I see this question come up time and again; when in reality, the question should be ‘why are Persian rugs worth so much?’ After all, the record price paid for a 17th Century Persian carpet through Sotheby’s in New York stands at $33.8m (£26.2m).
The prevalent art of weaving rugs can be traced back well over a millennium in Iran. Weaving rugs has been refined over generations, and, there are history and high-quality craftsmanship behind it. These include the traditional natural dying, the high-quality local wool that is handspun, which are the fundamental ingredients of rugs. It may take several months to several years to make a Persian rug. These, along with the wide variety of design and excellent Persian weaving techniques, have given rise to the most valuable antique of today.
Persian rugs are a testament to the old adage that ‘things of quality have no fear of time’. For confirmation of that, just browse through our website or the goods of any reputable dealer for antique Persian rugs that have stood the test of time. There is no Indian, Nepalese or Pakistani equivalents. Even though the mass-produce Persian designs, they have never matched the quality or durability.
Not acquiring the genuine article may well prove a false economy. Firstly the price differences between a genuine new modern Persian rug and a copy are at times negligible. Persian rugs are in fact relatively inexpensive for what they are. One of the primary reasons for that is that over the years, Persian Rug production has been much higher in Iran than in other countries. Secondly, to the untrained eye, the difference in the quality of non-Persian a copy may not be readily discernible. Yet after only a year of use, the inferiority of such goods begins to tell.
Persian rugs win out when it comes to price, and quality; the two significant factors you have to consider when you’re making a buying a decision. So buy a Persian rug if you are after a long-lasting, timeless piece that you can pass on as a family heirloom.
The Persian rugs for sale on our website may be only a few hundred pounds or tens of thousands of pounds. But the price on its own is not the indicator of how expensive an item is but the price along with the workmanship next to comparable products that would determine if a product is expensive. In my opinion, Persian rugs are very much undervalued, which is good news for a collector. With the renaissance of natural dying and traditional ways of weaving, you can have a bargain for the valuable antique of the future. But above all, good things are seldom cheap and cheap things are rarely good.
