When it comes to making home décor investments, many people shy away from spending on rugs. Shelling out thousands of dollars for a floor covering doesn’t seem worth it because it always gets walked on and spills are somehow inevitable. But antique Persian rugs can be great investments. These handmade rugs are built for style and function and are immensely durable. They add the perfect amount of charm to any room and can instantly transform how it looks and feels. What’s more, their value only appreciates with time. If you buy a Persian rug now, you can choose to hand it down through generations as an heirloom piece or sell it many years from now and earn a hefty amount. The catch is that it must be the real thing.
With the burgeoning popularity of Oriental rugs, including Persian rugs, there has also been a steady increase in the number of fakes. So, how can you be sure that the Persian rug you wish to buy is authentic? Lucky for you, telling a fake from a real Persian rug isn’t as difficult as you might think. Here are a few things you need to do:
- Look for signs that the rug is handmade.
There are some very tell-tale signs that indicate whether a Persian rug is handmade or machine-made. Handwoven rugs are pure works of art. The artisans create beautiful intricate patterns of the top surface of the rug, which also show up on the back. So, when you shop for rugs, check the back. If its pattern mimics the front, it is authentic. If it has a plastic backing, it is clearly mass-produced or fake.
- Find out the origin of the rug.
There is a common misconception that Oriental rugs and Persian rugs are the same things, which is not true. Persian rugs, although a type of Oriental rug, are only made in Iran. If rugs produced in other countries are peddled as Persian, they are fake. Handwoven rugs from Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, or Turkey, although stunning, are Oriental rugs, not Persian.
- See if there is a soft underside.
Authentic Persian rugs do not have any backing added to them, which results in a soft underside. This is unlike mass-produced rugs that use synthetic pile materials and a plastic backing that holds the pile together.
- Look for signs of faux-aging.
Faux-aging is a method used by some rug stores to make it look like a rug is an antique. Acid-washing is commonly used to achieve a washed-out effect. But a real antique Persian rug will maintain its bright colors for hundreds of years. And when compared to a faux-aged rug, it will look brand new.
Do you know what is the best way to make sure that you get an authentic Persian rug? Buy from a reputable dealer like Beautiful Rugs. We offer the best antique Persian rugs in Chicago that have been sourced directly from artisans and sellers in Iran. All our rugs boast incredible quality, construction, and craftsmanship. Visit our rug gallery to discover all that we have to offer.
