| Handwoven rugs are a great addition to any | | | | use, newer ones less so. Abused rugs will show |
| décor, and since they are extremely durable, | | | | excessive wear, which tends to be more uneven |
| they become treasured heirlooms. Oriental carpets | | | | than wear caused by age in a well cared for carpet. |
| are universally popular, they never really go out of | | | | Fringe- Take a look at the fringe around the carpet. |
| style. As with every item for sale that has great | | | | If it looks as if the fringe was sewn on after the |
| quality and is highly sought after, people try to make | | | | completion of the carpet, then it is not authentic. The |
| a quick buck by selling impostors as if they were the | | | | fringe comes naturally from the material being on the |
| real thing. | | | | loom. Weavers do not sew the fringe on after the |
| How do you protect yourself from being one of | | | | carpet is completed. |
| those people who gets scammed into spending | | | | Identical Design- If you go to a store looking for a |
| hundreds or thousands of dollars on something | | | | Persian rug and you find some that are identical, |
| thinking that it will be a wise investment, just to find | | | | chances are they are fake. Since Persian rugs are |
| out that your investment is nothing more than a | | | | individually handmade one by one, you will not find |
| fake? | | | | two identical designs. They may look similar but in |
| To many people, handmade and machine made rugs | | | | reality they are not. There may be additional knot |
| look the same. Machine made may be passed off as | | | | counts, the design might be slightly smaller etc. |
| handmade, or a carpet may be presented as older, | | | | That's Cheap- If you find a store that is selling |
| or more valuable than it really is. | | | | Persian rugs for 50% or more off of what you were |
| Authentic rugs are made primarily in the middle | | | | expecting to pay, chances are they are not real. |
| eastern to far eastern regions; such as Iran, Tibet, | | | | Because Persian rugs are handmade from taking care |
| Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Nepal, and China. | | | | of the sheep and plants that create the fabric and |
| But handwoven rugs can also be made in Europe, and | | | | dyes all the way to the completion of the rug and |
| the US. Value tends to vary by popularity and age, | | | | the fact that they will increase in value over time, |
| so the region of origin may be important to some | | | | authentic Persian rugs will have a higher cost. If you |
| people, but not to others. | | | | come across a store that is selling these rugs for |
| Here are some things to look for: | | | | hundreds maybe even thousands less than you |
| Design - The design should be the same on the front, | | | | expected to pay, walk away because they are not |
| and the back, and clearly so. Machine woven rugs | | | | authentic. |
| often have a sort of mesh over the design on the | | | | Purchasing an authentic Persian rug is not a task to |
| back, making it less visible. | | | | be taken lightly. There are always scammers out |
| It's Perfect- New rugs are not as prevalent as used - | | | | there waiting to fill their pockets with unsuspecting |
| and antique rugs always have some sign of use. | | | | peoples' money. Do your homework before shopping |
| While Persian rugs are durable and of high quality, but | | | | for them. Remember if it seems too good to be |
| older rugs will always show some kind of signs of | | | | true, it probably is. |