Learn these tips and tricks and you too can identify Oriental rugs.
1. If it was woven before World War 2, it is neither a Qum nor a Nain.
2. Hamadans (made in several hundred different villages in N.W. Iran) are tied with a symmetrical (Turkish) knot, have cotton warps and wefts, one row of wefts between each row of knots, and often are finished on one end with a simple fringe and the other with a webbing and no fringe.
3. Tabriz is the only Persian city-carpet woven with the symmetrical knot (except for a rare Turkbaff Mashed). The use of the Turkish knot in Hamadan and Tabriz is explained by the fact that Tabriz was once the capital of the Ottoman (Turkish) Empire and its predominate population is of Turkic people.
4. Pakistani “Bokharas” are on cotton foundations. Their Turkmen prototypes are woven on wool foundations except for some very new pieces.
5. Many of the tribal and village rugs from southern Iran have multicolored or “barber pole” selvages, such as Qashqa’is, Kamsehs and Afshars.
6. Quite often Afshars are in squarish sizes. They can be tied with either symmetrical or asymmetrical knots.
7. Cochineal, a dye derived from an insect, is a red color with a bluish or purplish hue. In Persian rugs it is found only in Kermans and Masheds and occasionally in Afshars—all of which are made in eastern Iran.
8. Karabaughs are the only Caucasian rugs in which cochineal is commonly found.
9. Cochineal is often found in old Indian rugs.
10. Modern Indian rugs usually can be distinguished from, say, Pakistani rugs by their very heavy body and stiff handle, their fat weft threads, and the fact that their selvages are added after the rugs are woven and are not an integral part of it.
11. Manchester Kashans were made around the turn of the century in Kashan, Iran with the same wool now used to make, for instance, Pakistani Bokharas- that is, machine spun wool from Marino sheep. They can be identified by their very soft wool pile and by their single-wrapped magenta silk selvages.
12. Turkmen rugs are tied with asymmetrical knots. The exception is Yomuds, most of which are tied symmetrically. Occassionally one sees Tekkes that have a few rows of symmetrical knots just inside their selvages.
13. Bidjars are the heaviest-bodied rugs in the known universe and can often be identified on that basis.
14. Armenian Immigrant Rugs are those brought out of Armenia after the breakup of the Soviet Union by immigrants and merchants. The strongest clues that a rug falls into that category are full pile and hanging devices sewed to the backs of rugs, usually small, cloth loops. Strangely, the full pile of these rugs often is accompanied by severe damage to the foundation: holes in the body of the rug and eroded corners.
15. Old Turkish rugs can be distinguished from other tribal rugs by the fact that their wool weft threads are not twisted.
16. If it has synthetic dyes, it positively was made after 1865. If its dyes are natural, it may have been made any time in the past 3,000 to 5,000 years.
17. It is possible to confuse Lillihans with Hamadans. Often both have Sarouk-like designs and both are single-wefted rugs on a cotton foundation. However, Lillihans are woven with an asymmetrical knot, and Hamadans with the symmetrical knot.
18. In design, Hamadans and Kurdish rugs often are very similar. But Kurdish rugs are made on a wool foundation and Hamadans on cotton.
19. Qashqa’is are most often made with red or pink wefts.
20. Romanian rugs most often are woven with light blue wefts.
21. Karadjas, almost alone among all the Heriz District rugs, are single-wefted.
22. Sennehs are not woven with the Senneh (asymmetrical) knot. Rather, they are tied with the Turkish (symmetrical) knot.
23. Like Hamadans, Baktiaris most often are woven with the symmetrical knot and are single wefted. It is quite possible to confuse them. But if the rug in question wears a lot of rather strong yellow, most likely it is a Baktiari.
24. The most curvilinear of all the Heriz products is that from Ahar. Ahars are exceptionally heavy-bodied as well.
25. The most curvilinear of all the Hamadan products (in fact practically the only curvilinear Hamadan) is from the village of Borchalou. Often Borchalous are made in Sarouk-like designs and feature the color black.
I have an old oriental rug. It is a floral, unlike anything I have seen. It looks Russian to me. May I email you a pic of it?
Please do. Richard@internetrugs.com
Like Richard I have an unusual rug and do not know the origin…Atlanta auction house…I would also would like to email a picture of it soon Thank you..learning more and more so beautiful your expertise and simple “one line” helps. Tks Judy
Very informative article! Thank you. I think I have been able to identify the small rug I inherited with my house - as a “Hamadan” (?) It definitely is hand woven, with the cotton single weft, finished with the webbing on one end and small fringe on the other, and the hand-stitched selvages. It also seems to embody the “barber pole” edges of the Tribal and Village rugs from S/Iran … very confusing, wish I could get expert opinion on this.
I also have a very large carpet of this style, more professionally made - the pile is not knotted, seems to be just woven thru 2 strands of weft. This one is about a 9`x12`size.
Anyway, I shall keep searching for more detailed info for identification. Thank you for your article.
@Merle - We’d love to take a look. You can send photos to erugs@internetrugs.com if you like.
erugs@internetrugs.com
Sir,
I hope that you can help me to idendify a rug. I have photos to help.
I was given this rather old looking rug. The size is approx. 5′X7′. There is
only a small border at one end, and a small fringe at the other. The shape
is a bit distorted, It measures 50″ across where the 1/2″ border is and
only 47″ across where the fringe is. The length is 77″ both sides.
There seems to be repairs, but I’m not sure because the back looks
original. The front has discolored areas across the rug, almost as if
diffrent colored wool was used, and I do think it’s wool, it feels like it.
There are three dimond shaped patterns in the middle, the two
larger ones have what looks like a floral pattern. But the two are not
lined-up the same, one is off center. It is not in good condition,
there are some cigarette burn- marks , and the colours
are not as vivid as in the photos, but I like it on my floor. Any help
would be appreciated, name ,origin and especially age.
I hope the photos will help.
Regards and Thank You,
Kurt Karlsson
Orillia Ontario Canada
kurtkarlsson9176@yahoo.ca
I have two antique rugs that were handed down in my family however we have no idea where they are from or their value. Is there any chance I could send some photos so you can have a look and give me an idea of are and when it as made and the value?
Thanks
Please E-mail photos to Richard@internetrugs.com I’d be happy to take a look.
Hi Richard,
My wife’s father gave us a rug, it is beige with a very light tinge of blue. It measures approx. 8′-0 x 11′-0″ it has fringe on the short ends, and is extremely heavy. We know nothing about rugs, and sadly father in law has passed away. There is an identification tag sewn on the back the one legible thing on it is 12826. I can send a photo if you’d like.
Thank you,
Jerry Lewis
A photo would be most helpful. Richard@internetrugs.com
I was given 2 rugs maybe 2×4 ? I haven’t measured them, anyways my father got them in Tabriz,Iran 1954-57 ( he was stationed there by the Army.) I was wondering about them. One is a scene with camels and the other is a steam ship with what is suposed to be the “Rock of Gilbralter” not sure if I spelled that right… Can you tell me anything about them? My e-mail is ohtoncme@yahoo.com thanks for any info. Merry Dillman