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| Lexington Oriental Rugs is dedicated to educating our clients. Here you will find a comprehensive Buyer's Guide that will help you to find the perfect oriental rug. This guide will also help you to gain understanding about how oriental rugs are priced, and how you can grade each rug. If you would like to learn more, see the Rugs 101 section of this site or contact us. The information contained here is given freely and is not for sale, it is the intellectual property of the author and is copyrighted. No part of the information here may be copied or reproduced without expressed written consent. |
Lexington Oriental Rugs is happy to provide the following oriental rug buyer’s guide as a service to our clients and anyone
interested in the art of hand-knotted rugs. The information here is intended for educational purposes only, and is not intended to
sell oriental rugs or solicit for your business. The idea behind our business is to educate the consumer and then hope that they
choose us when they buy their rugs. If you have questions about buying oriental rugs that are not addressed here, please feel
free to contact us at chad@lexingtonorientalrugs.com , or by calling us at 859-254-4412.
1) Introduction
2) Oriental Rug Basics- what you need to know.
3) Care and Cleaning
4) Determining your needs and wants.
5) Choosing an oriental rug dealer
6) How do I grade a rug? What about the Price?
7) Accessories
8) Helpful information sources.
1) Introduction
I have been working in oriental rugs for over 14 years. I have seen all aspects of the oriental rug business, from delivery and
installation, to importing, cleaning, and retailing. One thing that I have found is that unbiased information about oriental rugs is
very hard to find. Either the source of information is trying to sell you something or the source uses incomprehensible industry
language.
So why are we providing this information for you? I find that the better educated our consumers are, the better our business is.
Plain and simple. We’ll give you the information, you do with it what you will.
We have purposely kept this book short, trying to impress upon you only the important things, if you wish to get a deeper oriental
rug education, check out the Rugs101 section of our website, www.lexingtonorientalrugs.com.
2) Oriental Rug Basics- What you need to know.
So what is the big deal about oriental rugs anyway? How is it that people can get so enthusiastic about something we walk on
with our dirty feet? Part of the fascination lies in the history of the product. Rug weaving is one of the oldest industries in the
world, dating back over 3000 years. What makes it even more interesting is that there are actual rug remnants and nearly
complete artifacts dating back over 2500 years! You can find rugs in ancient paintings, stories, and poetry. And rugs have been
the source of artistic idolatry for kings and peasants alike. Lotto painted rugs into his best works of art. Shah Safavid risked
parts of his army to protect his “Court” weavers from invading Turks. Shah Abbas forced artists to use his signature flowering
palmette design or risk death. Even today commissions are placed for larger, finer and more unique rugs in an attempt to make
a mark on oriental rug history.
The other major part about the fascination has to do with oriental rug construction. The way that oriental rugs are made allows
for extreme durability, simple repairs, and for the development of “patina” as the rug ages. This means that a fine hand-knotted
rug will not only last for generations, but will also increase in value as it is used and passed down!
An oriental rug is by definition a hand-knotted or woven textile that is created in the middle or far east. Unfortunately, this is a
rather poor definition for a product with a poor name. Let’s break it down a little further.
An oriental rug must be hand-knotted or woven. The weaving of pile rugs is a difficult and tedious process which, depending on
the quality and size of the rug, may take anywhere from a few months to several years to complete.
To begin making a rug, you need a foundation consisting of warps strong, thick threads of cotton, wool or silk which run the
length of the rug and wefts similar threads which pass under and over the warps from one side to the other. The warps on either
side of the rug are normally combined into one or more cables of varying thickness that
are overcast to form the selvedge.
Weaving normally begins by passing a number of wefts through the bottom warp to form a base to start from. Loosely piled
knots of dyed wool or silk are then tied around consecutive sets of adjacent warps to create the intricate patterns in the rug. As
more rows are tied to the foundation, these knots become the pile of the rug. Between each row of knots, one or more shots of
weft are passed to tightly pack down and secure the rows.
Depending on the fineness of the weave, the quality of the materials and the expertise of the weavers, the knot count of a hand
made rug can vary anywhere from 16 to 550 knots per square inch. When the rug is completed, the warp ends form the fringes
that may be weft-faced, braided, tasseled, or secured in some other manner.
From Our Looms to Your Rooms
Looms do not vary greatly in essential details, but they do vary in size and sophistication. The main technical requirement of the
loom is to provide the correcttension and the means of dividing the warps into alternate sets of leaves. A shedding device allows
the weaver to pass wefts through crossed and uncrossed warps, instead of laboriously threading the weft in and out of the warps.
Horizontal Looms
The simplest form of loom is a horizontal; one that can be staked to the ground or supported by sidepieces on the ground. The
necessary tension can be obtainedthrough the use of wedges. This style of loom is ideal for nomadic people as it can be
assembled or dismantled and is easily transportable. Rugs produced on horizontal looms are generally fairly small and the
weave quality is inferior to those rugs
made on a professional standing loom.
Vertical Looms
Vertical looms are undoubtedly more comfortable to operate. These are found more in city weavers and sedentary peoples
because they are hard to dismantle and transport. There is no limit to the length of the carpet that can be woven on a vertical
loom and there is no restriction to its width.
There are three broad groups of vertical looms, all of which can be modified in a number of ways: the fixed village loom, the
Tabriz or Bunyan loom, and the roller beamloom.
The fixed village loom is used mainly in Iran and consists of a fixed upper beam and a moveable lower or cloth beam which slots
into two sidepieces. The correct tension is created by driving wedges into the slots. The weavers work on an adjustable plank
which is raised as the work progresses.
The Tabriz loom, named after the city of Tabriz, is used in North Western Iran. The warps are continuous and pass around
behind the loom. Tension is obtained with wedges. The weavers sit on a fixed seat and when a portion of the carpet has been
completed, the tension is released and the carpet is pulled down and rolled around the back of the loom. This process
continues until the rug is completed, when the warps are severed and the carpet is taken off the loom.
The roller beam loom is a traditional Turkish village loom, but is also found in Iran and India. It consists of two movable beams
to which the warps are attached. Both beams are fitted with ratchets or similar locking devices and completed work is rolled on
to the lower beam. It is possible to weave very long rugs by these means, and in some areas of Turkey rugs are woven in series.
The Knots
Two basic knots are used in most Persian and Oriental rugs: the symmetrical Turkish or Ghiordes knot (used in Turkey, the
Caucasus, East Turkmenistan, and some Turkish and Kurdish areas of Iran), and the asymmetrical Persian or Senneh knot
(Iran, India, Turkey, Pakistan, China, and Egypt).
To make a Turkish knot, the yarn is passed between two adjacent warps, brought back under one, wrapped around both forming
a collar, then pulled through the center so that both ends emerge between the warps.
The Persian knot is used for finer rugs. The yarn is wrapped around only one warp, then passed behind the adjacent warp so
that it divides the two ends of the yarn. The Persian knot may open on the left or the right, and rugs woven with this knot are
generally more accurate and symmetrical.
Other knots include the Spanish knot looped around single alternate warps so the ends are brought out on either side and the
Jufti knot which is tied around four warps instead.
The Materials
While the materials used to construct an oriental rug may vary, there are only a few general materials used which account for
99% of all hand- knotted rugs. Because of this, generalizations can be made which allow one to learn much about their rug
solely through knowledge of what composes their rug.
Most hand-knotted rugs have a woolen pile, but this woolen pile can consist of any number of combinations of animal and hair
fibers. Aside from basic sheeps wool, goat hair, camel hair, mohair, silk, and metal fibers are commonly found in many oriental
rugs. Silk rugs also have another subcategory because of the use of synthetic false silk fibers and mercerized cottons as
substitutes. Blending of different materials to create finer grades of wools, cottons, and silks, is also common, but sometimes
reserved for finer pieces. Wool, for example, can be blended in order to create softer, more lustrous pile materials.
The reason for the use of wool as the pile of the carpet has to do with its excellent physical properties. It is exceptionally durable.
The fiber lends well to being drawn and spun into yarn. The structure and natural oils of the fiber make it easy to clean and care
for. The fibers are able to be dyed. Wool has the desired amount of tensile strength. (Imagine pulling a cotton string and a wool
piece of yarn. The cotton string is very strong, but eventually snaps. The wool tends to stretch before breaking.) Wool does not
shrink when washed. And finally wool is breathable.
Silk may also be used in the pile of the carpet. The advantage of using silk is that silk is the most durable of the three fiber, does
not require a mordant to be dyed, and allows you to place a very high knot count into the carpet. The disadvantages often
outweigh the benefits. Silk is very difficult to clean and easy to stain, and the biggest downfall, silk is expensive. Because of this
expense, some manufacturers often use artificial silk (art silk) which looks and feels like the real thing, but is actually mercerized
cotton. We recommend that you avoid these rugs as they are not at all durable.
The warps and wefts of oriental rugs are almost always cotton, with finer piece using a silk foundation, and many antique piece
using a wool or silk foundation. Again, how the foundation is constructed and what material is used will give many clues as to
the age, origin, and value of the rug. Cotton is arguably the best base fiber for the average rug because of the low cost and
durability of the fiber.
All of the materials in oriental rug have both pros and cons, but the overwhelming majority of rugs are constructed using wool,
silk, or cotton.
Dyes
One of the most skilled arts that are employed throughout the creation of an oriental rug is that of the master dyer. These skills
are as important to the quality, durability, and beauty of the rug as are the materials, design, and the weave. If a rug is dyed
properly it will age wonderfully and look better as long as it is maintained properly. When a rug is dyed masterfully, it will
increase in beauty and value every day of its life as the colors gradually change and develop a patina that finely handmade
products do.
Unfortunately, dyeing processes are probably the most complex process in the entire rug creation. For centuries up until 1856,
the only sources of dye were natural plant and animal substances. These types of dyes were relatively expenses, hard to make,
and required masterful skills to use. Then in 1856, a chemical breakthrough took place that created easy to use and inexpensive
synthetic dyes. Of course, as is the case with everything in oriental rugs, both types of dyes had their strengths and weaknesses.
There are basically two different kinds of dyes. Natural dyes are those that are taken from nature and are not man-made. These
dyes are essentially created through extraction from plant and animal sources. Synthetic dyes are man made. These dyes are
created in a laboratory using chemical processes. In many cases, the structure and properties of these dyes are exactly the
same. But in other cases it is readily apparent that the properties of one dye outweigh the lower expense of another. It is also
very important to understand that there are a huge number of misconceptions about the different types of dyes. Some people
have gone as far as to say that certain types of dyes have no value whatsoever. The fact remains that with the speed of change
that goes on in the dye industry, it is nearly impossible to compare the different types of dyes on a fair and neutral basis.
Natural Dyes
For many centuries, the only available materials to be used for dyes were natural. These dyes required intensive skills and
training to be correctly measured, formulated, and applied. For these reasons, trade in natural dyes became a major economic
boost for many rug-producing areas. Many colors were so hard to produce with local ingredients that they had to be imported
and were sold worth their weight in gold. Other natural dyes were so essential and commonplace that their production became
complete local industries within themselves.
There are many beliefs about natural dyes that exist even today. Using natural dyes is a very labor-intensive process. It involves
careful and exact recipes, and requires the knowledge and patience of a skilled dyer. Because each batch of vegetable dye
produces a color that is nearly impossible to replicate, many of these color combinations are kept in family recipe books that are
passed downthrough generations.
Primary colors (red, blue, yellow) are the most often used and produced dyes in oriental rugs. With vegetable dyes, these
primary colors are also necessary for the creation of the secondary colors ( orange, green, purple, brown, black.)
Chemical Dyes
With advances that came in the way of chemical production throughout the 19th century, it was inevitable that synthetic dyes
would eventually find their place in the oriental rug industry. Because of the skill required for use, and the expense involved in
attaining natural dyestuffs, many chemists made special efforts to create dye processes solely for the purpose of use in oriental
rugs.
Synthetic dyes may be described by two general terms- aniline, which refers to ompounds based upon the benzene ring, and
chromes, which require the use of potassium ichromate as a mordant. Each of these has different strengths and weaknesses
dependant upon the properties being described.
In 1856 Sir William Henry Perkin became the first to develop a useful dye that was available for commercial use in rugs. The
financial success of this dye process and the demand that was apparent from oriental rugs prompted many other European
companies to follow suit and begin development of synthetic dyes. These dyes offered properties that most natural dyestuffs
could not; brighter, more vivid colors that were not affected by natural light. Many colors that were previously impossible to
produce with natural dyes quickly came into the market, becoming the main color palettes for many oriental rugs. These new
dyes were both cheaper and easier to use than their natural counterparts, but because of the speed with which they entered the
marketplace, many faults were later found which prompted criticism.
As synthetic dyes improved, the market was slow to adjust to the changes. For a long time, consumers demanded natural dyes,
and many dealers resorted to lying to their clients about the type of dyes in their rugs. Today, synthetic dyes are used in the
majority of all rugs produced. These are still easier and less expensive to use, and this has caused the master dyer to slowly
move away from natural dye and concentrate on the synthetic dyes. For the rug industry itself, this may be a good change-
preserving the customer base that demands a more modern product. Sadly, this is killing the original art form of the master
dyer. Any skilled chemistry student can perform the function of a synthetic dyer with some practice. The art of the natural dyes
are slowly vanishing due to the mis-
education of the consumer.
3) Oriental Rug Care and Cleaning
An oriental rug is much like any fine work of art. They appreciate with the passage of time and have been the standard of luxury
that has proven countless times their increased value over the years. It is essential for you to protect your investment through
proper care and cleaning to increase the life and value of your rug.
Lexington Oriental Rug Co. is committed to excellence in value, selection and service. We can provide long term for your oriental
rug through our Professional Hand Cleaning and Restoration Service. Call us today and keep your rug looking beautiful for
generations.
The best way to keep a rug clean is to keep it from getting dirty in the first place. If possible, remove shoes before walking across
your rug. We understand that this is not always practical, but it will help to ensure the long life of your rug.
Have your rug cleaned only when it really needs it. For high traffic areas, cleaning may be necessary on a yearly basis. For other
lower traffic areas, cleaning may only be needed every 5-7 years.
Does my Oriental Rug need cleaning?
The short and easy answer to this question is that your rug needs to be cleaned if it is visibly dirty or if it fails one of our cleaning
tests . Pick up a corner of the rug and while holding it, gently kick the back of the rug or ripple it vigorously.
If a cloud of dirt flies out of the pile, the rug is dirty and needs cleaning. Kneel down on the rug and rub the pile vigorously with
your hand. If this leaves dust or dirt on your hand- the rug needs cleaning. With the pile facing up fold part of the rug back upon
itself so that the pile opens along a line of knots. Look down into the base of the pile at the foundation of the rug. If the warp and
weft look dirty, there is dirt deep in the pile where a home vacuum cleaner cannot reach it. The rug needs cleaning.
Can I clean my oriental rug myself?
We do not recommend under any circumstances trying to completely clean your rug at home. Spot cleaning in the home may be
necessary, but total cleaning of a rug without the help of a professional will likely lead to damage in your rug. Do not dry clean or
steam clean your rug!
What about spot cleaners or chemicals?
Do not use any spot cleaners other than water or club soda with contacting your rug cleaning professional first. Most spot
cleaners available at your local grocery are made for wall to wall synthetic carpeting. These usually contain harsh chemicals and
bleaching agents that are not for use with wool or natural fibers.
Sweeping and Blotting
It is always best to attack spills immediately. The best way to prevent a spill from turning into a stain is by blotting up as much
moisture as possible with clean towels. Begin at the outer edge of the stain and blot towards the center. Do not rub the spill.
This will allow the spill to sit on top of the pile, and will not allow the spill to leave a ring where the stain would be. The best way
to blot any kind of solid spill is to take a spoon and scoop it up, making sure not to rub the stain into the carpet.
Vacuuming your Oriental Rug
Oriental rugs, like most carpeting should be vacuumed on a regular basis. Unless your rug is an antique, vacuuming often will
not harm the life or value of your rug. No special vacuum cleaners or equipment are needed despite what a vacuum salesman
will tell you. Do not vacuum the fringe of your rug, it may become caught in the beater bar and will damage the fringe. Try not to
vacuum against the pile of your rug, as excessive vacuuming against the nap can cause undue wear.
Blot away your stains.
Spills of almost any nature may be removed without permanent stain if taken care of right away. The sooner you clean the spill,
the less likely it will become a stain. Most spills will sit on top of the pile momentarily, allowing you to clean up before the spill
can work into the pile of the carpet. Blot or scrape away any excess spill or stain immediately. If necessary, dilute the spill with a
moderate amount of water, and then blot the wet area until all of the stain is removed. Repeat as necessary. Brush or scrape
away any excess immediately to prevent penetration or possible chemical reactions.
Crushed Pile
To up-right any pile that has been indented or crushed by the legs of heavy furniture, first moisten the indented area, then brush it
against the nap. This will bring the nap away from the foundation of the rug. Once you have pulled all of the nap upright, use a
soft brush to brush the nap uniform with the nap direction of the pile. Use a towel to remove any excess moisture, and make
sure that the area is completely dry before use.
Rotation of your Oriental Rug
To ensure even wear, your rug should be rotated at least once a year. Depending on the amount of traffic, your rug may need to
be rotated more often.
Hanging and Storage
Before hanging a rug on the wall, you need to be certain that the warp threads can stand the strain. Never use nails or staples to
hang your rugs for long periods of time. Use a strong holder such as specially designed rug clips, or a rod and finial set to
distribute the weight of your rug evenly. If your rug is going to be stored for a long period of time, it is best to wrap it in newspaper
or shipping paper with moth balls. Never use airtight plastic bags. Rugs should never be stored in a humid, damp, warm, or
poorly ventilated room.
What is the basic process of rug cleaning?
Your rug goes through a process that is relatively simple, yet very thorough. After inspection, your rug is vacuumed thoroughly. It
is vacuumed from the top, then from the back, then from the top again. This technique loosens and removes a percentage of the
“dirt” material that is in the pile of the rug before the wet process of the cleaning is involved.
Next, your rug is rinsed with clean water, to further remove any dirt or debris before and soap or detergents are added.
Once the rug has been rinsed completely, a combination of a mild detergent and clean water are applied to your rug. This
solution is gently massaged into the pile of your carpet, where it attaches to any dirt or debris and can be rinsed away. After
cleaning with the “soap” solution, a clean water rinse is applied. You rug is thoroughly and completely rinsed until all soap
solution and dirt is removed. A squeegee presses out most water before a water vacuum sucks out as much moisture as
possible. The squeegee is applied again, this time being used to push the nap of the rug back into place as much as possible.
The rug is draped over set of wooden poles and lifted for drying. Air is continually passed over the rug in a temperature and
humidity controlled environment to ensure complete and fast drying. Once the rug is dry, it is vacuumed once again to revitalize
the nap of the rug and bring softness back to the wool.
Your rug may look different, both in texture, color, and shadowing.
Relax, your rug will look normal, it just needs a little time and use to help it along. During the cleaning process, your rug gets
thoroughly wet, causing the wool fibers to contract and matt together. The nap of the rug, which is usually consistently directional,
becomes erratic during the scrubbing process. And the removal of dirt and debris will often brighten the colors of a rug. The
texture and “shadowing” of the rug will return to normal with time and use. The wool fibers will separate naturally through use or
can be sped us with soft vacuuming. As the rug is used, the nap of the fibers will relax and be restored to its original position,
eliminating light and dark “shadows.”
Your rug may smell different.
The majority of hand-knotted oriental rugs are woven with wool as the main pile fiber. Wool is a natural fiber, shorn from sheep,
and contains many natural oils. As any other natural fiber, when is becomes wet, the smell of the fiber becomes much stronger
and more apparent. Once the rug has been completely dried, vacuumed, and properly aired out, this stronger scent will go away.
If your rug has been marked with pet urine, other pet stains, or has had mildew damage, these scents may actually become
more apparent with cleaning. This is due to the unique chemical nature of each occurrence of the damage type, and
unfortunately may not be able to be remedied.
Depending upon the situation, deodorizing processes may be used on your rug. Consult with your rug cleaner if you have
concerns or questions about odors.
The stains may not come out.
Depending upon the type of stain and how long it has been in the rug, some stains may not be able to be removed with a normal
cleaning process. Such rugs may require stronger chemical processes, or in extreme cases re-weaving to remove tough
stains.
Due to the chemical nature of some stains, the process of removing them may actually harm the wool, or even cause the dyes in
the wool to bleed. In short, ultimately, some stains will simply not be able to be removed through cleaning.
There may be some stains or marks that you did not notice before.
The cleaning process both saturates and agitates the wool in your rug. Some stains can actually get worse or even appear
where they were not noticed before. If you were to spill ink from a normal ink pen, for example, the stain would be relatively small,
with the majority of the ink soaking into the base of the rug, and the stain on the pile being smaller. Once the rug becomes wet,
the ink stored in the base of the pile will spread, causing a larger stain. Let your cleaning company know about and specific
stains in your rug before cleaning takes place.
The wool may not initially feel as soft as it was before.
The wool in your rug has gotten wet, causing the fibers to clump or matt together. Gentle vacuuming and normal foot traffic will
soften the pile, loosen the fibers, and bring the texture and softness back to normal. In many cases, your rug will actually be
softer than before!
My rug has “pulls” in the pile fiber.
This is very common when cleaning hand-spun wool fiber rugs. Because the spinning is all done by hand, the tension and
amount of twist along the length of the fiber is not uniform. The agitation that takes place during normal cleaning can cause
some of these fiber to relax and “pop” loose. This is a normal breaking-in process for this type of rug and is not considered
damage. Simply clip the top of the loose fiber off with a pair of sharp scissors. Be sure to clip the fiber even with the top of the
pile. If you have questions about the loose “pulls”, ask you cleaning expert or rug dealer, they can explain this to you fully.
4) Determining your Needs and Wants
There are a few pieces of information that you will need to figure out before visiting your rug dealer. The most important of these
are Rug Size, Rug Type, Price Range, and a generalized Color and Design Scheme.
The most important of these is size. Most oriental rug dealers have their stock organized by size. Simply browsing a dealer’s
stock can give you some great ideas as far as possible colors and designs you may like, but when you are ready to buy, you
must know your size needs accurately.
Here are the questions that a rug expert will ask when helping you to find the perfect piece.
1) What room is it going in?
2) What size do you need?
3) What type of rug do you like?
4) Are there specific colors you are working with?
5) Do you have design style preferences?
6) Price Range- your expert won’t ask, but you still should have an idea.
Let’s go through each question and explore the possible answers for different situations.
Questions 1 and 2- What room is the rug going in? What size do I need?
LIVING ROOM
A living room is one of the most common places to fine an oriental rug. There are many possibilities for how rugs will be placed,
but the majority of settings boil down to a single rug anchoring a setting of furniture. The rug will essentially define the setting
area. If selected and placed properly, the setting will feel complete and balanced. If done improperly (such as selecting a rug
that is too small) the setting will feel cluttered and imbalanced. (We often hear that this causes furniture to look less like a
seating area, and more like a group of “stuff.”
There are three ways you can place the rug in the room: Furniture off the rug, front legs on the rug, or furniture all on the rug. The
choice here is determined by the size of your room and the amount of furniture placed in it.
You want to avoid the rug going underneath any furniture that is placed on a wall such as an entertainment center or sideboard.
You also want to avoid the rug coming to close to the walls, try to keep at least 4” to 6” on floor showing in order to keep the room
balanced and to avoid the rug overwhelming the room.
If you have a simple sofa setting such as a sofa and maybe 1-2 chairs and ottomans, you can often leave the furniture off of the
rug or simply place the front legs on the rug. This allows you to select a slightly smaller rug while still getting the feeling of a
much larger piece. This will also keep the setting balanced. For these types of settings an 8x10 rug or a 9x12 size rug will
usually work well.
For larger settings, such as multiple sofas, or sofas with multiple chairs and ottomans, the setting may often require a large size
rug such as a 10x14 or 12x15 size rug.
If you would like to place the entire furniture setting all the way on the rug, the setting will automatically require a larger size piece,
such as a 10x14, 12x15, or 12x18.
DINING ROOM
Dining rooms are probably the second most common place to find an oriental rug. Again, there are multiple ways to place the
rug, but for the most part you simply need to find a compromise between two factors, room size and table size.
To determine the rug size needed for your dining table, first begin by pulling all of the chairs out from the table as if you were
preparing to sit down. Now measure around this perimeter leaving 2-4 inches of spare area. This ensures that the chair legs
will always be on the rug and will not scratch your floors or catch on the rug edges. Be sure that you also take into account any
extra chairs or table leaves.
If you do not use the dining table often, many people will use a smaller rug that allows all chair legs to remain on the rug when
pushed up to the table even though they may come off of the rug when pulled back to sit down.
For a rectangular dining table with 4 chairs, and 8x10 rug is commonly used. For a rectangular table with 6 chairs, a 9x12 or
10x14 is commonly used. Rectangular tables with 8 or more chairs require 10x14s or larger.
Round tables follow the same measurement directions. The standard size round rugs come in 6ft, 8ft, 10ft, and sometimes 12ft
diameters.
When accommodating for your dining room, remember to avoid any floor registers, and try to avoid placing the rug underneath
any other furniture pieces such as sideboards or china cabinets. This will keep the setting balanced and will also china
cabinets, etc level.
BEDROOM
The beauty of an oriental rug in a bedroom is not limited to visual aesthetics. You truly understand how beautiful they can be
when your feet hit a plush, warm rug first thing in the morning instead of a cold, hard floor. There are a few different ways that you
can arrange your room to accommodate your needs and wants for your oriental rugs.
The first and most common arrangement involves placing your oriental rug completely under the bed, leaving a border of rug on
three sides of the bed. We recommend that you leave the rug in front of any nightstands. This will not only keep the rug off of the
wall, but will also keep you from paying for extra square footage that is not functional. With this arrangement the length of the rug
is usually run parallel to the headboard and footboard of the bed. For a queen size bed and 8x10 or 9x12 is often used. For a
king size bed, 9x12s or 10x14s are the most commonly used sizes. Keep in mind that the size of the rug must be a balance
between the bed and the room size. Again, you want to try to avoid placing any furniture that would normally be on a wall such as
a dresser or armoire on the rug.
If your room calls for placing the rug with the width running parallel to the headboard and footboard, you will need a larger rug to
gain enough covered area on the sides of you bed. For a standard king or queen bed, a 10x14 rug will be the minimum size
necessary.
To create a more modern or “magazine” look in your bedroom, try placing the rug on an angle facing the main entrance. This
arrangement will create “motion” in the room, giving a new look to your existing style. The advantage of this arrangement is that a
smaller rug can be used to achieve the desired look. The main disadvantage is that much of your floor will not actually be
covered by the rug.
For standard king and queen size beds and 8x10 rug is the most commonly used size.
If you would like to place the rug only at the foot of the bed, you want to try to find a rug size that is at least the width of the
footboard and preferably slightly longer. For this arrangement a 6x9 will often fill the need, though 8x10s are often used to help fill
the space between the foot of the bed and any walls or furniture.
Another common way that people will use oriental rugs in a bedroom does not require placing any square footage under the bed
at all. This method involves placing three rugs in the room at the side and the foot of the bed. The rugs on the side are generally
smaller pieces such as 4x6’s or 3x5’s. The rug at the foot of the bed can be anywhere from a 4x6 to an 8x10 depending upon
how much space in the room needs to be covered.
If you have any other rooms that you would like help placing oriental rugs in, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our on-staff
designers will be glad to help you or answer any questions you may have. You can also use the room planner software available
on our website at www.lexingtonorientalrugs.com.
Question 3- What type of rug do you like?
Now that you have determined the size of rug that you need, we can move forward and figure out what type of rug you need.
There are three major types of rugs available on the market today: hand-knotted, hand-tufted, and machine made.
Lexington Oriental Rugs only offers hand-knotted rugs due to their durability and lasting value. We do not necessarily
recommend tufted or machine made rugs due to their high price in respect to their construction and lack of durability. We do
however respect that these products do have many advantages and can be used for years when placed carefully and cared for
properly.
One of the most common things that we teach our customers is about the difference between hand-knotted, tufted, and machine-
made rugs. The value difference is drastic while the price difference is usually somewhat comparable. We offer a 100% trade-in
policy, so we can only carry hand-knotted pieces. Here is a quick breakdown of the differences. To learn more, access the Rugs
101 section of this site.
Hand-Knotted Oriental Rugs
Hand-knotted rugs are the finest of the three main types. A hand-knotted rug is constructed the following way:
1) A loom is set up with cotton, wool, or silk strings running north and south (this is called “warp” and will also eventually become
your fringe.)
2) Rows of knots, somewhat similar to what you tie your shoes with are tied onto the warp threads moving east/west. There are
different types of knots and the acceptable materials are either wool or silk. The different colors of the individual knot will
eventually create the pattern of the rug.
3) Strings similar to he warp are run east to west inter-weaving with the warp (this is called weft.)
4) The process repeats until the pattern is complete.
The hand-knotted rug with often be slightly more in price than the other types. This is due to the cost of materials, and the shear
amount of time it takes to complete a rug. An average quality 9x12 will take at least 6-9 months from design conception to woven
completion. Higher quality hand-knotted drugs can take years to complete.
The hand-knotted rug is the better value for your money in comparison to the other types. More work and artistic reference went
into the work. Anything that happens to the rug can be repaired (note: this is not always cheap depending upon the repair work
being done.) A hand-knotted rug will last on average 70 years, and if properly maintained will last over 120 years! And the real
kicker, hand-knotted rugsincrease in value with use and age!
You can see why we are able to offer a lifetime 100% Trade-In-Policy on our hand-knotted pieces. They last a lifetime, and they
actually get better with age. They look better, feel better, and increase in value.
Tufted Rugs
Tufted pieces are often referred to as “hand-made” in an attempt to mimic the hand-knotted rugs. These pieces are still an
amazing value, but are often the same price or even more than a hand-knotted rug and cannot compete when it comes to value.
A tufted rug is usually made by hand, but is created without tying any knots onto a foundation. Instead, a “gun” is used to push
wool or acrylic yarn through a canvass backing. Latex glue is then applied to hold the tufts in place. A final cloth backing
is then applied to cover up the backing and to protect your floor.
Because there is no knot being tied, and a tufting gun is used, this method is much less time consuming than knotting a rug. To
a tufted rug’s credit, it still takes a high level of skill and craftsmanship to efficiently and accurately portray intricate
designs.
The tufted rugs will not last nearly as long as a hand-knotted piece, averaging 7-10 years, cannot accept major repairs, and will
not increase in value. Many of these rugs cannot even be professionally cleaned because the glue used to hold the tufts in place
will deteriorate. There are a few reputable companies that have taken hand-tufted rugs to new levels of quality. Nourison, Loloi,
Momeni, etc. have re-invented the tufted rug, increasing the artistic value as well as the lifespan of the rug. While we do not carrry
these brands, we do recommend their products.
An average 9x12 tufted rug take 3-4 days to complete. Due to the comparable price and the lack of lifetime value, Lexington
Oriental Rugs does not current carry tufted
rugs.
Machine Made Rugs
The third main type of rug is machine-made. These are the least expensive, are the fastest to make, and are essentially
replaceable. There are multiple processes for machine made rugs. The most common involves a machine with thousands of
needles injecting yarn through a plastic screen. The materials are often not wool, but are instead synthetic fibers. There is
usually no backing on the rug.
These rugs can take a matter of hours to complete, and are very affordable, but the value is very low. They often do not last more
than 1-2 years and cannot be repaired. Cleaning is determined by the type of rug and materials used. Again, due to the
comparable price, and the lack of lifetime value, Lexington Oriental Rugs does not carry machine rugs.
While machine made-rugs often get a bad report, there are a few companies that make an outstanding machine made product.
Karastan is the most recognized in the industry, but Nourison among others also makes an excellent machine-made rug.
Question 4- Are there specific colors you are working with?
There are basically two answers to this question. Either you are working with specific colors, or you are not. If you are not
concerned with colors, are starting a room from scratch, or are redecorating, congratulations because your job is simple. You
get to select a rug based upon only what you are attracted to. Many interior designers find that it is much easier to select the rug
for a room before determining colors or furniture selection. Why? The oriental rug will determine you color palette, and with over
3000 years of practice with color, oriental rug designers have a way with color coordination and color harmony. Designers also
often select the rugs first because an oriental rug is a limited work of art, whereas paint color and fabric sample can be
reproduced and are virtually limitless.
If you are not redecorating or staring from scratch, then you will need to take a little bit of information with you when you go rug
shopping. Essentially, you want to determine what you main 3-5 colors are in the room. These are the colors that you will want
elements of in the rug to compliment and enhance what is already in the home.
A side note here- Whenever possible, take any paint samples, fabrics, cushions, etc. with you when looking at rugs. Not only will
it help narrow down inventory, but it will also help with differences between the lighting in the store and your home.
A second side note- A good oriental rug dealer will offer to come out to your home to take notes about your space and colors.
Requesting that your dealer do this may help you save time and money in finding the perfect oriental rug. Not only will the dealer
know his inventory, but will often know of rugs outside of his inventory that may be the perfect piece.
Here are the main elements of color that you need to know for your room:
1) Floor Color: Hardwood or tile? Light or dark browns, golds, etc.?
2) Wall colors
3) Colors in you upholstered furniture.
4) Colors in adjoining rooms which can be seen.
Question 5 – Do you have design or style preferences?
Oriental Rugs are usually divided into two categories when it comes to their patterns and designs: floral or geometric.
Floral patterns (also called curvilinear) have floral motifs and patterns, with curved outlines and tendrils. These rug usually
require more knots per square inch in order to keep the fine lines and curves from looking blocky or out of focus.
Geometric patterns (often called tribal) were originally woven by nomadic tribes and small villages on primitive looms. They are
usually simple and bold and do not require a large number of knots per square inch to achieve the desired look.
5) Choosing Your Oriental Rug Dealer
One of the most important steps in finding your perfect oriental rug is deciding where to look. Here is a short guide to help you
know what to look for when choosing your rug source.
Reputation
Don’t be afraid to ask around about experiences with your selected rug dealers. A business that has been around for a long time
has likely survived for a reason, usually excellent customer service. Decide where you are comfortable doing business. Look for
established firms that rely on repeat business for their success.
Broad Selection
An oriental rug source that carries a wide selection of rugs has a better chance of locating the perfect rug for you. Stores that
specialize in Oriental rugs and have a wide selection of styles, qualities and prices are a great place to start. The dealer should
have all of the different size categories and should carry products from different countries. This will also allow you to see different
rug types and styles that you may not have previously been aware of.
Prominent Information and Pricing
A reputable oriental rug dealer will conform to ORRA (Oriental Rug Retailer Association) standards and codes for business
practices. These standards require specific display techniques and that specific information must be displayed on the rugs at all
times. This information includes: rug id#, size, country of origin, design, content material, construction type, and price. If a rug
dealer does not readily display this information, it might make you wonder why there were hiding the information to begin with?
No-Hassle Approval Period
Choosing an oriental rug, while not difficult, can sometimes take a couple of tries before getting it perfect. A reputable oriental
rug dealer allows you to try the rug on approval before buying the piece. The dealer will likely ask for a credit card or a small
deposit in order for you to take the rug home, but will not charge you at all if the rug does not work. The dealer should display this
policy and should have the policy placed in writing on a customer’s invoice. If a dealer does not display this policy, make sure
that you ask to try the rug before making a purchasing decision.
Return Policy
Another policy that a reputable oriental rug dealer will both display and put into writing is a return policy. As with any retail
business, most dealers will allow you to return a rug within three days for a full refund. This policy does not usually include
custom ordered items.
Trade-In Policy
Due to the construction and artistic nature of oriental rugs, most pieces will increase in value with both use and age. Many
oriental rug stores participate in trade-in programs or will offer to “buy back” your rug at a reduced price. Factors such as rug
damage or cleaning and repair will often devalue a traded-in rug. The most important part of a trade-in policy is that it is placed in
writing and that a copy of the written policy is made available to all customers.
Cleaning and Repair Services
Why buy a product if the dealer cannot help you to maintain it? A reputable oriental rug dealer will not only offer these services,
but will often remind when your cleaning and repair service are past due and will offer you a returning customer discount.
In-Home Services
Don’t be afraid to ask your rug expert to come to your home to help you with rug selections, suggestions, or in home setup and
delivery. Most rug dealers will designate a geographical region in which deliveries and setup is free. Many will even bring on
approval rugs to your home and then later pick up the ones that you did not keep.
Things to Avoid
As with all retail businesses, there will be those who take part in unfair or deceptive practices. Here is a list of things to avoid:
Fire Sales, Going out of Business Sales, Emergency Liquidation- in most cases these involve raising the price of the rugs in
order to offer a heavy discount. We have found that in many cases the heavily discounted price is actually higher than the
everyday retail prices of these stores. Let’s be honest, people do not go into business to lose money, and anyone who can turn a
profit after offering any discount over 50% has a markup that is way too high to begin with.
Hotel auctions, estate sales, etc.- The main danger here is that all sales are final, and once the auction has ended you have no
ability to find the dealer or auctioneer if you have problems. Many state do not prosecute auctioneers or simply do not choose to,
and descriptions of oriental rugs are not only deceptive, but are often completely wrong.
Pressure Sales- Simply put, do not buy anything from anyone who is pressuring you to buy.
Hidden Prices- Any store that does not follow ORRA standards and will not display their selling price on their rugs is either
pricing so high that sticker shock scares customers out the door, or is giving different prices to customer as they qualify their
incomes.
Certificates of Authenticity - Pretty to look at but have very little purpose in most cases. Every genuine hand-knotted carpet you
purchase should come with some sort of document that lists the origin of the rug, quality, size, approximate age, date of
purchase, your address, and the selling price. This will usually come in the form of your receipt or invoice. Certificates of
Authenticity are a dealers way of placing a false inflated value in your head. These certificates are not accepted by any insurer
and have no legal value whatsoever.
Here are a few of the policies that place in writing at Lexington Oriental Rugs:
100% Trade-In Policy
Once you have purchased a rug, you can return it, for any reason at any time in your life for 100% of your purchase price in store
credit. To be valid, the rug may not be cut, burned, stained, or have fringe damage. Cleaning and repair fees may be deducted
from your credit at the time of your trade-in. The rug must have been professionally cleaned by our service at least once every two
years to validate the trade-in policy. Trade-in store credit may only be used toward the purchase of an in-stock rug and may not
be applied to furniture purchases. Custom orders will be reviewed for trade-in on a case by case basis.
Try-Before-You-Buy On Approval Policy
You can take any rug home for a "test drive." Our on approval trial period allows you to borrow the rug without purchasing it. This
allows you to see the piece in you own decor, making your decision to purchase easier. A credit card number is required for in-
state customers, out of state customers require a 100% deposit, which will be refunded if the rug is not kept. Any rugs not
returned after 7 days will results in the credit card with the account being charged.
Lowest Price Guarantee
We promise that rug for rug, quality for quality, we will not be undersold. We guarantee that we will give you the lowest price or we
will beat any competitors advertised price by at least 10%. At Lexington Oriental Rugs we take pride in providing only the finest
rugs at the lowest possible prices, so buy with confidence knowing that we stand behind our claim of better value...every day.
Custom Orders
Due to the nature of custom ordered rugs the following policies are necessary to provide the best quality and lowest prices for
our customers. Once an order is placed, it is not cancellable or refundable. A 50% deposit is required prior to placing the order,
this deposit is also non-refundable. Custom ordered rugs are reviewed and made eligible for our 100% Trade-in Policy on a
case by case basis.
Cleaning and Repair
Lexington Oriental Rugs employs an expert staff to perform cleaning and repair services for our clients. All service are completed
by hand without the use of machines or chemicals. See store manager for quotes and details.
6) Grading Rugs- is the Price Fair?
Here is where a buyer’s guide can get complicated. At Lexington Oriental Rugs, our pricing is simple. We purchase rugs for a
specified price per square foot based upon a list of factors. Once we are ready to sell the rug, we price the rug based upon a
standard markup on what we paid for the individual piece. Because we work with furniture margins and do business by trying to
sell more units for less profit, our prices are usually considerably lower than the competition.
Many dealers take other factors into account when pricing their stock such as age of the rug, non-standard sizing, and decorative
demand. This is a very fair practice, but usually raises the end result pricing.
A side note- Oriental Rugs are works of art, and the beauty is usually in the eye of the beholder. If you love the work of art, and
the price feels fair to you, buy it. Half of great art is in the experience of finding and obtaining it. Please do not let this buyer’s
guide cause you to lose the enchantment of hunting beautiful works of art.
A second note- All hand-knotted Oriental Rugs have value. The true job of an oriental rug dealer is to educate you as you search
for the perfect piece. Rugs of different prices are simply different. They are apples and oranges, animals of differing species.
Take caution to judge each piece fairly according to what it should be within its own right. Too many dealers try to push clients in
the direction of certain types of dyes, wools, or countries of origin.
So here are the basic factors that make up the prices for oriental rugs.
The price of an Oriental rug is based on:
1. Quality / Construction
-Warp and Weft
-Pile Quality
-Pile Spinning Technique
-Dye Quality
-Knot Count/ Density
-Finishing
2. Size
3. Country of Origin
4. Age
5. Condition
6. Decorative Demand
1. Quality and Construction
Most people quite literally "get tied up in knots" judging the quality of Oriental rugs. Let’s break it down and try to simplify the
process.
Warp and Weft.
As you read about in the beginning of this buyer’s guide, the warp and weft are the base of the rug, a skeleton on which the rug is
built. These strings are usually made of cotton, due to the immense tensile strength. Cotton is both inexpensive and readily
available. You can increase the intricacy of a rugs design by using smaller gauge warp and weft strings, allowing you to place
more knots per square inch into the rug. (KPSI will be discussed soon, please note that this adds intricacy to the design, but also
adds time and therefore cost. While this may add value, all is relative to the original design of the rug and may add cost while not
adding value.)
You can further increase the intricacy and strength of the finished rug by making the warp and weft out of silk. The silk fiber is
immensely finer and stronger relative to the finer gauge of the thread, but also adds considerable materials cost.
Hand-spun wool is a hallmark of antique rug construction and still exists today with tribal rug construction and the revival of hand-
spun wool and vegetable dye construction. This technique is usually cost comparable to cotton warping and wefting, but adds
value in its artistic merit. The technique also require more skill and time to complete the same amount of material, but is the
weakest material in terms of tensile strength.
Pile Quality
The quality of the pile can play a role in the value of your oriental rug. There are only two materials acceptable for the pile
material, wool and silk. The vast majority of rugs in the market today are a 100% wool pile, while there are also many wool pile
rugs with silk highlight rugs, and fewer 100% silk rugs.
Wool pile exists in two basic forms- normal and blended. Normal wool is taken from one source, one type of sheep (usually
Merino) and is spun into yarn. Blended wool is created by taking multiple type of wool, usually imported and blending the wools
into one fiber before spinning. Blending wool allows you to create very fine grades of wool that are not usually naturally available.
Wool is graded based upon the fineness, length, and strength of the fiber. Graders will also account for natural oil content and
softness. Fine wool is grown on Merino sheep at high altitudes. Sources for fine wool vary including places such as Argentina
and New Zealand.
The finer grades of wool also allow the yarn to be spun into a finer gauge. The fibers must be stronger and longer in order to
make the finished yarn thin yet durable.
Wool quality will affect the price and value of an oriental rug, but grading wool after it has already been spun into yarn and knotted
onto a rug may be an impossible task. We find it best to go by the following rule- softer and shinier is better.
Pile Spinning Technique
Regardless of the wool quality, there are two ways in which the raw wool can be spun into yarn: by machine and by hand. Each
has intrinsic advantages and creates a different look and feel for the finished rug.
Machine spinning wool is both fast and cost effective. A machine can minutely gauge the amount of twist and tension along the
entire span of the yarn. This allows you to create very fine, thin yard very quickly. The yarn will be strong and uniform throughout
the entire length of the strand. This process will yield a wool pile that will be completely uniform and will have a texture that is
nearly perfect, somewhat similar to the texture of wall to wall carpet.
The main effect of machine spinning is that with the finer gauge yarn, weaver are able to tie many more knots per square inch
into the rug. This in turn allows for much more intricate patterns and designs. Without this construction, many of the delicate
curvilinear designs we see would not exist. So while you may gain a cost advantage due to the speed and efficiency of machine
spinning wool, you will often lose the cost advantage by adding time and labor into high density knotting.
Hand-spinning is much slower and costs considerably more than machine spinning to create the same amount of finished yarn.
While time and cost are considered, hand-spinning wool is an artisan craft aged over 3000 years that yields an imperfect, nubby
texture that drives collectors crazy. One look at a hand-spun wool rug, and you immediately recognize that the rug is completely
handmade.
Another attribute of hand-spun wool is that due to the nature of the spinning process, the gauge of the yarn is considerably
heavier than that of machine-spun wool. This means that very high knot count rugs are generally knot found with hand-spun wool.
Essentially, you can have fast, cheap, nearly perfect texture that allows for very fine knotting, or you can have an artisan, nubby
textured rug that is recognizably handmade and has the look of an antique even when it is new.
Dye Quality
Dye type can have an effect on the cost of making oriental rugs. There are two basic dye types used in modern oriental rug
construction: chemical and vegetable.
For either dye type, the wool must first be mordanted, a chemical reaction process that allows the dye to adhere to the wool. If not
properly mordanted, the dye will not “stick” to the wool and when washed, the color will bleed. A reputable oriental rug dealer will
have checked all rugs before placing them for sale in the showroom. A simple test is to dampen a white handkerchief and to
wipe it across the back of the rug. No color bleed means no problems in the future.
Modern chemical dyeing utilizes chromium dyes. These stable dyes replaced the aniline dyes that existed in the early 1900’s
that were pH imbalanced and caused the wool to degrade over time. The new chromium dyes allow for essentially any color and
will not harm the wool at all. These dyes are both cheap and allow for color to be reproduced at near exact specifications.
Vegetable dyeing is a little more complicated. . Using natural dyes is a very labor-intensive process. It involves careful and exact
recipes, and requires the knowledge and patience of a skilled dyer. Because each batch of vegetable dye produces a color that
is nearly impossible to replicate, many of these color combinations are kept in family recipe books that are passed down through
generations.
Natural ingredients such as plant roots, fermented leaves, natural indigo, tree bark, and nut husks are used to create these
dyes. Because of the nature of the dye stuffs, the materials can only be harvested at certain times of the year, and even then in
limited quantity.
Natural dyes require time and dedicated skill and therefore will add considerable cost in the production of an oriental rug.
Vegetable dyes are often paired with hand-spun wool in an attempt to replicate antique rug production.
Knots Per Square Inch/ Density
This grading variable requires a little bit of study before it can be applied. Before rugs can be compared by knot count, they must
first be the same type of construction. It is not possible to compare knot counts between machine spun wool and hand-spun
wool rugs for example. The construction type itself calls for different knot counts. In years in the business of buying, selling, and
appraising Oriental rugs, I have counted the knots on less than 100 of them. There are more important things to judge by.
The weave should be fine enough to clearly express the motifs of the design. A bold geometric design may have less than 100
knots per square inch while a detailed floral pattern may require 300 or more. You could simply add more knots to a simple
design and you would only be adding cost, not adding value.
Once you have determined the range that the knot count should be in regards to the construction type, then you can use knot
count to compare the value of rugs.
We do not have ample time to discuss how many knots should be in each type of rug, that is a book in itself. To keep things
simple, remember the following points:
1) Machine spun wool allows for fine gauge yarn, allowing for more knots.
2) Hand-spun wool is by nature thicker, allowing fewer knots.
3) Proper knot density should be determined by the desired pattern.
4) More knots means more time and cost, not necessarily more value.
5) Different knotting techniques can be used in different parts of the rug, so if you are going to count knots, do multiple
counts in different parts of the rug.
6) Pay attention to warp and weft thickness, the thicker the gauge, the fewer knots you should expect.
7) There are often 2-4 weft strings per every row of knots, more weft strings between each row of knots takes up space and
allows for fewer knots. This is often a way to speed up the production process and lowers rug quality.
Finishing Techniques
Finishing techniques involve shearing and cleaning the rug before it is ready for the showroom floor. Finishing techniques do not
normally noticeably affect the cost of an oriental rug, but there are certain situations were the finishing can affect the value of the
piece.
The shearing of the rug is an often overlooked art form. Shearing is most done by hand because machine shearing tends to
leave lines and divots across the pile. A master shearer will roll the rug backward, using a steadied hand and trained eye to trim
the rug using a simple yet large pair of shears.
If the pile is trimmed too long, the pattern will appear “fuzzy” or almost out of focus. If the pile is trimmed too short, you will be able
to see the gaps and warps between the rows of knots. This not only ruins the pattern, but also decreases the life of the rug.
What you should look for is a pile length that allows the pattern to be accurately represented, but not so short that the rug can be
easily damaged. One trend that you will find is that the machine spun wool rugs will many time be sheared with a thicker pile.
Due to the density of the knots, you simply cannot shear the pile very low. The hand-spun wool rugs tend to be sheared with a
shorter pile, again adding to the antique reproduction look.
One other finishing technique that effect value is tea-staining. With this technique a finished rug is essentially immersed in a
bath of tea leaves or walnut husks. This will give the rug a gold overcast of color that can add to the antique effect. This
technique adds little cost, but if applied correctly can add value with the overall look of the rug. This technique is usually applied
to machine-spun wool rugs.
There are also finishing techniques that can damage the value and quality of an oriental rug. The most common techniques that
you will find are bleaching, painting, and pre-wearing.
Bleaching a rug involves chemically washing a rug to dull the original colors in an attempt to make the rug look older. This
technique damages the original design concept of the art and can strip the natural oils out of the wool, shortening the life of the
rug. These rugs are easy to recognize by an obvious difference in the brightness of color from the front and the back of the rug.
Painting a rug is a technique to restore color to rugs that have been chemically washed or have been bleached by the sun. While
some of these rugs have become collectors items, the vast majority of the pieces were damaged beyond repair and the painting
technique was used merely to conceal that damage.
Pre-wearing a rug involves placing a rug in an area where it will receive massive amounts of wear and traffic in a short period of
time in an attempt to make the rug look like an antique. It is not uncommon to even have these rug place in the middle of a busy
intersection to be run over by vehicles. This unfortunately places undo wear on the rugs, while not allowing for the natural patina
to develop that only comes with time. These rugs are recognizable because while the may have even wear, the colors will not
represent a lifetime of oxidation and will have too much contrast.
2. Size of the Rug
Size of the rug will obviously effect the cost; more square footage at a particular amount per foot equates into more cost. There
are also a few more factors to take into account regarding size when it comes to the price of a rug.
Oversize rugs tend to cost more per foot than smaller pieces. There is a legitimate reason for this trend. Larger rugs require
larger looms. Larger looms require different construction and must be anchored heavily. In many cases, the looms must be
complete with roller beams to avoid huge space requirements and worker injury. To keep production time to a minimum, extra
workers are hired and extra shifts are usually called in, adding to the human cost of the product.
While the large size of a rug can add cost, the difference should not be exorbitant, usually only adding a couple of dollars per
square foot.
Odd shapes also tend to cost more per square foot. Rounds, octagons, or star shapes require special looms and warping
techniques. This requires skilled laborers dedicated to the size and shape, and production is usually slower.
3) Country of Origin
Country of origin will affect the cost of the rug in two ways: exchange rate and shipping.
Due to the ever changing value of the dollar against other currencies, buying prices are also constantly changing. Without the
strength of our American dollar against these currencies, hand-knotted oriental rugs would not be affordable. Imagine how much
a hand-knotted 9x12 (taking approximately 13 months to complete, woven by a skilled artist making $15 per hour, working 12
hours per day) would cost if it were produced in the United States.
Here are just some examples of current exchange rates as of September 2008:
India: $1 dollar = 44 Indian Rupees
Iran: $1 dollar = 9565 Persian Rials
Pakistan: $1 dollar = 76 Pakistani Rupees
China: $1 dollar = 7 Chinese Yuan
Khazakstan: $1 dollar = 120 Khazak Tenge
Russia: $1 dollar = 25 Russian Roubles
Shipping from each country can also add cost to an oriental rug. Most rugs will be shipped in bales, loaded into containers.
These containers are then shipped by boat. This shipping method is very cost effective, usually only accounting for a maximum
5% of a dealers cost.
For custom made items, items that have been shipped individually, or air-shipped rugs, the cost of shipping can account for
nearly 50% of the items total cost.
A side-note about country of origin:
Many oriental rug dealers will claim that rugs of a particular origin are better than rugs of other nationality. This is simply false.
Each country makes exceptionally fine rugs. Each country will also produce very poor rugs. Among modern rugs (those woven in
the past few decades), one should look at the "personality" rather than "nationality" of the rug. Traditionally, Iran (Persia) was the
source for the finest rugs—the benchmark against which all others were compared. However, the quality of rugs from India,
Pakistan, China, Turkey, Tibet and Nepal has improved in the past 80 years to the extent that many Persian-design carpets from
these countries are finer than the Iranian originals.
4) Age of the Rug
The age of the rug does play an important role in the price of an oriental rug. By ORRA (Oriental Rug Retailer Association)
standards there are four basic rug age categories: New, Used, Semi- Antique, and Antique.
New rug are rugs that have not been placed in a home for use. This does not necessarily mean that the rug has just come off of
the loom, though.
Used rug are rugs that have been placed in a home at least once, and are less than 50 years old.
Semi-Antique rugs are aged 50-80 years old.
Antique Rugs are aged 80 years and older. For most certified appraisals antiques must be at least 100 years old.
Rugs will increase in value with use and age as long as the rug is properly maintained. Here is why. Just like any other natural
material, wool can be broken down. The beauty of wool is that it takes a very long time to break down, and that it actually looks
better and feels better as it is used. Imagine that you are buffing the outer layers of the wool fiber with your feet, bringing the
natural oils to the surface.
Another reason they increase in value is that as you wear down the pile, you get closer to the original knot base. As you do this,
the pattern gets sharper and more focused.
Vegetable dye rugs will change colors slightly as the dyes oxidize over years of use. This change will not even be apparent for
most rugs for at least 40-50 years, but the difference at 100 year is amazing.
And finally, rugs are unique works of art. For the most part, no two pieces are the same. So as time goes on, designs change,
colors change, construction changes. So your Hand-knotted oriental will not be the same as a new one produced just a few
years from now, making your type of rug a limited supply, and your individual rug a one-of-a-kind.
For the most part, age will not add value or price to a rug until they are at least Semi-Antique. Even then, depending upon the type
of rug, you should be able to find plenty of rugs in this age group, keeping prices low.
One a rug is antique, they become very hard to find in good condition. A dealer cannot sell a rug unless the condition is excellent,
making the selection even smaller. This adds value to the rug simply because of supply and demand. It’s not that the dealer is
making higher margins, he paid more for the rug too.
As we mentioned, finding an antique rug in excellent condition is difficult, if not impossible. Many repairs usually take place to
restore antique rugs to their original condition, adding overhead and therefore price.
Here is a list of common damages that can affect the value of an antique rug:
Rug pile condition:
Does the rug have even wear? We prefer to have even wear throughout the rug. Make sure that the rug has been cleaned. Dirt
can hide wear areas and other problems with a rug. Also, if the rug has been repaired, make sure that the rug has been re-
woven and not touched up with a marker to cover a worn area.
Fringe condition:
We prefer that a rug is re-fringed rather then adding cotton fringe. If the fringe has worn into the rug, it is important that the rug is
reinforced with a blind stitch. To protect the value of the rug, we prefer a cashmere stitch to continue the design from the sides of
the rug. If the rug is severely reduced, it may have to be re-woven to improve the value of the rug.
Side wear:
We like both sides to be over-cast. Depending on the rug's condition, a good repair person can fill in areas that need to be over-
cast, if applicable. Otherwise a total over-cast will be necessary to improve the rug.
Over all condition:
Be sure to check the rug for moth damage, dryness, splits, old repairs. A professional rug weaver can protect the value of an
Antique rug by using correct restoration methods.
5) Condition
Simply stated, age and condition affect the value of used rugs. All other factors being equal, age will increase the value, and
adverse condition (i.e. stains and wear) will decrease the value.
6) Decorative Demand
In addition to the factors above, the demand and price for Oriental rugs is highly dependent on design and color trends. Many of
us remember the popular colors of the 1960s—orange, brown and green. Rugs woven in those "hot" colors flew out of the store.
Today, even the finest of them are selling for a fraction of their original price. Classic designs tend to retain their value reliably.
A well-chosen Oriental rug can become the soul of any room. Above all, enjoy the shopping experience. Learn what you can, but
don't get tied in knots.
interested in the art of hand-knotted rugs. The information here is intended for educational purposes only, and is not intended to
sell oriental rugs or solicit for your business. The idea behind our business is to educate the consumer and then hope that they
choose us when they buy their rugs. If you have questions about buying oriental rugs that are not addressed here, please feel
free to contact us at chad@lexingtonorientalrugs.com , or by calling us at 859-254-4412.
1) Introduction
2) Oriental Rug Basics- what you need to know.
3) Care and Cleaning
4) Determining your needs and wants.
5) Choosing an oriental rug dealer
6) How do I grade a rug? What about the Price?
7) Accessories
8) Helpful information sources.
1) Introduction
I have been working in oriental rugs for over 14 years. I have seen all aspects of the oriental rug business, from delivery and
installation, to importing, cleaning, and retailing. One thing that I have found is that unbiased information about oriental rugs is
very hard to find. Either the source of information is trying to sell you something or the source uses incomprehensible industry
language.
So why are we providing this information for you? I find that the better educated our consumers are, the better our business is.
Plain and simple. We’ll give you the information, you do with it what you will.
We have purposely kept this book short, trying to impress upon you only the important things, if you wish to get a deeper oriental
rug education, check out the Rugs101 section of our website, www.lexingtonorientalrugs.com.
2) Oriental Rug Basics- What you need to know.
So what is the big deal about oriental rugs anyway? How is it that people can get so enthusiastic about something we walk on
with our dirty feet? Part of the fascination lies in the history of the product. Rug weaving is one of the oldest industries in the
world, dating back over 3000 years. What makes it even more interesting is that there are actual rug remnants and nearly
complete artifacts dating back over 2500 years! You can find rugs in ancient paintings, stories, and poetry. And rugs have been
the source of artistic idolatry for kings and peasants alike. Lotto painted rugs into his best works of art. Shah Safavid risked
parts of his army to protect his “Court” weavers from invading Turks. Shah Abbas forced artists to use his signature flowering
palmette design or risk death. Even today commissions are placed for larger, finer and more unique rugs in an attempt to make
a mark on oriental rug history.
The other major part about the fascination has to do with oriental rug construction. The way that oriental rugs are made allows
for extreme durability, simple repairs, and for the development of “patina” as the rug ages. This means that a fine hand-knotted
rug will not only last for generations, but will also increase in value as it is used and passed down!
An oriental rug is by definition a hand-knotted or woven textile that is created in the middle or far east. Unfortunately, this is a
rather poor definition for a product with a poor name. Let’s break it down a little further.
An oriental rug must be hand-knotted or woven. The weaving of pile rugs is a difficult and tedious process which, depending on
the quality and size of the rug, may take anywhere from a few months to several years to complete.
To begin making a rug, you need a foundation consisting of warps strong, thick threads of cotton, wool or silk which run the
length of the rug and wefts similar threads which pass under and over the warps from one side to the other. The warps on either
side of the rug are normally combined into one or more cables of varying thickness that
are overcast to form the selvedge.
Weaving normally begins by passing a number of wefts through the bottom warp to form a base to start from. Loosely piled
knots of dyed wool or silk are then tied around consecutive sets of adjacent warps to create the intricate patterns in the rug. As
more rows are tied to the foundation, these knots become the pile of the rug. Between each row of knots, one or more shots of
weft are passed to tightly pack down and secure the rows.
Depending on the fineness of the weave, the quality of the materials and the expertise of the weavers, the knot count of a hand
made rug can vary anywhere from 16 to 550 knots per square inch. When the rug is completed, the warp ends form the fringes
that may be weft-faced, braided, tasseled, or secured in some other manner.
From Our Looms to Your Rooms
Looms do not vary greatly in essential details, but they do vary in size and sophistication. The main technical requirement of the
loom is to provide the correcttension and the means of dividing the warps into alternate sets of leaves. A shedding device allows
the weaver to pass wefts through crossed and uncrossed warps, instead of laboriously threading the weft in and out of the warps.
Horizontal Looms
The simplest form of loom is a horizontal; one that can be staked to the ground or supported by sidepieces on the ground. The
necessary tension can be obtainedthrough the use of wedges. This style of loom is ideal for nomadic people as it can be
assembled or dismantled and is easily transportable. Rugs produced on horizontal looms are generally fairly small and the
weave quality is inferior to those rugs
made on a professional standing loom.
Vertical Looms
Vertical looms are undoubtedly more comfortable to operate. These are found more in city weavers and sedentary peoples
because they are hard to dismantle and transport. There is no limit to the length of the carpet that can be woven on a vertical
loom and there is no restriction to its width.
There are three broad groups of vertical looms, all of which can be modified in a number of ways: the fixed village loom, the
Tabriz or Bunyan loom, and the roller beamloom.
The fixed village loom is used mainly in Iran and consists of a fixed upper beam and a moveable lower or cloth beam which slots
into two sidepieces. The correct tension is created by driving wedges into the slots. The weavers work on an adjustable plank
which is raised as the work progresses.
The Tabriz loom, named after the city of Tabriz, is used in North Western Iran. The warps are continuous and pass around
behind the loom. Tension is obtained with wedges. The weavers sit on a fixed seat and when a portion of the carpet has been
completed, the tension is released and the carpet is pulled down and rolled around the back of the loom. This process
continues until the rug is completed, when the warps are severed and the carpet is taken off the loom.
The roller beam loom is a traditional Turkish village loom, but is also found in Iran and India. It consists of two movable beams
to which the warps are attached. Both beams are fitted with ratchets or similar locking devices and completed work is rolled on
to the lower beam. It is possible to weave very long rugs by these means, and in some areas of Turkey rugs are woven in series.
The Knots
Two basic knots are used in most Persian and Oriental rugs: the symmetrical Turkish or Ghiordes knot (used in Turkey, the
Caucasus, East Turkmenistan, and some Turkish and Kurdish areas of Iran), and the asymmetrical Persian or Senneh knot
(Iran, India, Turkey, Pakistan, China, and Egypt).
To make a Turkish knot, the yarn is passed between two adjacent warps, brought back under one, wrapped around both forming
a collar, then pulled through the center so that both ends emerge between the warps.
The Persian knot is used for finer rugs. The yarn is wrapped around only one warp, then passed behind the adjacent warp so
that it divides the two ends of the yarn. The Persian knot may open on the left or the right, and rugs woven with this knot are
generally more accurate and symmetrical.
Other knots include the Spanish knot looped around single alternate warps so the ends are brought out on either side and the
Jufti knot which is tied around four warps instead.
The Materials
While the materials used to construct an oriental rug may vary, there are only a few general materials used which account for
99% of all hand- knotted rugs. Because of this, generalizations can be made which allow one to learn much about their rug
solely through knowledge of what composes their rug.
Most hand-knotted rugs have a woolen pile, but this woolen pile can consist of any number of combinations of animal and hair
fibers. Aside from basic sheeps wool, goat hair, camel hair, mohair, silk, and metal fibers are commonly found in many oriental
rugs. Silk rugs also have another subcategory because of the use of synthetic false silk fibers and mercerized cottons as
substitutes. Blending of different materials to create finer grades of wools, cottons, and silks, is also common, but sometimes
reserved for finer pieces. Wool, for example, can be blended in order to create softer, more lustrous pile materials.
The reason for the use of wool as the pile of the carpet has to do with its excellent physical properties. It is exceptionally durable.
The fiber lends well to being drawn and spun into yarn. The structure and natural oils of the fiber make it easy to clean and care
for. The fibers are able to be dyed. Wool has the desired amount of tensile strength. (Imagine pulling a cotton string and a wool
piece of yarn. The cotton string is very strong, but eventually snaps. The wool tends to stretch before breaking.) Wool does not
shrink when washed. And finally wool is breathable.
Silk may also be used in the pile of the carpet. The advantage of using silk is that silk is the most durable of the three fiber, does
not require a mordant to be dyed, and allows you to place a very high knot count into the carpet. The disadvantages often
outweigh the benefits. Silk is very difficult to clean and easy to stain, and the biggest downfall, silk is expensive. Because of this
expense, some manufacturers often use artificial silk (art silk) which looks and feels like the real thing, but is actually mercerized
cotton. We recommend that you avoid these rugs as they are not at all durable.
The warps and wefts of oriental rugs are almost always cotton, with finer piece using a silk foundation, and many antique piece
using a wool or silk foundation. Again, how the foundation is constructed and what material is used will give many clues as to
the age, origin, and value of the rug. Cotton is arguably the best base fiber for the average rug because of the low cost and
durability of the fiber.
All of the materials in oriental rug have both pros and cons, but the overwhelming majority of rugs are constructed using wool,
silk, or cotton.
Dyes
One of the most skilled arts that are employed throughout the creation of an oriental rug is that of the master dyer. These skills
are as important to the quality, durability, and beauty of the rug as are the materials, design, and the weave. If a rug is dyed
properly it will age wonderfully and look better as long as it is maintained properly. When a rug is dyed masterfully, it will
increase in beauty and value every day of its life as the colors gradually change and develop a patina that finely handmade
products do.
Unfortunately, dyeing processes are probably the most complex process in the entire rug creation. For centuries up until 1856,
the only sources of dye were natural plant and animal substances. These types of dyes were relatively expenses, hard to make,
and required masterful skills to use. Then in 1856, a chemical breakthrough took place that created easy to use and inexpensive
synthetic dyes. Of course, as is the case with everything in oriental rugs, both types of dyes had their strengths and weaknesses.
There are basically two different kinds of dyes. Natural dyes are those that are taken from nature and are not man-made. These
dyes are essentially created through extraction from plant and animal sources. Synthetic dyes are man made. These dyes are
created in a laboratory using chemical processes. In many cases, the structure and properties of these dyes are exactly the
same. But in other cases it is readily apparent that the properties of one dye outweigh the lower expense of another. It is also
very important to understand that there are a huge number of misconceptions about the different types of dyes. Some people
have gone as far as to say that certain types of dyes have no value whatsoever. The fact remains that with the speed of change
that goes on in the dye industry, it is nearly impossible to compare the different types of dyes on a fair and neutral basis.
Natural Dyes
For many centuries, the only available materials to be used for dyes were natural. These dyes required intensive skills and
training to be correctly measured, formulated, and applied. For these reasons, trade in natural dyes became a major economic
boost for many rug-producing areas. Many colors were so hard to produce with local ingredients that they had to be imported
and were sold worth their weight in gold. Other natural dyes were so essential and commonplace that their production became
complete local industries within themselves.
There are many beliefs about natural dyes that exist even today. Using natural dyes is a very labor-intensive process. It involves
careful and exact recipes, and requires the knowledge and patience of a skilled dyer. Because each batch of vegetable dye
produces a color that is nearly impossible to replicate, many of these color combinations are kept in family recipe books that are
passed downthrough generations.
Primary colors (red, blue, yellow) are the most often used and produced dyes in oriental rugs. With vegetable dyes, these
primary colors are also necessary for the creation of the secondary colors ( orange, green, purple, brown, black.)
Chemical Dyes
With advances that came in the way of chemical production throughout the 19th century, it was inevitable that synthetic dyes
would eventually find their place in the oriental rug industry. Because of the skill required for use, and the expense involved in
attaining natural dyestuffs, many chemists made special efforts to create dye processes solely for the purpose of use in oriental
rugs.
Synthetic dyes may be described by two general terms- aniline, which refers to ompounds based upon the benzene ring, and
chromes, which require the use of potassium ichromate as a mordant. Each of these has different strengths and weaknesses
dependant upon the properties being described.
In 1856 Sir William Henry Perkin became the first to develop a useful dye that was available for commercial use in rugs. The
financial success of this dye process and the demand that was apparent from oriental rugs prompted many other European
companies to follow suit and begin development of synthetic dyes. These dyes offered properties that most natural dyestuffs
could not; brighter, more vivid colors that were not affected by natural light. Many colors that were previously impossible to
produce with natural dyes quickly came into the market, becoming the main color palettes for many oriental rugs. These new
dyes were both cheaper and easier to use than their natural counterparts, but because of the speed with which they entered the
marketplace, many faults were later found which prompted criticism.
As synthetic dyes improved, the market was slow to adjust to the changes. For a long time, consumers demanded natural dyes,
and many dealers resorted to lying to their clients about the type of dyes in their rugs. Today, synthetic dyes are used in the
majority of all rugs produced. These are still easier and less expensive to use, and this has caused the master dyer to slowly
move away from natural dye and concentrate on the synthetic dyes. For the rug industry itself, this may be a good change-
preserving the customer base that demands a more modern product. Sadly, this is killing the original art form of the master
dyer. Any skilled chemistry student can perform the function of a synthetic dyer with some practice. The art of the natural dyes
are slowly vanishing due to the mis-
education of the consumer.
3) Oriental Rug Care and Cleaning
An oriental rug is much like any fine work of art. They appreciate with the passage of time and have been the standard of luxury
that has proven countless times their increased value over the years. It is essential for you to protect your investment through
proper care and cleaning to increase the life and value of your rug.
Lexington Oriental Rug Co. is committed to excellence in value, selection and service. We can provide long term for your oriental
rug through our Professional Hand Cleaning and Restoration Service. Call us today and keep your rug looking beautiful for
generations.
The best way to keep a rug clean is to keep it from getting dirty in the first place. If possible, remove shoes before walking across
your rug. We understand that this is not always practical, but it will help to ensure the long life of your rug.
Have your rug cleaned only when it really needs it. For high traffic areas, cleaning may be necessary on a yearly basis. For other
lower traffic areas, cleaning may only be needed every 5-7 years.
Does my Oriental Rug need cleaning?
The short and easy answer to this question is that your rug needs to be cleaned if it is visibly dirty or if it fails one of our cleaning
tests . Pick up a corner of the rug and while holding it, gently kick the back of the rug or ripple it vigorously.
If a cloud of dirt flies out of the pile, the rug is dirty and needs cleaning. Kneel down on the rug and rub the pile vigorously with
your hand. If this leaves dust or dirt on your hand- the rug needs cleaning. With the pile facing up fold part of the rug back upon
itself so that the pile opens along a line of knots. Look down into the base of the pile at the foundation of the rug. If the warp and
weft look dirty, there is dirt deep in the pile where a home vacuum cleaner cannot reach it. The rug needs cleaning.
Can I clean my oriental rug myself?
We do not recommend under any circumstances trying to completely clean your rug at home. Spot cleaning in the home may be
necessary, but total cleaning of a rug without the help of a professional will likely lead to damage in your rug. Do not dry clean or
steam clean your rug!
What about spot cleaners or chemicals?
Do not use any spot cleaners other than water or club soda with contacting your rug cleaning professional first. Most spot
cleaners available at your local grocery are made for wall to wall synthetic carpeting. These usually contain harsh chemicals and
bleaching agents that are not for use with wool or natural fibers.
Sweeping and Blotting
It is always best to attack spills immediately. The best way to prevent a spill from turning into a stain is by blotting up as much
moisture as possible with clean towels. Begin at the outer edge of the stain and blot towards the center. Do not rub the spill.
This will allow the spill to sit on top of the pile, and will not allow the spill to leave a ring where the stain would be. The best way
to blot any kind of solid spill is to take a spoon and scoop it up, making sure not to rub the stain into the carpet.
Vacuuming your Oriental Rug
Oriental rugs, like most carpeting should be vacuumed on a regular basis. Unless your rug is an antique, vacuuming often will
not harm the life or value of your rug. No special vacuum cleaners or equipment are needed despite what a vacuum salesman
will tell you. Do not vacuum the fringe of your rug, it may become caught in the beater bar and will damage the fringe. Try not to
vacuum against the pile of your rug, as excessive vacuuming against the nap can cause undue wear.
Blot away your stains.
Spills of almost any nature may be removed without permanent stain if taken care of right away. The sooner you clean the spill,
the less likely it will become a stain. Most spills will sit on top of the pile momentarily, allowing you to clean up before the spill
can work into the pile of the carpet. Blot or scrape away any excess spill or stain immediately. If necessary, dilute the spill with a
moderate amount of water, and then blot the wet area until all of the stain is removed. Repeat as necessary. Brush or scrape
away any excess immediately to prevent penetration or possible chemical reactions.
Crushed Pile
To up-right any pile that has been indented or crushed by the legs of heavy furniture, first moisten the indented area, then brush it
against the nap. This will bring the nap away from the foundation of the rug. Once you have pulled all of the nap upright, use a
soft brush to brush the nap uniform with the nap direction of the pile. Use a towel to remove any excess moisture, and make
sure that the area is completely dry before use.
Rotation of your Oriental Rug
To ensure even wear, your rug should be rotated at least once a year. Depending on the amount of traffic, your rug may need to
be rotated more often.
Hanging and Storage
Before hanging a rug on the wall, you need to be certain that the warp threads can stand the strain. Never use nails or staples to
hang your rugs for long periods of time. Use a strong holder such as specially designed rug clips, or a rod and finial set to
distribute the weight of your rug evenly. If your rug is going to be stored for a long period of time, it is best to wrap it in newspaper
or shipping paper with moth balls. Never use airtight plastic bags. Rugs should never be stored in a humid, damp, warm, or
poorly ventilated room.
What is the basic process of rug cleaning?
Your rug goes through a process that is relatively simple, yet very thorough. After inspection, your rug is vacuumed thoroughly. It
is vacuumed from the top, then from the back, then from the top again. This technique loosens and removes a percentage of the
“dirt” material that is in the pile of the rug before the wet process of the cleaning is involved.
Next, your rug is rinsed with clean water, to further remove any dirt or debris before and soap or detergents are added.
Once the rug has been rinsed completely, a combination of a mild detergent and clean water are applied to your rug. This
solution is gently massaged into the pile of your carpet, where it attaches to any dirt or debris and can be rinsed away. After
cleaning with the “soap” solution, a clean water rinse is applied. You rug is thoroughly and completely rinsed until all soap
solution and dirt is removed. A squeegee presses out most water before a water vacuum sucks out as much moisture as
possible. The squeegee is applied again, this time being used to push the nap of the rug back into place as much as possible.
The rug is draped over set of wooden poles and lifted for drying. Air is continually passed over the rug in a temperature and
humidity controlled environment to ensure complete and fast drying. Once the rug is dry, it is vacuumed once again to revitalize
the nap of the rug and bring softness back to the wool.
Your rug may look different, both in texture, color, and shadowing.
Relax, your rug will look normal, it just needs a little time and use to help it along. During the cleaning process, your rug gets
thoroughly wet, causing the wool fibers to contract and matt together. The nap of the rug, which is usually consistently directional,
becomes erratic during the scrubbing process. And the removal of dirt and debris will often brighten the colors of a rug. The
texture and “shadowing” of the rug will return to normal with time and use. The wool fibers will separate naturally through use or
can be sped us with soft vacuuming. As the rug is used, the nap of the fibers will relax and be restored to its original position,
eliminating light and dark “shadows.”
Your rug may smell different.
The majority of hand-knotted oriental rugs are woven with wool as the main pile fiber. Wool is a natural fiber, shorn from sheep,
and contains many natural oils. As any other natural fiber, when is becomes wet, the smell of the fiber becomes much stronger
and more apparent. Once the rug has been completely dried, vacuumed, and properly aired out, this stronger scent will go away.
If your rug has been marked with pet urine, other pet stains, or has had mildew damage, these scents may actually become
more apparent with cleaning. This is due to the unique chemical nature of each occurrence of the damage type, and
unfortunately may not be able to be remedied.
Depending upon the situation, deodorizing processes may be used on your rug. Consult with your rug cleaner if you have
concerns or questions about odors.
The stains may not come out.
Depending upon the type of stain and how long it has been in the rug, some stains may not be able to be removed with a normal
cleaning process. Such rugs may require stronger chemical processes, or in extreme cases re-weaving to remove tough
stains.
Due to the chemical nature of some stains, the process of removing them may actually harm the wool, or even cause the dyes in
the wool to bleed. In short, ultimately, some stains will simply not be able to be removed through cleaning.
There may be some stains or marks that you did not notice before.
The cleaning process both saturates and agitates the wool in your rug. Some stains can actually get worse or even appear
where they were not noticed before. If you were to spill ink from a normal ink pen, for example, the stain would be relatively small,
with the majority of the ink soaking into the base of the rug, and the stain on the pile being smaller. Once the rug becomes wet,
the ink stored in the base of the pile will spread, causing a larger stain. Let your cleaning company know about and specific
stains in your rug before cleaning takes place.
The wool may not initially feel as soft as it was before.
The wool in your rug has gotten wet, causing the fibers to clump or matt together. Gentle vacuuming and normal foot traffic will
soften the pile, loosen the fibers, and bring the texture and softness back to normal. In many cases, your rug will actually be
softer than before!
My rug has “pulls” in the pile fiber.
This is very common when cleaning hand-spun wool fiber rugs. Because the spinning is all done by hand, the tension and
amount of twist along the length of the fiber is not uniform. The agitation that takes place during normal cleaning can cause
some of these fiber to relax and “pop” loose. This is a normal breaking-in process for this type of rug and is not considered
damage. Simply clip the top of the loose fiber off with a pair of sharp scissors. Be sure to clip the fiber even with the top of the
pile. If you have questions about the loose “pulls”, ask you cleaning expert or rug dealer, they can explain this to you fully.
4) Determining your Needs and Wants
There are a few pieces of information that you will need to figure out before visiting your rug dealer. The most important of these
are Rug Size, Rug Type, Price Range, and a generalized Color and Design Scheme.
The most important of these is size. Most oriental rug dealers have their stock organized by size. Simply browsing a dealer’s
stock can give you some great ideas as far as possible colors and designs you may like, but when you are ready to buy, you
must know your size needs accurately.
Here are the questions that a rug expert will ask when helping you to find the perfect piece.
1) What room is it going in?
2) What size do you need?
3) What type of rug do you like?
4) Are there specific colors you are working with?
5) Do you have design style preferences?
6) Price Range- your expert won’t ask, but you still should have an idea.
Let’s go through each question and explore the possible answers for different situations.
Questions 1 and 2- What room is the rug going in? What size do I need?
LIVING ROOM
A living room is one of the most common places to fine an oriental rug. There are many possibilities for how rugs will be placed,
but the majority of settings boil down to a single rug anchoring a setting of furniture. The rug will essentially define the setting
area. If selected and placed properly, the setting will feel complete and balanced. If done improperly (such as selecting a rug
that is too small) the setting will feel cluttered and imbalanced. (We often hear that this causes furniture to look less like a
seating area, and more like a group of “stuff.”
There are three ways you can place the rug in the room: Furniture off the rug, front legs on the rug, or furniture all on the rug. The
choice here is determined by the size of your room and the amount of furniture placed in it.
You want to avoid the rug going underneath any furniture that is placed on a wall such as an entertainment center or sideboard.
You also want to avoid the rug coming to close to the walls, try to keep at least 4” to 6” on floor showing in order to keep the room
balanced and to avoid the rug overwhelming the room.
If you have a simple sofa setting such as a sofa and maybe 1-2 chairs and ottomans, you can often leave the furniture off of the
rug or simply place the front legs on the rug. This allows you to select a slightly smaller rug while still getting the feeling of a
much larger piece. This will also keep the setting balanced. For these types of settings an 8x10 rug or a 9x12 size rug will
usually work well.
For larger settings, such as multiple sofas, or sofas with multiple chairs and ottomans, the setting may often require a large size
rug such as a 10x14 or 12x15 size rug.
If you would like to place the entire furniture setting all the way on the rug, the setting will automatically require a larger size piece,
such as a 10x14, 12x15, or 12x18.
DINING ROOM
Dining rooms are probably the second most common place to find an oriental rug. Again, there are multiple ways to place the
rug, but for the most part you simply need to find a compromise between two factors, room size and table size.
To determine the rug size needed for your dining table, first begin by pulling all of the chairs out from the table as if you were
preparing to sit down. Now measure around this perimeter leaving 2-4 inches of spare area. This ensures that the chair legs
will always be on the rug and will not scratch your floors or catch on the rug edges. Be sure that you also take into account any
extra chairs or table leaves.
If you do not use the dining table often, many people will use a smaller rug that allows all chair legs to remain on the rug when
pushed up to the table even though they may come off of the rug when pulled back to sit down.
For a rectangular dining table with 4 chairs, and 8x10 rug is commonly used. For a rectangular table with 6 chairs, a 9x12 or
10x14 is commonly used. Rectangular tables with 8 or more chairs require 10x14s or larger.
Round tables follow the same measurement directions. The standard size round rugs come in 6ft, 8ft, 10ft, and sometimes 12ft
diameters.
When accommodating for your dining room, remember to avoid any floor registers, and try to avoid placing the rug underneath
any other furniture pieces such as sideboards or china cabinets. This will keep the setting balanced and will also china
cabinets, etc level.
BEDROOM
The beauty of an oriental rug in a bedroom is not limited to visual aesthetics. You truly understand how beautiful they can be
when your feet hit a plush, warm rug first thing in the morning instead of a cold, hard floor. There are a few different ways that you
can arrange your room to accommodate your needs and wants for your oriental rugs.
The first and most common arrangement involves placing your oriental rug completely under the bed, leaving a border of rug on
three sides of the bed. We recommend that you leave the rug in front of any nightstands. This will not only keep the rug off of the
wall, but will also keep you from paying for extra square footage that is not functional. With this arrangement the length of the rug
is usually run parallel to the headboard and footboard of the bed. For a queen size bed and 8x10 or 9x12 is often used. For a
king size bed, 9x12s or 10x14s are the most commonly used sizes. Keep in mind that the size of the rug must be a balance
between the bed and the room size. Again, you want to try to avoid placing any furniture that would normally be on a wall such as
a dresser or armoire on the rug.
If your room calls for placing the rug with the width running parallel to the headboard and footboard, you will need a larger rug to
gain enough covered area on the sides of you bed. For a standard king or queen bed, a 10x14 rug will be the minimum size
necessary.
To create a more modern or “magazine” look in your bedroom, try placing the rug on an angle facing the main entrance. This
arrangement will create “motion” in the room, giving a new look to your existing style. The advantage of this arrangement is that a
smaller rug can be used to achieve the desired look. The main disadvantage is that much of your floor will not actually be
covered by the rug.
For standard king and queen size beds and 8x10 rug is the most commonly used size.
If you would like to place the rug only at the foot of the bed, you want to try to find a rug size that is at least the width of the
footboard and preferably slightly longer. For this arrangement a 6x9 will often fill the need, though 8x10s are often used to help fill
the space between the foot of the bed and any walls or furniture.
Another common way that people will use oriental rugs in a bedroom does not require placing any square footage under the bed
at all. This method involves placing three rugs in the room at the side and the foot of the bed. The rugs on the side are generally
smaller pieces such as 4x6’s or 3x5’s. The rug at the foot of the bed can be anywhere from a 4x6 to an 8x10 depending upon
how much space in the room needs to be covered.
If you have any other rooms that you would like help placing oriental rugs in, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our on-staff
designers will be glad to help you or answer any questions you may have. You can also use the room planner software available
on our website at www.lexingtonorientalrugs.com.
Question 3- What type of rug do you like?
Now that you have determined the size of rug that you need, we can move forward and figure out what type of rug you need.
There are three major types of rugs available on the market today: hand-knotted, hand-tufted, and machine made.
Lexington Oriental Rugs only offers hand-knotted rugs due to their durability and lasting value. We do not necessarily
recommend tufted or machine made rugs due to their high price in respect to their construction and lack of durability. We do
however respect that these products do have many advantages and can be used for years when placed carefully and cared for
properly.
One of the most common things that we teach our customers is about the difference between hand-knotted, tufted, and machine-
made rugs. The value difference is drastic while the price difference is usually somewhat comparable. We offer a 100% trade-in
policy, so we can only carry hand-knotted pieces. Here is a quick breakdown of the differences. To learn more, access the Rugs
101 section of this site.
Hand-Knotted Oriental Rugs
Hand-knotted rugs are the finest of the three main types. A hand-knotted rug is constructed the following way:
1) A loom is set up with cotton, wool, or silk strings running north and south (this is called “warp” and will also eventually become
your fringe.)
2) Rows of knots, somewhat similar to what you tie your shoes with are tied onto the warp threads moving east/west. There are
different types of knots and the acceptable materials are either wool or silk. The different colors of the individual knot will
eventually create the pattern of the rug.
3) Strings similar to he warp are run east to west inter-weaving with the warp (this is called weft.)
4) The process repeats until the pattern is complete.
The hand-knotted rug with often be slightly more in price than the other types. This is due to the cost of materials, and the shear
amount of time it takes to complete a rug. An average quality 9x12 will take at least 6-9 months from design conception to woven
completion. Higher quality hand-knotted drugs can take years to complete.
The hand-knotted rug is the better value for your money in comparison to the other types. More work and artistic reference went
into the work. Anything that happens to the rug can be repaired (note: this is not always cheap depending upon the repair work
being done.) A hand-knotted rug will last on average 70 years, and if properly maintained will last over 120 years! And the real
kicker, hand-knotted rugsincrease in value with use and age!
You can see why we are able to offer a lifetime 100% Trade-In-Policy on our hand-knotted pieces. They last a lifetime, and they
actually get better with age. They look better, feel better, and increase in value.
Tufted Rugs
Tufted pieces are often referred to as “hand-made” in an attempt to mimic the hand-knotted rugs. These pieces are still an
amazing value, but are often the same price or even more than a hand-knotted rug and cannot compete when it comes to value.
A tufted rug is usually made by hand, but is created without tying any knots onto a foundation. Instead, a “gun” is used to push
wool or acrylic yarn through a canvass backing. Latex glue is then applied to hold the tufts in place. A final cloth backing
is then applied to cover up the backing and to protect your floor.
Because there is no knot being tied, and a tufting gun is used, this method is much less time consuming than knotting a rug. To
a tufted rug’s credit, it still takes a high level of skill and craftsmanship to efficiently and accurately portray intricate
designs.
The tufted rugs will not last nearly as long as a hand-knotted piece, averaging 7-10 years, cannot accept major repairs, and will
not increase in value. Many of these rugs cannot even be professionally cleaned because the glue used to hold the tufts in place
will deteriorate. There are a few reputable companies that have taken hand-tufted rugs to new levels of quality. Nourison, Loloi,
Momeni, etc. have re-invented the tufted rug, increasing the artistic value as well as the lifespan of the rug. While we do not carrry
these brands, we do recommend their products.
An average 9x12 tufted rug take 3-4 days to complete. Due to the comparable price and the lack of lifetime value, Lexington
Oriental Rugs does not current carry tufted
rugs.
Machine Made Rugs
The third main type of rug is machine-made. These are the least expensive, are the fastest to make, and are essentially
replaceable. There are multiple processes for machine made rugs. The most common involves a machine with thousands of
needles injecting yarn through a plastic screen. The materials are often not wool, but are instead synthetic fibers. There is
usually no backing on the rug.
These rugs can take a matter of hours to complete, and are very affordable, but the value is very low. They often do not last more
than 1-2 years and cannot be repaired. Cleaning is determined by the type of rug and materials used. Again, due to the
comparable price, and the lack of lifetime value, Lexington Oriental Rugs does not carry machine rugs.
While machine made-rugs often get a bad report, there are a few companies that make an outstanding machine made product.
Karastan is the most recognized in the industry, but Nourison among others also makes an excellent machine-made rug.
Question 4- Are there specific colors you are working with?
There are basically two answers to this question. Either you are working with specific colors, or you are not. If you are not
concerned with colors, are starting a room from scratch, or are redecorating, congratulations because your job is simple. You
get to select a rug based upon only what you are attracted to. Many interior designers find that it is much easier to select the rug
for a room before determining colors or furniture selection. Why? The oriental rug will determine you color palette, and with over
3000 years of practice with color, oriental rug designers have a way with color coordination and color harmony. Designers also
often select the rugs first because an oriental rug is a limited work of art, whereas paint color and fabric sample can be
reproduced and are virtually limitless.
If you are not redecorating or staring from scratch, then you will need to take a little bit of information with you when you go rug
shopping. Essentially, you want to determine what you main 3-5 colors are in the room. These are the colors that you will want
elements of in the rug to compliment and enhance what is already in the home.
A side note here- Whenever possible, take any paint samples, fabrics, cushions, etc. with you when looking at rugs. Not only will
it help narrow down inventory, but it will also help with differences between the lighting in the store and your home.
A second side note- A good oriental rug dealer will offer to come out to your home to take notes about your space and colors.
Requesting that your dealer do this may help you save time and money in finding the perfect oriental rug. Not only will the dealer
know his inventory, but will often know of rugs outside of his inventory that may be the perfect piece.
Here are the main elements of color that you need to know for your room:
1) Floor Color: Hardwood or tile? Light or dark browns, golds, etc.?
2) Wall colors
3) Colors in you upholstered furniture.
4) Colors in adjoining rooms which can be seen.
Question 5 – Do you have design or style preferences?
Oriental Rugs are usually divided into two categories when it comes to their patterns and designs: floral or geometric.
Floral patterns (also called curvilinear) have floral motifs and patterns, with curved outlines and tendrils. These rug usually
require more knots per square inch in order to keep the fine lines and curves from looking blocky or out of focus.
Geometric patterns (often called tribal) were originally woven by nomadic tribes and small villages on primitive looms. They are
usually simple and bold and do not require a large number of knots per square inch to achieve the desired look.
5) Choosing Your Oriental Rug Dealer
One of the most important steps in finding your perfect oriental rug is deciding where to look. Here is a short guide to help you
know what to look for when choosing your rug source.
Reputation
Don’t be afraid to ask around about experiences with your selected rug dealers. A business that has been around for a long time
has likely survived for a reason, usually excellent customer service. Decide where you are comfortable doing business. Look for
established firms that rely on repeat business for their success.
Broad Selection
An oriental rug source that carries a wide selection of rugs has a better chance of locating the perfect rug for you. Stores that
specialize in Oriental rugs and have a wide selection of styles, qualities and prices are a great place to start. The dealer should
have all of the different size categories and should carry products from different countries. This will also allow you to see different
rug types and styles that you may not have previously been aware of.
Prominent Information and Pricing
A reputable oriental rug dealer will conform to ORRA (Oriental Rug Retailer Association) standards and codes for business
practices. These standards require specific display techniques and that specific information must be displayed on the rugs at all
times. This information includes: rug id#, size, country of origin, design, content material, construction type, and price. If a rug
dealer does not readily display this information, it might make you wonder why there were hiding the information to begin with?
No-Hassle Approval Period
Choosing an oriental rug, while not difficult, can sometimes take a couple of tries before getting it perfect. A reputable oriental
rug dealer allows you to try the rug on approval before buying the piece. The dealer will likely ask for a credit card or a small
deposit in order for you to take the rug home, but will not charge you at all if the rug does not work. The dealer should display this
policy and should have the policy placed in writing on a customer’s invoice. If a dealer does not display this policy, make sure
that you ask to try the rug before making a purchasing decision.
Return Policy
Another policy that a reputable oriental rug dealer will both display and put into writing is a return policy. As with any retail
business, most dealers will allow you to return a rug within three days for a full refund. This policy does not usually include
custom ordered items.
Trade-In Policy
Due to the construction and artistic nature of oriental rugs, most pieces will increase in value with both use and age. Many
oriental rug stores participate in trade-in programs or will offer to “buy back” your rug at a reduced price. Factors such as rug
damage or cleaning and repair will often devalue a traded-in rug. The most important part of a trade-in policy is that it is placed in
writing and that a copy of the written policy is made available to all customers.
Cleaning and Repair Services
Why buy a product if the dealer cannot help you to maintain it? A reputable oriental rug dealer will not only offer these services,
but will often remind when your cleaning and repair service are past due and will offer you a returning customer discount.
In-Home Services
Don’t be afraid to ask your rug expert to come to your home to help you with rug selections, suggestions, or in home setup and
delivery. Most rug dealers will designate a geographical region in which deliveries and setup is free. Many will even bring on
approval rugs to your home and then later pick up the ones that you did not keep.
Things to Avoid
As with all retail businesses, there will be those who take part in unfair or deceptive practices. Here is a list of things to avoid:
Fire Sales, Going out of Business Sales, Emergency Liquidation- in most cases these involve raising the price of the rugs in
order to offer a heavy discount. We have found that in many cases the heavily discounted price is actually higher than the
everyday retail prices of these stores. Let’s be honest, people do not go into business to lose money, and anyone who can turn a
profit after offering any discount over 50% has a markup that is way too high to begin with.
Hotel auctions, estate sales, etc.- The main danger here is that all sales are final, and once the auction has ended you have no
ability to find the dealer or auctioneer if you have problems. Many state do not prosecute auctioneers or simply do not choose to,
and descriptions of oriental rugs are not only deceptive, but are often completely wrong.
Pressure Sales- Simply put, do not buy anything from anyone who is pressuring you to buy.
Hidden Prices- Any store that does not follow ORRA standards and will not display their selling price on their rugs is either
pricing so high that sticker shock scares customers out the door, or is giving different prices to customer as they qualify their
incomes.
Certificates of Authenticity - Pretty to look at but have very little purpose in most cases. Every genuine hand-knotted carpet you
purchase should come with some sort of document that lists the origin of the rug, quality, size, approximate age, date of
purchase, your address, and the selling price. This will usually come in the form of your receipt or invoice. Certificates of
Authenticity are a dealers way of placing a false inflated value in your head. These certificates are not accepted by any insurer
and have no legal value whatsoever.
Here are a few of the policies that place in writing at Lexington Oriental Rugs:
100% Trade-In Policy
Once you have purchased a rug, you can return it, for any reason at any time in your life for 100% of your purchase price in store
credit. To be valid, the rug may not be cut, burned, stained, or have fringe damage. Cleaning and repair fees may be deducted
from your credit at the time of your trade-in. The rug must have been professionally cleaned by our service at least once every two
years to validate the trade-in policy. Trade-in store credit may only be used toward the purchase of an in-stock rug and may not
be applied to furniture purchases. Custom orders will be reviewed for trade-in on a case by case basis.
Try-Before-You-Buy On Approval Policy
You can take any rug home for a "test drive." Our on approval trial period allows you to borrow the rug without purchasing it. This
allows you to see the piece in you own decor, making your decision to purchase easier. A credit card number is required for in-
state customers, out of state customers require a 100% deposit, which will be refunded if the rug is not kept. Any rugs not
returned after 7 days will results in the credit card with the account being charged.
Lowest Price Guarantee
We promise that rug for rug, quality for quality, we will not be undersold. We guarantee that we will give you the lowest price or we
will beat any competitors advertised price by at least 10%. At Lexington Oriental Rugs we take pride in providing only the finest
rugs at the lowest possible prices, so buy with confidence knowing that we stand behind our claim of better value...every day.
Custom Orders
Due to the nature of custom ordered rugs the following policies are necessary to provide the best quality and lowest prices for
our customers. Once an order is placed, it is not cancellable or refundable. A 50% deposit is required prior to placing the order,
this deposit is also non-refundable. Custom ordered rugs are reviewed and made eligible for our 100% Trade-in Policy on a
case by case basis.
Cleaning and Repair
Lexington Oriental Rugs employs an expert staff to perform cleaning and repair services for our clients. All service are completed
by hand without the use of machines or chemicals. See store manager for quotes and details.
6) Grading Rugs- is the Price Fair?
Here is where a buyer’s guide can get complicated. At Lexington Oriental Rugs, our pricing is simple. We purchase rugs for a
specified price per square foot based upon a list of factors. Once we are ready to sell the rug, we price the rug based upon a
standard markup on what we paid for the individual piece. Because we work with furniture margins and do business by trying to
sell more units for less profit, our prices are usually considerably lower than the competition.
Many dealers take other factors into account when pricing their stock such as age of the rug, non-standard sizing, and decorative
demand. This is a very fair practice, but usually raises the end result pricing.
A side note- Oriental Rugs are works of art, and the beauty is usually in the eye of the beholder. If you love the work of art, and
the price feels fair to you, buy it. Half of great art is in the experience of finding and obtaining it. Please do not let this buyer’s
guide cause you to lose the enchantment of hunting beautiful works of art.
A second note- All hand-knotted Oriental Rugs have value. The true job of an oriental rug dealer is to educate you as you search
for the perfect piece. Rugs of different prices are simply different. They are apples and oranges, animals of differing species.
Take caution to judge each piece fairly according to what it should be within its own right. Too many dealers try to push clients in
the direction of certain types of dyes, wools, or countries of origin.
So here are the basic factors that make up the prices for oriental rugs.
The price of an Oriental rug is based on:
1. Quality / Construction
-Warp and Weft
-Pile Quality
-Pile Spinning Technique
-Dye Quality
-Knot Count/ Density
-Finishing
2. Size
3. Country of Origin
4. Age
5. Condition
6. Decorative Demand
1. Quality and Construction
Most people quite literally "get tied up in knots" judging the quality of Oriental rugs. Let’s break it down and try to simplify the
process.
Warp and Weft.
As you read about in the beginning of this buyer’s guide, the warp and weft are the base of the rug, a skeleton on which the rug is
built. These strings are usually made of cotton, due to the immense tensile strength. Cotton is both inexpensive and readily
available. You can increase the intricacy of a rugs design by using smaller gauge warp and weft strings, allowing you to place
more knots per square inch into the rug. (KPSI will be discussed soon, please note that this adds intricacy to the design, but also
adds time and therefore cost. While this may add value, all is relative to the original design of the rug and may add cost while not
adding value.)
You can further increase the intricacy and strength of the finished rug by making the warp and weft out of silk. The silk fiber is
immensely finer and stronger relative to the finer gauge of the thread, but also adds considerable materials cost.
Hand-spun wool is a hallmark of antique rug construction and still exists today with tribal rug construction and the revival of hand-
spun wool and vegetable dye construction. This technique is usually cost comparable to cotton warping and wefting, but adds
value in its artistic merit. The technique also require more skill and time to complete the same amount of material, but is the
weakest material in terms of tensile strength.
Pile Quality
The quality of the pile can play a role in the value of your oriental rug. There are only two materials acceptable for the pile
material, wool and silk. The vast majority of rugs in the market today are a 100% wool pile, while there are also many wool pile
rugs with silk highlight rugs, and fewer 100% silk rugs.
Wool pile exists in two basic forms- normal and blended. Normal wool is taken from one source, one type of sheep (usually
Merino) and is spun into yarn. Blended wool is created by taking multiple type of wool, usually imported and blending the wools
into one fiber before spinning. Blending wool allows you to create very fine grades of wool that are not usually naturally available.
Wool is graded based upon the fineness, length, and strength of the fiber. Graders will also account for natural oil content and
softness. Fine wool is grown on Merino sheep at high altitudes. Sources for fine wool vary including places such as Argentina
and New Zealand.
The finer grades of wool also allow the yarn to be spun into a finer gauge. The fibers must be stronger and longer in order to
make the finished yarn thin yet durable.
Wool quality will affect the price and value of an oriental rug, but grading wool after it has already been spun into yarn and knotted
onto a rug may be an impossible task. We find it best to go by the following rule- softer and shinier is better.
Pile Spinning Technique
Regardless of the wool quality, there are two ways in which the raw wool can be spun into yarn: by machine and by hand. Each
has intrinsic advantages and creates a different look and feel for the finished rug.
Machine spinning wool is both fast and cost effective. A machine can minutely gauge the amount of twist and tension along the
entire span of the yarn. This allows you to create very fine, thin yard very quickly. The yarn will be strong and uniform throughout
the entire length of the strand. This process will yield a wool pile that will be completely uniform and will have a texture that is
nearly perfect, somewhat similar to the texture of wall to wall carpet.
The main effect of machine spinning is that with the finer gauge yarn, weaver are able to tie many more knots per square inch
into the rug. This in turn allows for much more intricate patterns and designs. Without this construction, many of the delicate
curvilinear designs we see would not exist. So while you may gain a cost advantage due to the speed and efficiency of machine
spinning wool, you will often lose the cost advantage by adding time and labor into high density knotting.
Hand-spinning is much slower and costs considerably more than machine spinning to create the same amount of finished yarn.
While time and cost are considered, hand-spinning wool is an artisan craft aged over 3000 years that yields an imperfect, nubby
texture that drives collectors crazy. One look at a hand-spun wool rug, and you immediately recognize that the rug is completely
handmade.
Another attribute of hand-spun wool is that due to the nature of the spinning process, the gauge of the yarn is considerably
heavier than that of machine-spun wool. This means that very high knot count rugs are generally knot found with hand-spun wool.
Essentially, you can have fast, cheap, nearly perfect texture that allows for very fine knotting, or you can have an artisan, nubby
textured rug that is recognizably handmade and has the look of an antique even when it is new.
Dye Quality
Dye type can have an effect on the cost of making oriental rugs. There are two basic dye types used in modern oriental rug
construction: chemical and vegetable.
For either dye type, the wool must first be mordanted, a chemical reaction process that allows the dye to adhere to the wool. If not
properly mordanted, the dye will not “stick” to the wool and when washed, the color will bleed. A reputable oriental rug dealer will
have checked all rugs before placing them for sale in the showroom. A simple test is to dampen a white handkerchief and to
wipe it across the back of the rug. No color bleed means no problems in the future.
Modern chemical dyeing utilizes chromium dyes. These stable dyes replaced the aniline dyes that existed in the early 1900’s
that were pH imbalanced and caused the wool to degrade over time. The new chromium dyes allow for essentially any color and
will not harm the wool at all. These dyes are both cheap and allow for color to be reproduced at near exact specifications.
Vegetable dyeing is a little more complicated. . Using natural dyes is a very labor-intensive process. It involves careful and exact
recipes, and requires the knowledge and patience of a skilled dyer. Because each batch of vegetable dye produces a color that
is nearly impossible to replicate, many of these color combinations are kept in family recipe books that are passed down through
generations.
Natural ingredients such as plant roots, fermented leaves, natural indigo, tree bark, and nut husks are used to create these
dyes. Because of the nature of the dye stuffs, the materials can only be harvested at certain times of the year, and even then in
limited quantity.
Natural dyes require time and dedicated skill and therefore will add considerable cost in the production of an oriental rug.
Vegetable dyes are often paired with hand-spun wool in an attempt to replicate antique rug production.
Knots Per Square Inch/ Density
This grading variable requires a little bit of study before it can be applied. Before rugs can be compared by knot count, they must
first be the same type of construction. It is not possible to compare knot counts between machine spun wool and hand-spun
wool rugs for example. The construction type itself calls for different knot counts. In years in the business of buying, selling, and
appraising Oriental rugs, I have counted the knots on less than 100 of them. There are more important things to judge by.
The weave should be fine enough to clearly express the motifs of the design. A bold geometric design may have less than 100
knots per square inch while a detailed floral pattern may require 300 or more. You could simply add more knots to a simple
design and you would only be adding cost, not adding value.
Once you have determined the range that the knot count should be in regards to the construction type, then you can use knot
count to compare the value of rugs.
We do not have ample time to discuss how many knots should be in each type of rug, that is a book in itself. To keep things
simple, remember the following points:
1) Machine spun wool allows for fine gauge yarn, allowing for more knots.
2) Hand-spun wool is by nature thicker, allowing fewer knots.
3) Proper knot density should be determined by the desired pattern.
4) More knots means more time and cost, not necessarily more value.
5) Different knotting techniques can be used in different parts of the rug, so if you are going to count knots, do multiple
counts in different parts of the rug.
6) Pay attention to warp and weft thickness, the thicker the gauge, the fewer knots you should expect.
7) There are often 2-4 weft strings per every row of knots, more weft strings between each row of knots takes up space and
allows for fewer knots. This is often a way to speed up the production process and lowers rug quality.
Finishing Techniques
Finishing techniques involve shearing and cleaning the rug before it is ready for the showroom floor. Finishing techniques do not
normally noticeably affect the cost of an oriental rug, but there are certain situations were the finishing can affect the value of the
piece.
The shearing of the rug is an often overlooked art form. Shearing is most done by hand because machine shearing tends to
leave lines and divots across the pile. A master shearer will roll the rug backward, using a steadied hand and trained eye to trim
the rug using a simple yet large pair of shears.
If the pile is trimmed too long, the pattern will appear “fuzzy” or almost out of focus. If the pile is trimmed too short, you will be able
to see the gaps and warps between the rows of knots. This not only ruins the pattern, but also decreases the life of the rug.
What you should look for is a pile length that allows the pattern to be accurately represented, but not so short that the rug can be
easily damaged. One trend that you will find is that the machine spun wool rugs will many time be sheared with a thicker pile.
Due to the density of the knots, you simply cannot shear the pile very low. The hand-spun wool rugs tend to be sheared with a
shorter pile, again adding to the antique reproduction look.
One other finishing technique that effect value is tea-staining. With this technique a finished rug is essentially immersed in a
bath of tea leaves or walnut husks. This will give the rug a gold overcast of color that can add to the antique effect. This
technique adds little cost, but if applied correctly can add value with the overall look of the rug. This technique is usually applied
to machine-spun wool rugs.
There are also finishing techniques that can damage the value and quality of an oriental rug. The most common techniques that
you will find are bleaching, painting, and pre-wearing.
Bleaching a rug involves chemically washing a rug to dull the original colors in an attempt to make the rug look older. This
technique damages the original design concept of the art and can strip the natural oils out of the wool, shortening the life of the
rug. These rugs are easy to recognize by an obvious difference in the brightness of color from the front and the back of the rug.
Painting a rug is a technique to restore color to rugs that have been chemically washed or have been bleached by the sun. While
some of these rugs have become collectors items, the vast majority of the pieces were damaged beyond repair and the painting
technique was used merely to conceal that damage.
Pre-wearing a rug involves placing a rug in an area where it will receive massive amounts of wear and traffic in a short period of
time in an attempt to make the rug look like an antique. It is not uncommon to even have these rug place in the middle of a busy
intersection to be run over by vehicles. This unfortunately places undo wear on the rugs, while not allowing for the natural patina
to develop that only comes with time. These rugs are recognizable because while the may have even wear, the colors will not
represent a lifetime of oxidation and will have too much contrast.
2. Size of the Rug
Size of the rug will obviously effect the cost; more square footage at a particular amount per foot equates into more cost. There
are also a few more factors to take into account regarding size when it comes to the price of a rug.
Oversize rugs tend to cost more per foot than smaller pieces. There is a legitimate reason for this trend. Larger rugs require
larger looms. Larger looms require different construction and must be anchored heavily. In many cases, the looms must be
complete with roller beams to avoid huge space requirements and worker injury. To keep production time to a minimum, extra
workers are hired and extra shifts are usually called in, adding to the human cost of the product.
While the large size of a rug can add cost, the difference should not be exorbitant, usually only adding a couple of dollars per
square foot.
Odd shapes also tend to cost more per square foot. Rounds, octagons, or star shapes require special looms and warping
techniques. This requires skilled laborers dedicated to the size and shape, and production is usually slower.
3) Country of Origin
Country of origin will affect the cost of the rug in two ways: exchange rate and shipping.
Due to the ever changing value of the dollar against other currencies, buying prices are also constantly changing. Without the
strength of our American dollar against these currencies, hand-knotted oriental rugs would not be affordable. Imagine how much
a hand-knotted 9x12 (taking approximately 13 months to complete, woven by a skilled artist making $15 per hour, working 12
hours per day) would cost if it were produced in the United States.
Here are just some examples of current exchange rates as of September 2008:
India: $1 dollar = 44 Indian Rupees
Iran: $1 dollar = 9565 Persian Rials
Pakistan: $1 dollar = 76 Pakistani Rupees
China: $1 dollar = 7 Chinese Yuan
Khazakstan: $1 dollar = 120 Khazak Tenge
Russia: $1 dollar = 25 Russian Roubles
Shipping from each country can also add cost to an oriental rug. Most rugs will be shipped in bales, loaded into containers.
These containers are then shipped by boat. This shipping method is very cost effective, usually only accounting for a maximum
5% of a dealers cost.
For custom made items, items that have been shipped individually, or air-shipped rugs, the cost of shipping can account for
nearly 50% of the items total cost.
A side-note about country of origin:
Many oriental rug dealers will claim that rugs of a particular origin are better than rugs of other nationality. This is simply false.
Each country makes exceptionally fine rugs. Each country will also produce very poor rugs. Among modern rugs (those woven in
the past few decades), one should look at the "personality" rather than "nationality" of the rug. Traditionally, Iran (Persia) was the
source for the finest rugs—the benchmark against which all others were compared. However, the quality of rugs from India,
Pakistan, China, Turkey, Tibet and Nepal has improved in the past 80 years to the extent that many Persian-design carpets from
these countries are finer than the Iranian originals.
4) Age of the Rug
The age of the rug does play an important role in the price of an oriental rug. By ORRA (Oriental Rug Retailer Association)
standards there are four basic rug age categories: New, Used, Semi- Antique, and Antique.
New rug are rugs that have not been placed in a home for use. This does not necessarily mean that the rug has just come off of
the loom, though.
Used rug are rugs that have been placed in a home at least once, and are less than 50 years old.
Semi-Antique rugs are aged 50-80 years old.
Antique Rugs are aged 80 years and older. For most certified appraisals antiques must be at least 100 years old.
Rugs will increase in value with use and age as long as the rug is properly maintained. Here is why. Just like any other natural
material, wool can be broken down. The beauty of wool is that it takes a very long time to break down, and that it actually looks
better and feels better as it is used. Imagine that you are buffing the outer layers of the wool fiber with your feet, bringing the
natural oils to the surface.
Another reason they increase in value is that as you wear down the pile, you get closer to the original knot base. As you do this,
the pattern gets sharper and more focused.
Vegetable dye rugs will change colors slightly as the dyes oxidize over years of use. This change will not even be apparent for
most rugs for at least 40-50 years, but the difference at 100 year is amazing.
And finally, rugs are unique works of art. For the most part, no two pieces are the same. So as time goes on, designs change,
colors change, construction changes. So your Hand-knotted oriental will not be the same as a new one produced just a few
years from now, making your type of rug a limited supply, and your individual rug a one-of-a-kind.
For the most part, age will not add value or price to a rug until they are at least Semi-Antique. Even then, depending upon the type
of rug, you should be able to find plenty of rugs in this age group, keeping prices low.
One a rug is antique, they become very hard to find in good condition. A dealer cannot sell a rug unless the condition is excellent,
making the selection even smaller. This adds value to the rug simply because of supply and demand. It’s not that the dealer is
making higher margins, he paid more for the rug too.
As we mentioned, finding an antique rug in excellent condition is difficult, if not impossible. Many repairs usually take place to
restore antique rugs to their original condition, adding overhead and therefore price.
Here is a list of common damages that can affect the value of an antique rug:
Rug pile condition:
Does the rug have even wear? We prefer to have even wear throughout the rug. Make sure that the rug has been cleaned. Dirt
can hide wear areas and other problems with a rug. Also, if the rug has been repaired, make sure that the rug has been re-
woven and not touched up with a marker to cover a worn area.
Fringe condition:
We prefer that a rug is re-fringed rather then adding cotton fringe. If the fringe has worn into the rug, it is important that the rug is
reinforced with a blind stitch. To protect the value of the rug, we prefer a cashmere stitch to continue the design from the sides of
the rug. If the rug is severely reduced, it may have to be re-woven to improve the value of the rug.
Side wear:
We like both sides to be over-cast. Depending on the rug's condition, a good repair person can fill in areas that need to be over-
cast, if applicable. Otherwise a total over-cast will be necessary to improve the rug.
Over all condition:
Be sure to check the rug for moth damage, dryness, splits, old repairs. A professional rug weaver can protect the value of an
Antique rug by using correct restoration methods.
5) Condition
Simply stated, age and condition affect the value of used rugs. All other factors being equal, age will increase the value, and
adverse condition (i.e. stains and wear) will decrease the value.
6) Decorative Demand
In addition to the factors above, the demand and price for Oriental rugs is highly dependent on design and color trends. Many of
us remember the popular colors of the 1960s—orange, brown and green. Rugs woven in those "hot" colors flew out of the store.
Today, even the finest of them are selling for a fraction of their original price. Classic designs tend to retain their value reliably.
A well-chosen Oriental rug can become the soul of any room. Above all, enjoy the shopping experience. Learn what you can, but
don't get tied in knots.
Oriental Rug Buying Guide - Full Text Version ________________