Abacus
Antique Dealers: Tips For Buying Antique Rugs
And Carpets
An
antique rug or carpet can make a beautiful addition
to your home when placed on a wooden floor; some people
have made businesses out of collecting, buying and
selling antique rugs with Persian and oriental some
of the most popular rugs and carpets among collectors
of antiques today. However when it comes to getting
in the antique rug collecting business then buying
and acquiring your first pieces can be a little stressful
not to mention costly, here are some hints on what
to look for when making those purchases.
When
buying a rug or carpet always ensure that you know
what it is made of, natural fibres such as pure wool,
silk or cotton are much better as opposed to man made
materials. Natural fibres not only are more valuable
but they are also essential when it comes to keeping
allergies at bay.
It
is also essential that you learn the terms that are
used for rugs and carpets, it is essential that if
someone asks you for a rug with a central medallion
for instance that you know without a doubt what they
want and so are able to offer them exactly what they
want.
You
should also understand the term “knots per square
inch”, the higher the quantity of knots the poorer
the quality of the carpet, the smaller that the knots
are then the higher quality the carpet or rug will
be.
Be
aware of any man made imperfections in the rug, sometimes
the manufacturer will be asked to make imperfections
in the rug in order to give the impression that the
rug was hand made when in fact it has been put into
the machines code and there are hundreds with the
same imperfections. This can be very hard to distinguish
and only with time and experience can you sometimes
be sure that the rug is or isn’t machine made
commercially.
Be
very cautious of any antique rug which seems to be
too good to be true, if the price is very low then
this could mean that all is not right, if a bargain
seems too good to be true then it probably is and
at the very least you should give the rug or carpet
a very through going over to ensure it hasn’t
been cleaned or restored after a major problem.
Getting
as much knowledge on the different types of rugs and
carpets is essential if you want to deal in the profession,
all rugs and styles of rugs especially the oriental
have names and it is essential that you understand
not only the names but also the various patterns.
The
majority of rugs and carpets always come with a certificate
of authenticity, always be sure that you see the relevant
certificate and that the owner can prove where the
rug or carpet originates. You should also ask the
seller how much the rug or carpet is valued at when
it comes down to insurance matters.
Of
course all of the above applies mainly to those who
are buying and selling rugs and carpets, if you are
buying antique rugs and carpets solely for your own
enjoyment then of course some of the above will really
be of no concern and the biggest problem will be choosing
rugs that you will enjoy looking at and walking on.
