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Jean McClelland: Internet opens new world for antique oriental rug sales

September 07, 2008 @ 12:00 AM

The Herald-Dispatch

A genuine oriental rug is one that is made anywhere from the Middle East to China. One could almost follow the 30-degree West Latitude parallel from the Eastern Mediterranean to the China Sea and find a maker of oriental rugs.

To be genuine, it needs to come from this vicinity. The rugs are made of wool, silk and cotton. Silk seems to be the most expensive; however, the number of knots per inch also can have an impact on the price and quality of a rug.

An antique oriental rug can be a wall hanging or a floor covering. The subject portrayed on an antique oriental carpet could tell the buyer where it was made. Some areas in the Middle East were governed by Muslim limitations on subject matter such as human figures, birds and beasts. The Chinese, however, knew no limitations and one can readily find deer, leopards, sprites and more highlighted on their rugs.

The name of a rug will often tell you where it was made. Many towns can be associated with rug making such as Tabriz in Iran.

Sadly, in today's world, if one is not educated on the subject, it would be easy to be misled because these names are also attached to machine-made rugs. It helps to learn to pay attention to types of designs, weaving styles, colors and more that help typecast a rug.

For those wishing to learn more about the subject, there is a wealth of information available on the Internet.

Prices for antique oriental rugs have definitely taken a dip since the online auctions have gotten into the act. Competition is a good thing, and a good purchase can be made online if you know what you're doing. Keep in mind these rugs have been produced since before the 5th century, though those that survive today usually don't date prior to the 16th century. That still leaves room for lots of rugs to be on the market to compete for the buyer's dollar.

These marvelous floor coverings will last generations if given proper care. The handmade variety will become more beautiful with age. All the attention that is needed for a carpet is regular cleaning. The rugs are colored with natural dyes that will take much abuse but strong chemicals such as puppy urine could leave a stain. It's best to research proper cleaning techniques.

Jean McClelland writes about antiques for The Herald-Dispatch.

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J. Chris Newberg
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school matinee begins at 9:30 a.m. and regular show at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5. Ashland Youth Ballet presents their annual presentation of The Nutcracker. Questions...

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Marshall Artists Series: "Wizard of Oz"
7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9. A spectacular celebration of the iconic 1939 MGM film, "The Wizard of Oz." Tickets, call 304-696-3326 or visit www.marshallartistsseries.org.

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