Tip 1: Where to buy your handmade oriental rug:

Always deal with a reputable source. Preferably deal with a vendor who is importing Oriental rugs directly, he’ll have a sizeable stock and will be very knowledgeable about handmade rugs, this way you can be assured you’re getting the real thing. Ask around; get information from people who have successfully purchased handmade rugs, ask for references and most of all trust your instinct.

The Internet is a great avenue for research, where you can get easily accessible information and reviews on certain vendors. Check out whom you’re dealing with, it’s most important.

I would highly advise against attending any stock clearance sales as you can’t be assured of the quality, it’s quite possible they may be rejects for some reason or another.

Tip 2. Handmade or hand knotted?

You make ask yourself, what’s the difference? Well I can tell you now that if you are specifically looking for a handmade rug then there is a difference. Hand knotted rugs, in my oppinion are the finest of them all, and a hand knotted rug is most definitely hand made. On the flip side a handmade rug is not necessarily going to be hand knotted. Industry standards dictate that if a rug is advertised as hand knotted then it has to be hand made. Look out for this little bit of detail when perusing vendors for your Oriental rug. Ask the question ” Is this rug hand knotted”?, and make sure you get a straight answer. If the vendor answers you with ” this rug is handmade” then you need to repeat your question until you get all of the relevant information.

Tip 2. Check that the store or vendor has a returns policy:

Whether you have decided to buy from a local vendor or through the Internet. It’s always advisable to check out your rights as a consumer. While not so common with a local vendor, you may, for a number of reasons, find fault with the Oriental rug after you have purchased it. Protect your rights and ask the vendor what his returns policy is, particularly when dealing with an online seller. Get the vendor to confirm this in an email prior to shipping.

You should also ask the vendor for a certificate of authenticity for the handmade rug. But be careful again online as certificates are randomly printed and you still may not receive a genuine article.Prior to making any purchase, there are a few things you need to inspect to insure you’re getting what you plan on paying good money for:

• How compact are the knots?

The denseness of the knots on the handmade rug is in direct correlation with how much it’s worth. The tighter together they are, or the more knots per square inch, the higher the price. (Compact knots reflect a labor intensive Oriental rug, which in turn raises the value)

• Check the pile for any inconsistancies, holes, spills, damage etc.
• In older handmade rugs, pay particular attention to the foundation threads. Finding breaks here is not a good thing.
• Does the rug lie flat? If the rug does not lie flat, then more than likely you’re looking at a dud!
• If there are fringes on the Oriental rug, check that they have not been added at a later date.

Tip 4. Questions to ask yourself before you go shopping?

• Colour? Is there a certain colour you are looking for, perhaps to match decor or compliment an existing Oriental rug?
• Price? Set a budget and stick to it, otherwise you could end up spending beyond your means.
• Size? Measure the area for which you are purchasing the handmade rug, there’s no point rushing to buy the most beautiful rug if you have nowhere to display it.
• Quality? Your budget will most likely dictate the quality of the rug you’re going to buy. But do set yourself some must have quality requirements.
• Certification? Can the vendor provide you with a certificate of authentication?
• Density of knots? What density of knots per square inch are you willing to settle for as a minimum?
• Material? Decide what materials you most desire for your rug.
• Wool Grade? What grade of wool are you looking for?
• Modern or traditional? Are you looking for a very old Oriental, handmade rug? If so this is going to push up your budget considerably. Think about this seriously, how old can you go?
• Sythetic or natural dyes? Again this probably comes down to budget, most of the modern Oriental rugs are dyed with synthetics. The antique handmade rugs would most likely be dyed with natural vegetable dyes and are worth a lot more. You’ll notice that the natural dyes can fade over time, this is a great mark of authenticity.
• Handwoven, hand-knotted or hand-tufted. Hand knotted for me every time, but the choice is yours. Again, the choice you make will have to reflect your budget.
• Age? As I mentioned in the modern or traditional section, how old can you go?

All in all there are a huge amount of things to take into consideration when purchasing an Oriental rug. If you’re a seasonal buyer, you’ll know that already, but if you’re a handmade rug virgin, then I’d advise covering all your options and taking care with your first purchase. It’s worth the research, care, time and effort you put in when you bring your Oriental rug home for the first time.