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.