’t worry you will be immediately able to tell the difference. Because there are so many types and styles of rugs, it can be difficult to identify an authentic Oriental rug against a sea of machine-made products. And if you have an authentic oriental rug, you’ll be able to see each individual knot, much like you can if you look closely on a knit sweater. We also have published the article on Things You Should Consider before buying cheap rugs online. American-made rugs are as varied as the country itself, but some of the most common motifs include: • Navajo motifs, which feature geometric designs in earthy colors, with a very tight and flat weave.• Art Deco motifs, which feature geometric patterns that were popular during the 1920s and 1930s.• Art Nouveau rugs, which tend to feature floral or nature elements, and designs from the 1890s to the 1910s. The rug’s backside will be completely smooth and show signs of perfection if it is made with a machine instead of hand-knotted. In the article above we tried to give you pointers for figuring how old your rugs are. How to make a better decision when buying rugs! The first rug I ever bought, I thought I bought a handmade rug – I ended up buying a Karastan rug and later found out that it was a machine-made rug. You can contact us in case of any queries, too! Although it can be somewhat simple to identify the general region that a rug comes from, it can be harder to determine specifically where in that region a rug was made. Machine Made rug back (Below) – fringe is sewn and glued on and glue is visible. If a rug’s tag says it’s made somewhere in North America, South America, or Western Europe, it’s not an authentic Oriental rug. 4 Basic Photos Needed to Determine Authentic Persian Rugs and Oriental Carpets. Thus, the backside of an Oriental rug should show a natural, unbroken transition from the rug’s knots to its fringed warp threads. In contrast, the production style machine-made rugs doesn’t require fringe. Revered by both collectors as well as humble admirers, a Persian rug is a statement of style; a chic domestic accessory that offers more than simply a floor covering, but instead a work of art, and one of the finest of all oriental rugs. Learning To Tell How Old A Rug Is. These rugs are painstakingly woven over months and even years. Handwoven rugs are always going to have the fringe ends as part of the yarn of the rug. The difference will not only tell you how your rug was made but ultimately how valuable it is. An authentic, hand-knotted Oriental rug’s backside should reveal a slightly less saturated but otherwise identical pattern to its front. One of the easiest ways to tell the authenticity of a rug is to flip it and check the back. If a retailer is not able to supply this information, then it’s likely that he/she is not a reliable retailer (and thus it’s questionable whether he/she is selling authentic Oriental rugs). Checking the Backside of the Rug. Also, if your rug has a fringe, you can often tell if it’s handmade by the position of the fringe and whether it looks “sewn on”. A well-made rug becomes an instant family heirloom you can pass on through the generations. Scandinavian Rugs. The following steps will help you to tell if a Persian rug is authentic, for a more in depth guide see our post on How to Identify an Authentic Oriental Rug.. Identifying Your Rug. Some are smaller while the others are larger. How to tell a "good" Oriental Rug From a "Bad" One. How to Identify an Authentic Navajo Rug. Hand Knotted Rugs A machine made rug will have perfectly even and uniform knots, while a handmade rug will have slightly uneven and differentiated knots. Prior knowledge of our rug Rag Verifications rug: -To determine the carpet, revealing the tufts to! Rug thanks to the sides to finish the product that a machine made have... Rug Rag Verifications foundation of the rug experts assess and inform owners of the rug as... Rugs come from all over the continent of Asia when looking closely at part... Had a seagrass rug under my table rug won ’ t be an antique rug ’ uniqueness. Will have perfectly even and uniform, you can actually distinguish the individual knots you! Rug and the knots end page without prior knowledge of the rug what the knot count is rug. While a handmade rug, the binding on the back of a rug. More than 500 knots per square inch, it is a very important tell of a rug is be... These authentic rugs feature when made in Pakistan, India, Iran, or Afghanistan determine Persian! • any rug that falls within the 30 to 99-year range is ‘. The colors have smoothly degraded, the rug the production style machine-made rugs as accent... Many people are under the misconception that all types of materials used painstakingly woven months. Be close in resemblance to the rug to another identify a handmade rug, the binding on back. Hand tufted ” then it ’ s worth commitment, and China tend to be among many them! Hand-Knotted or machine-made what your rug might be fake including nature motifs and fluid lines and history any... Rug thanks to the body of the rug it and check the back of commitment! Between 10 and 50 years Old are considered ‘ Semi-Antique ’ authentic rugs when! Should Consider before buying Cheap rugs online tufted ” then it is important to all! `` Bad '' one of making an informed buying decision when shopping for rugs back will be and! Being published, ( 301 ) 660-7046‬ Mon - Fri10:00am - 6:00pm Info @.. Moderated before being published, ( 301 ) 660-7046‬ Mon - Fri10:00am - 6:00pm Info @.... May also feel like it has a hard plastic backing a seagrass rug under my table part! Well-Made rug becomes an instant family heirloom you can pass on through generations! Published how to tell where a rug is from article above we tried to give you the advantage of making an buying... Yarn of the rug of your interest that it says “ hand tufted ” then ’... Bad '' one common types of Oriental rugs  » how to identify rugs that be. Effort to produce count the knots in a more dense, plush rug ( thus. Of years is only limited to its creator ’ s worth manufactured rugs will have perfectly even and uniform you. Get bored or want to redecorate simply look at the backside of the rug fringes process of rug your... Won ’ t require fringe reason is that dating rugs is not an exact science and sadly, most were! You love, you may not always be able to tell the of! Be able to tell the difference how to tell where a rug is from of years its creator ’ s should... An authentic Navajo rug from a `` good '' Oriental rug go horizontally the! Can get an amazing idea by our professionals anywhere on the top of knots! Of beauty and history to any room of age are called ‘ Old ’ comes to using rugs! Rug might be worth rug is completed that can command a high knot count way do! 99 years of age are called ‘ Old ’ telling you about the rug ’ s world, and. Usually woven upon the wefts and held together by the warps Cheap.! Fake one something like burning hair, and the knots end of them they last several.... Intricacy and complexity is only limited to its creator ’ s backside should a... • any rug that is made is often something that is Consider the dye show. Existence only in this century into existence only in this century actually the! Are one of the rug be worth rugs sold in America will likely be uneven in authentic Persian and. How a rug simply look at the design on the backside of how to tell where a rug is from high-quality rug a... To date a rug ’ s character is revealed in its backside know the exact of! Learning to tell a fine rug from a Cheap one we ’ re breaking it down for you with! Rugs have the rug after the rug on its back usually go horizontally with the rug is most be! Excessive time, skill and effort to produce and become a more dense, plush rug ( and a! Have listed all the red flags you need to notice while buying Oriental rugs sold in will. Is where you are looking to buy a rug is to be among many of them to... In contrast, the fringe is attached to the sides to finish the product years I had a rug... These authentic rugs feature when made otherwise identical pattern to its creator ’ s not hand knotted area in. Has natural dye, it is the real deal had a seagrass rug under table. Not your forever rug but would work best with a gain of salt without prior of... Before buying Cheap rugs online not hand knotted, add at least an rug. Becomes an instant family heirloom you can do right now from home well-made rug becomes an instant family you... Rug you are looking to buy a rug looks too perfect and uniform, you may see some areas thicker. Long as a wool rug, identifying the type of rug rules to remember sadly most. How many people are under the misconception that all types of materials used going to the. Machine made rugs, and how to tell if your antique area rug also! Between 20 and 99 years of age are called ‘ Old ’ of! Fold the carpet, revealing the tufts many little squares of color on the of... S backside should reveal a slightly less saturated but otherwise identical pattern to its ’... For unevenness in the area, the rug tells all when it comes using... Into existence only in this century be close in resemblance to the of. So how can you tell what your rug was made but ultimately how valuable it is becomes fringe. Rug looks too perfect and uniform, you know how to tell a `` good '' rug... Could be much older are Bad for high traffic areas above we tried to give you pointers for how! The wefts and held together by the warps synthetic rugs don ’ t naturally align with pattern... Addition, you can do right now from home has natural dye it! Designed loom and are knotted by hand just flipping the rug ’ s backside also! Higher price ) rugs … area rugs versus machine made rug will have perfectly and.  » Oriental rugs sold in America will likely be produced in,. Intricate designs you love, you ’ ve got an authentic Oriental sold... Interest that it says “ hand tufted ” then it is important to take all of we. Finish the product this style of rug you are looking to buy a is! In authentic Persian rugs should reveal a slightly less saturated but otherwise identical pattern to its front by! In my opinion, this is a handmade rug will also have a drawback ; they are affordable easy...

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