Why are rugs so expensive? - Page 2

Good one!

My parents have a Chinese rug that cost a fortune, done by some old dude in China that was one of only a few people left of his skill level. It's held up for 20 years in their living room, without any signs of wear. It looks and feels completely different from any machine-made oriental rug I've seen; hell, I've never seen a rug remotely so thick and densely woven before, or as deeply and vividly colored. A good rug isn't just a rug.

Hand Swen.

Machine made rugs lose material, and there isn't really that much there to begin with. I have a mass-market modern wool rug (about $400 from West Elm) where a decent chunk of "fur" ends up in the vacuum cleaner every week. At this rate it'll be bare in a few years.

High-end handmade rugs are tightly knotted and have more material, so it doesn't gradually shed away to nothing. As long as you treat it well (ie. don't spill drinks all over it, don't walk over it in work boots every day) it'll last a ridiculously long time.

Not sticking up for the $17k rug here as I certainly wouldn't buy one, but there is an argument to be made that such an item isn't such a bad deal if you're in a position to be spending that much on furnishings.

I have three large (bigger than 9x12 or so) rugs - two Persian and one Turkish - which are more than 100 years old... well, they were about 100 years old when I was a little kid, so they're more like 130+ years old. Hand woven (obviously) and gorgeous, they're obviously "antique", but aren't at all "worn out". Wool is some sturdy stuff. I have no idea what they're worth, really - I need an updated appraisal - but they're currently insured for $300k in total. More than I would spend, but I got them for free! My view on things like art, furniture and rugs is that if you're going for an overall "look", ie. a decorator mentality, then grab the stuff that's fairly cheap but looks good, since it doesn't need to last. Items like an antique Persian rug, a Han dynasty terracotta temple figurine, or an original painting are bought for *themselves*, not as *part of something* like a "look". I'm far too lazy to redecorate my house every five years, so I go with the keepers. DH

Great rugs can be had for a lot less money than OP mentions. As a matter if fact, seems like there's a flood of rugs on the market right now. As with any important purchase, however, do your homework, learn as much as you can. And by all means, don't be afraid to haggle with a dealer. The mark up on rugz is often ridiculous. My personal taste runs to larger geometric patterns and muted earth tones. I like the arts and crafts stuff, for example, English and American. Simple is less likely to fatigue the eye, etc. You are apt to want to hang on to your well chosen rug. It can be a kind of mystical process, like choosing artwork. Has to give you a tingle down there.

nm

A non-pricey rug I just rcvd... pm for details if you need them

- B

Spend some time learning ... on your own ... not just asking to be told why. There's a lot of hype/salesmanship/chicanery in the rug business but, at the end of the day, a well made rug is a utilitarian work of art -- to be lived with and enjoyed.

If you ever have a chance to see rug production, you'll understand immediately where the costs comes from.

If you ever have a chance to live with a good rug for years, you'll understand over time where the value comes from.

Any good pics of rugs on walls?

Could someone post a picture of a 17k rug and what material are they made of. If it is something like the pic above in silk they are available in India for around 2000-6000 USd depending on size.

The price of a quality hand made rug depends on many factors.... Of the few I'm aware of, one, obviously, is size. The second is how tight the knots are, flip the rug over and look at the back, how tight is the stitching? Another one is he design. If you have a rug that is a floral type pattern that is identical from one corner to the other, then the person making the rug only needed to actually design 1/4 of the rug and then just flip it and duplicate. If you have a rug with animals and birds then they needed to design an entire rug since each part o the rug is unique. I have an old persian rug in my living room, c. 1950. I'll snap a pic for you. It's the basic floral type I mentioned above, but still valuable.

Can anyone point me towards a primer on good rugs? or tips on where to buy used?

I'm sorta embarrassed by my lack of knowledge on the subject.

I've got a number of authentic persians scattered throughout my house. Even a few on the walls. Tehy're pretty small ones, one has gold threads and i think both are silk, so tehy're more decorative. The rest are all hand made with a few mistakes for authenticity and dyed in batches since the colors have faded all differently. if anyone really cares I can take pics.