|
Color |
|
The primary color is the prominent color of the rug excluding the border and if
applicable, the central medallion. Green is a holy color in Persian rugs. Finding
large traditional style green rugs is rare. We recommend searching Modern rugs for
this color.
Within the primary color selection, there will be rugs that vary in shade. (eg.
a blue carpet could range from light blue to navy).
|
|
Style |
Close Window |
Refers to both the design and construction techniques used to create the carpet.
Often, the style name is derived from the city of origin. If you are new to shopping
for Persian rugs we recommend selecting Traditional or Modern style only for best
results.
|
|
Size |
Close Window |
Our sizes are indicated in feet and inches and generally do not include the fringes.
|
|
Pattern |
Close Window |
We recommend selecting either style or pattern, not both for best results.
|
|
Age |
Close Window |
Age is an approximation of when the carpet was woven. Generally, like fine wine,
the older the rug, the more it appreciates in value.
|
|
Material |
Close Window |
Each rug is made only with natural fibres including wool, silk and cotton. Generally,
each strand is hand-knotted onto a fine cotton foundation. These materials are durable
and long lasting.
|
|
Shape |
Close Window |
This is the actual shape of the rug.
|
|
Foundation |
Close Window |
Foundation is the material that makes up the base of the rug, comprised of crossed
yarns that allow the pile to be knotted through it.
|
|
RAJ
|
Close Window |
Raj is the count of knots in a linear 7cm. Often, a higher number indicates higher
durability and quality.
|
|
Condition
|
Close Window |
Refers to the qualitative state of the rug which ranges from excellent to good or
poor. An excellent rug may be either new or an older rug that has never been used.
A poor condition rug is still a high quality product but may have a lower pile making
it thinner than other Persian carpets.
|
|
Knotting Time
|
Close Window |
Based on the knot counts, intricacy and size of the rug, Rugman.com can determine
the amount of time that went into weaving the rug. Generally, the more time dedicated
to weaving it, the higher the cost of the rug.
|
|
Category |
Close Window |
Rugs are made by different types of weavers. The primary classifications are Masterweave
or Masterworkshop, City or Workshop, Village, and Tribal or Nomadic.
|
|
KPSI |
Close Window |
This abbreviation indicates the number of knots per square inch. The higher the
figure the better the carpet, although some well-respected Styles, e.g. Heriz, never
have a high knot count. This is because the weaver has used very thick yarns.
|
|
Origin |
Close Window |
This is the region where the rug was woven.
|
|
Pile |
Close Window |
The pile of a carpet or rug is simply the material knotted into the foundation to
form a patterned, coloured 'thickness' on the fair side. Knots are mostly Persian
or Turkish according to the area, or the habits of the weaver.
This pile is either wool or silk, or a mixture of both, and is usually dyed in one
or more colors before weaving. When the weaving is completed the pile is then shaven
to the desired length. Some pieces are washed to give varying effects by altering
the colors and/or the lustre, whereas others are clipped or 'embossed' although
this is not typical of Persian styles.
Hand spun wool refers to the tradition wool that is spun into yarn by human hand
versus machine.
|
|
Thickness |
Close Window |
this refers to the depth of the carpet to the nearest 1/3 of an inch. Handmade area
rugs vary in the thickness of pile with each style of rug. A Gabbeh, for example,
has a deep, thick pile and a Nain will have a low pile that is soft the touch. The
pile density of a handmade Persian rug is not an indication of the quality of the
rug, but rather a result of the style.
|
Signed Original |
Close Window |
Just like fine art, this handmade original has been signed by the weaver to indicate
that this is one of his best hand-woven masterpieces. These signed rugs are generally
considered to be more valuable which can be reflected in their price. This seal
verifies that the weaver has signed the rug which is usually located in the top
of the border at one end of the rug.
|
|
Woven |
Close Window |
Handmade rugs constantly fascinate by their detail. A weaver must concentrate fiercely
to achieve uniformity in the simplest design. Knot by knot, he or she tries for
a regularity of pattern, in pursuit of perfection.
Machine-made rugs may have good wool and good colors, but lack the degree of personal
involvement. No one laboriously tied each knot, trying hard to follow a pattern
of details. A machine can be programmed to produce a row of dots, or a row of squares,
and every one will be identical. There is a complete absence of that thrill in seeing
where one square is eleven knots wide, whereas all the others are ten. Or the row
of twenty or thirty white birds, yet here, third one from the left, is a black bird.
It is the intrinsic personality of the weaver coming through, that striving for
perfection that demonstrates the human effort and involvement so vividly in every
handmade rug.
The techniques for weaving a hand-made rug have remained basically unchanged for
some two thousand years.
|
|
Vegetable Dries |
Close Window |
|
Vegetable dries are all natural and come from only natural color sources such as fruits, vegetables, bark, roots and fungi. Most popular were the madder root used to produce reds, and the indigo plant for blues.
Before wool is dyed, it is prepared by scouring in boiling water followed by steeping in a mordant. Next, it's placed in a big pot with the prepared dye and boiled for a few hours. It is then rinsed in water until there is no more running of color.
Although natural colors are fast, they do fade slightly over the course of time when exposed to direct sunlight and alkalis. This fading, however, produces a muted antique look which many people desire, and which cannot be equaled with chemical
|
|
Wool |
Close Window |
|
Rugs made of natural wool are non-toxic and purify indoor air of common contaminants like formaldehyde, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide by locking the contaminants deep in the core of the fiber. Wool carpets continually purify indoor air for up to 30 years.
Persian Rugs are hand-knotted rugs are non-allergenic and will not support bacterial growth. Persian Rug are naturally flame resistant these wool rugs have a high moisture and protein content making them difficult to ignite initially and self-extinguishing once the flame source has been removed. Persian Rug has is a natural source for sound proofing, used often in apartments and recording studios. It can absorb up to 30% of its own weight in water vapor without feeling wet and than release or retain this moisture keeping you cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
|
|
Cotton |
Close Window |
|
Cotton in rugs is a natural fiber that comes from the seedpod of the cotton plant. People have valued cotton for thousands of years as it can be woven and spun into fabric and so it has been cultivated and traded around the world. Cotton is still the world’s most important non-food agricultural commodity.
|
|
Polypropylene Or Olefin
|
|
|
"Polypropylene or Olefin fibers are petroleum products , derived from polypropylene
and ethylene gasses.The polypropylene fiber is characterized but its resistance
to moisture. It is strong , abrasion resistent , quick drying , colorfast , mildew
resistant and soil and stain resistant. Its fibers have the lowest density of all
manufactured fibers giving olefin textiles a very lightweight quality."
Heat-Set Polypropylene
Heat Set Polypropylene is a man-made fiber that is created by a process called extrusion.
Extrusion involves the pre-dyeing of pellets that are melted down and extruded into
continuous fibers. As a man-made fiber, polypropylene has several built in features
that make it attractive for use in rugs. The Heat-set twisted yarns are treated
with heat to retain their "permanent wave" for better performance and
appearance retention.
|