| Finding the Right Oriental Rug |
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| Written by admin | |
| Thursday, 08 February 2007 | |
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Oriental rugs, whatever else you can say about them, are far from cheap. Real Oriental rugs often run in the thousands, so you would be wise to consider carefully what you’re looking for before you go to buy. Shopping in person would be wise so you could examine the rug for yourself, feel the texture, and check things like the knot style, backing quality, and the state of the fringe knots. If you know of a reputable website, though, you can often buy online.
One obvious thing to consider is whether you want a genuine Oriental rug or one of the near equivalents. The tufted rug, for instance, is made in parts of Asia and looks almost identical to a real Oriental rug. The only difference is that it’s not hand knotted the way real Oriental rugs are; as a result, it only costs about half as much and depreciates in value much faster. If you’re sure you want to get the genuine article, it’s time to start looking at regional differences. Rugs made in Tibet, for example, would have different patterns and designs than Oriental rugs made in Afghanistan or Morocco. Oriental rugs made by nomadic or semi-nomadic peoples would likely use wool as a primary ingredient, while rug weavers with good access to supplies would more likely use cotton. If you see a rug made with nylon or polypropylene, don’t buy it: it’s not an Oriental rug, and isn’t worth nearly as much. Check out your options online: you can find photographs of the styles offered by different countries and get a better idea of what you’re looking for before you begin to shop. |
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