Posted on October 3, 2020 by Behnam Rugs

Whether you recently purchased an older rug, inherited a rug, or were gifted a fine rug through family or friends, you may wonder about its age and value. We’ve composed a guide so that you can ascertain the approximate age of your rug from home. Age does not always increase value, although an antique rug in good condition is likely to be worth more than a new rug.

Things to Look For:

1. Wear– Is the pile worn down or foundation exposed? This is not a foolproof way to assess age, as an antique that experienced little to no traffic may retain its pile, and cheaply-made new rugs wear down quickly. Use wear in conjunction with the following indicators for better age estimates.
2. Check the Back– The back of an older rug will likely be grainy or smooth, while the back of a newer rug will be fuzzy. Foot traffic and furniture placed on the rug will erode the fibers on the back over time through abrasion from pressure.
3. Flexibility– A newer rug will be stiff, while an older rug will be quite flexible even if tightly woven.
4. Dye Intensity– Are your rug’s colors pale? Fold the rug to look at the root of the threads. An older rug will have faded over time due to sunlight exposure, resulting in richer colors at the base of the foundation. Some retailers bleach their rugs to give them an aged look. The difference between true aging and bleaching is that an aged rug will have a natural and gradual color transition, while a bleached rug will have an obvious line of demarcation.
5. Foundation Material– Cotton became quite inexpensive after the 1930s, a wool pile may indicate an older rug.
6. Style– Certain rug patterns and designs are dated. Use a design encyclopedia to identify your rug. One drawback of this method is that reproductions of old styles have become popular. To determine if your rug is a reproduction or the real deal, check the wear, dye intensity, and stiffness. We recommend purchasing a rug guide like this one instead of relying on the Internet to identify your rug. Another option is to talk with a rug expert who has been in business in your area for many years- they can tell you a lot about your rug with a visual examination.
7. Repairs– The older a rug is, the more likely that is has needed repairs. If you can’t determine if repairs have been performed on the face of the rug, check the back, where repairs are easier to spot.
8. Knots Per Square Inch– Determine KPSI by turning the rug over and counting the number of knots in a horizontal and vertical row in the space of an inch and multiplying them together. You may find that your rug has the same KPSI as was common in a certain region and time period. In addition, with the exception of some finely woven silk rugs, most rugs that are truly antique are likely to have a lower knot count than what is average for high-quality handmade rugs today.

Dating rugs is not an exact science by any means, and the only way to grow skilled at ascertaining approximate age is to study hundreds of rugs! This guide is here to help you make knowledgeable estimates so that you do not have to bring your rug to an expert.

However, if you own a rug and want a professional opinion, bring it to the experts at Behnam Rugs. We will let you know it’s age and give a free verbal appraisal. For valuable rugs, especially antiques, we recommend a written appraisal for insurance purposes from your local rug dealer. If you are interested in purchasing an older rug, The Editorialist composed a guide of what to look for when shopping for a vintage rug.

Older rugs are more likely to have been touched up for aesthetic reasons, and these touch-ups may disappear after washing. It’s important to have a rug professional assess your rug before you schedule rug cleaning, to ensure the rug is not damaged or changed unexpectedly by the water and cleansers. Read our blog to learn more about the dyes used to impart color, the risks of color bleeding, and touch-ups.