How to Shop for an Oriental Rug

Learn the basic facts about authentic Oriental rugs. An authentic Oriental rug is hand-knotted. There are several other types of rugs, such as machine-made, hand-tufted, needlepoint, kilim and rag rugs. Rugs are distinguished both by their size and style. Oriental rugs generally are large (between 15 square feet and 100 square feet) and have complex, asymmetrical patterns.

Inspect the edges and reverse side of the rug. This is very important when trying to discern if an alleged Oriental rug is actually hand-knotted or simply hand-tufted or machine-made, which is the most crucial difference in determining the authenticity of an Oriental rug. As a rule of thumb, imperfections are a good sign of an authentic, hand-knotted Oriental rug. For example, if the edges of the rug are slightly uneven and are woven into the rug, rather than just simply stitched together, then it is probably hand-knotted. If the patterning on the reverse side of the rug is the same as the front, then it is probably also hand-knotted, although some machine-made rugs will mimic this design feature. If the tassels on the edges of the rug have slight imperfections and are woven into the rug, it is probably hand-knotted.

Ask the seller what kinds of materials the rug is made of. Fold the rug a couple of times. If the pile of the rug is made of more than one material, such as wool and silk, then it is probably a hand-knotted Oriental rug. If the rug is very loose and flexible, it is probably a hand-knotted Oriental rug.

Determine the place of origin of the Oriental rug. Oriental rugs are known to come from many different countries and regions. The most common countries are Armenia, Afghanistan, China, India, Iraq, Morocco, Nepal, Portugal, Romania, Tibet and Turkey.

Negotiate a fair price for the Oriental rug. Price is affected by both size and the quality of the rug, not by the perfection of the weave. Be prepared to pay upward of $7,000 for a large, authentic Oriental rug.