If you own an antique rug, you may be wondering if it’s valuable. Depending on a number of factors, it very well could be. It’s common sense that an antique in good condition is worth more than one that’s falling apart. But did you know the pattern and style of the rug also impacts its value? Certain antiques are in high demand due to rarity. Read on to learn the five antique rug styles most sought after by collectors.
Antique Kerman Persian Rug
The most expensive rug ever sold was an antique 17th century Kerman rug. The Clark Sickle-Leaf Vine Carpet sold for 33.7 million dollars at Sotheby’s auction. Kerman rugs are a type of Persian rug woven in Kerman, Iran featuring a vase pattern. Vase rugs depict colorful vases overflowing with flowers. There may be a single vase at the center, or many smaller vases sprinkled across the face of the rug. Kerman rugs often feature vivid reds and golds. Part of the reason these rugs are so popular is due to the rare weaving technique used to construct Kerman vase rugs. The Clark Sickle-Leaf Vine Carpet is the only known vase-technique rug with a red background, which is part of why it sold for so much. The vase technique utilizes asymmetrical knots that give a unique shine and texture to these rugs.
Antique Isfahan Persian Rug
The Doris Duke antique silk Isfahan rug sold for 4.45 million in 2008. This beautiful piece was woven in the early 1600s. A scrolling vine pattern surrounds the border and more intricate and colorful vines decorate the center of the rug. This particular rug’s main color is gold, with bits of faded accent colors still showing, including reds, greens, and blues. Isfahan rugs have scrolling patterns made of vines, flowers, or even hunting motifs. Ivory is the most common background color. Jewel tones and pastels give these rugs rich color, elevated by a high knot count.
Antique Ziegler Mahal Persian Rug
These antique rugs sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars at auction. They are sought after for their large size and captivating colors. Mahal rugs are known for using elegant colors on and spacious decorative backgrounds featuring flowers or vines. These collectible rugs are rare and hard to find, which is why they are so valuable now. Ziegler Mahal rugs are Mahal rugs that were adapted to appeal to the European market by Ziegler and Co., of England when they established themselves in the Persian rug making business in Sultanabad, Iran in 1883. Standard Mahal rugs are still quite collectible and have less restrained color palettes than Ziegler Mahals. Antique Mahal Persian rugs generally come in larger sizes.
Antique Tabriz Persian Rug
Tabriz carpets have been sought after for centuries. These beautiful Persian rugs never go out of style. The Rothschild family owned a 16th century Tabriz Medallion rug that was stolen during WWII. It was found years later and sold for 2.4 million. Tabriz rugs use rich, bold colors and intricate patterns.
Antique Oushak Rug
An antique Oushak from the 17th century sold for $158,500 at auction. Hundreds of years after its construction, the rug was still vividly colored in reds, dark navy, and gold. Oushak rugs may have a central medallion or all-over medallions and are dyed in red, terracotta, gold, blue, green, and ivory. The wool used to weave Oushak rugs is of the highest quality, giving the rugs a silky feel and more shine than wool rugs usually display. Oushak rugs come from Turkey but are heavily influenced by Persian styles.
Other collectible antiques deserving of honorable mention are the Mohtashem Kashan and Fereghan Sarouk Persian Rugs. If you own an antique rug and are not sure whether it’s valuable, bring it to the experts at Behnam Rugs. Our Rug Master will thoroughly inspect your rug, taking into account its approximate age, condition, the rarity of colors and pattern, country of origin, material(s), quality level, and more to determine its value. Behnam Rugs offers free verbal appraisals as well as written appraisals for insurance purposes. Please appraise and insure all your precious rugs to save yourself a headache should anything happen to them.
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