What Constitutes an Authentic Oriental Rug?

Handmade Rugs

• An authentic oriental rug is handmade. Rugs that are handmade are peerless in terms of quality and craftsmanship. They are also the most expensive and can run well into the tens of thousands of dollars. A handmade rug can either be hand-woven or hand-knotted. A machine-made rug can be made anywhere on Earth, and with less than the best materials. One way to tell the difference between a handmade and a machine-made rug is by examining the back of the rug. The back of an authentic hand-woven or hand-knotted rug will have the same design as the front, versus some type of matting material on the underside. Also the intensity of the colors of the yarns should be virtually the same on the front and the backside.

Materials and Pile

• An authentic oriental rug is made from natural fibers such as silk, wool, cotton, goat or camel hair. A silk oriental rug will be the most expensive. Wool rugs are a less expensive choice and should not be overlooked. Persian wool, in particular, is one of the finest types of wool in the world and gives a very lustrous look to oriental rugs. Never judge a rug's authenticity by the height and thickness of the pile. Some of the finer hand-woven oriental rugs are also the thinnest in terms of pile.

Knot Density

• An authentic rug will be tightly woven with anywhere from 200 to 500 knots per square inch. The more knots, the higher the quality. If the rug has fewer than 250 knots per square inch, it's probably synthetic and machine-made. A hand-knotted silk oriental rug can have more than 1,000 knots per square inch and take a weaver as long as a year to make. As an in-store test, run your hand along the pile of the rug in the shape of a curve. You should be able to draw the curve smoothly and gracefully on a rug that is finely knotted.

Fringe

• A fine quality silk oriental rug will also have silk fringe. Examine the fringe on the rug you are considering. Feel the material and ask the dealer what the fringe is made of. Silk will have a feel that's smooth and extend from the threads used to craft the base of the rug. If the fringe is real silk, it should not look as if it were sewn onto the edges of the rugs. Cotton fringe is a sign that the rug was made from synthetic materials and by machine.

Retailers

• Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous retailers that try to pass off rugs as made of "genuine" silk when they are in fact artificial, or those who say that a rug was made in Iran when it was actually made in Spain. Take advantage of the knowledge you've gained and see real-life examples. Visit one or two antique rug dealers who sell some of the most expensive oriental rugs in town -- even if that's not in your budget. Ask the retailer to point out differences among oriental rugs in their inventory. Then you will be more informed and confident when comparison-shopping to find an authentic oriental rug that's right in line with your budget.