How Much Does A Persian Rug Cost?

By Author: Phoebe Holland
Total Articles: 94
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In rugs, if there is one that best represents quality, wealth and luxury, it is a Persian floor covering. Beautifully designed with intense patterns and expressive colours, each is a masterpiece created with superlative precision. Weavers spend several months and sometimes even years hunched over a loom to give shape to gorgeous Persian works of art. Most of the pieces convey the feelings of the weavers in the same way as paintings reflect the views of the artist.

After all this, do you still think Persian rug costs would be inexpensive? Of course not, as it would never justify the efforts put in by weavers. However, some of them do come cheap. This brings us to the most asked question - how to determine the value of Persian rugs? Everything depends on how, when and where it was crafted and from what is it fabricated. Let’s find out.

Factors Determining the Price of Persian Rugs

Check out the factors that influence the price of Persian rugs:

• Origin

It’s a universally accepted fact that Persian rugs originate from Persia, which is now called Iran. However, that is a large country ...
... where different areas and towns craft specialise in various styles of Persian rugs. For instance, lightweight rugs made from silk and used mostly for praying hail from Qom, located in the south of Iran. Similarly, there are several such towns and cities like Isfahan, Kerman and Tabriz where distinctive styles are manufactured. Those that originate from reputed areas are highly-valued in the market.

• Manufacturing style

Hand-crafted ones are more valuable as they are painstakingly made in time-honoured traditional style. The best way to identify them is by checking the rug underside and determining individual knots tied carefully by the craftsperson. These are naturally more valuable, unlike the machine-crafted variety with punched tufts. The latter style is mass-produced in a short span of time. Therefore, they are less valuable, and as expected, less durable.

Another factor that goes into the valuation is knot count. Superb quality ones have 85-500 KPSI (knots per square inch) and determine the depth of detail. Evidently, they are more expensive. Yet another thing to look for are dyes going all the way down to the base of the knot. Being rugs of great quality, they would obviously cost more.

• Material

Remember the delightful Persian area rugs from Qom we spoke about? They are typically fabricated from silk. Hence, more expensive yet less durable. If you are seeking long-lasting ones, go for wool or cotton ones. Those that come processed lack natural oil and lubricants and feel coarse. They are cheaper, unlike the ones woven from unprocessed wool and soft to touch.

• Age of the Persian style rug

An old, handmade Persian rug in pristine condition has a higher value as opposed to a torn one, which has been repaired for many years by many generations. However, it’s hard to come across such pieces in good condition as they are mostly walked on, heavily used and mended. Yet if you come across one such artwork, be ready to pay through the nose to own it.

No matter what you do, never be fooled into buying a Persian rug that appears timeworn just by its looks. The reality can be starkly different as the seller may artificially wash it to make it seem from the past. The rug has to be genuinely a century old to have a higher value.
The crux of the matter is that old, handwoven, silk Persian rugs originating from highly regarded areas of Iran have a higher price in the market. If you are willing to shell out a portion of your salary and welcome home a quality piece, go ahead and shop from Rugs.ie. But if you are short of cash yet longing to avail yourself of one, wait up for Persian rugs for sale. Great pieces at affordable rates are up for grabs!

Author Bio:

She is a writer by profession but aspires to own a rug store of her own someday. Her interests are deep-seated, and the writeups convey them well. She often spends her time awaiting lucrative deals like Persian rugs for sale and shares her experience with readers.

Owner of Rugs.ie - Rugs shop in cork, Ireland.