A Guide to Antique & Vintage Rugs
If you haven’t guessed by the number of rugs in our home, I’m a big fan of decorating with rugs, especially vintage and antique rugs. A rug grounds a space and can really bring it to life with its colors, patterns and texture. Here’s what you need to know when you shop for antique and vintage rugs.
Origins
Where a rug comes from makes a big difference. The reason for this is that the style of each region is incredibly different in terms of the patterns, technique, colors and materials used. Many places have practiced weaving as an art form that dates back centuries and so when you purchase a vintage rug, you’re purchasing a part of history.
Persian
When you purchase a true vintage Persian rug, it’s coming from Iran. They’ll lay higher off the ground with a short to medium pile, woven specifically so that it’s not flat. If you’re a lover of jewel tones, you’re generally going to want to buy a Persian rug, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find other beautiful colors as well. You’ll find that they have geometric and floral designs, often very colorful and easily catches the eye. Heriz pieces have a strong pattern with a geometric pattern centered around a medallion in the center and are very popular. Note: All Persian rugs are Persian Oriental rugs.
Rugs have always been an important aspect of Persian decorative art and in the 16th century the Shah offered large prizes to encourage the best of the weavers. In 1934, the Persian Government made regulations preventing the export of rugs of poor quality, so authenticate antique and vintage Persian rugs are the very best quality you can find!
Persian rugs feature a pattern that is unique to the city or village where the rug is made, making each rug truly unique in its size, pattern and colors.
Caucasian
Caucasian rugs come from a region of Southern Russian and Europe between the Black Sea and the Caspian. It’s been a rug weaving center for millennia! These are very high quality as the region is one of the first places where weaving was mastered. It’s a craft they take seriously and it shows in the beauty and design of each rug. The principal characteristics of Caucasian rugs are their severely angular patterns which have no curving elements.
There are three main varieties of Caucasian rugs:
- The Kazak are made by Cossack nomads and are bright in color with a fairly long pile.
- The Shirvan has a shorter pile.
- The Daghestan is more closely woven than the other two, with a very short pile. All are woven with the Ghiordes knot.
Oriental
While the term “oriental” is very outdated, rugs made in Morocco, the Middle East, Central Asia, northern India, northern China, Tibet, Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan are still considered “Oriental” when it comes to describing rugs. Note: Not all Oriental rugs are Persian rugs. More floral or figurative patterns traditionally indicated an Oriental rug was produced in or near an urban center, while the more geometric patterns were produced by nomadic tribes. Many Oriental rugs use contrasting colors, as well as different textures to create three-dimensional effects.
Much like Persian rugs, Oriental rugs are woven using either the Senneh Knot or the Ghiordes knot. Wool, Silk, Goat hair, and cotton are all used in weaving hand-knotted rugs depending on where they are woven.
Oriental rugs remain to be the more popular and treasured version of rugs. The process of weaving the rugs by hand makes them their own type of art form. When you get really good at spotting the different patterns of each rug, you can tell what region each one was made in.
Types of Rugs
Kilim
A type of Turkish vintage rug that is flat woven and normally found with geometric designs.They are on the thin side of the rug spectrum which means they can be used in the traditional way or as wall hangings.
Berber
Berber comes from the name of the people who created this style of rug in North Africa. Berber rugs are weaved in loops, tightly and without any tufts. It’s super durable and can often be found in places of high-traffic in the home because of the durability.
Oushak
Their designs are usually geometric with a central medallion or smaller scattered medallions, typically with a border design of a similar medallion or scroll/vine pattern.
Tabriz
A type of Persian Rug from the city of Tabriz. They are very intricate and made from either cotton or silk.
Overdyed
These are single-color rugs that have a faint hint of a pattern. The process of dyeing them creates a soft, washed-out depth so it’s the perfect rug style if you like an Oriental-style pattern but not a mix of colors.
Agra
Perhaps best known as home to the Taj Mahal, the city of Agra, India, also produces some beautiful rugs. It was that royal patronage in the 16th century that gave a boost to the town’s rug industry. Agra weavers were known for their stellar vegetable dyeing skills, and the city still produces rugs with an exquisitely light, airy feel.
Moroccan
The base material for a Moroccan rug is black or white sheep’s wool, but the finished color and pattern is determined by the tribe of origin. Often, Moroccan rugs are shaggy and super soft, making them the perfect choice for a cozy bedroom. “Beni Ourain” rugs refer to those that are cream-colored with black patterns. “Boucherouite” rugs are shaggy and made with colorful scraps of different types of materials.
How to Determine if a Rug is Handmade or Machine Made
One of the best ways to tell the difference between hand knotted and machine made rugs is to look at the back of the rug. In hand knotted rugs, the weaving and the knots will be slightly uneven and not perfectly uniform. On the other hand, a machine made rug will look very uniform and perfectly even. The more detail in the design when looking from the back, the better the quality of the rug.
Another way to determine if a rug is hand knotted or machine made is to look at the fringe and trim. The fringe of a Machine made rug is sewn on and is attached as a finishing touch; however, the fringe of a hand knotted rug is an extension of the rug foundation.
When to Splurge and When to Pass
Think of rugs the same way you would when it comes to buying artwork. All of these rugs are original pieces of art when you think about it and they’re well made which is why you’re seeing them 100 years later. When it comes to splurging, the biggest thing you want to consider is your love for the rug. There will always be plenty of vintage rugs that will come and go, but if you miss out on it, will you be devastated by the loss? If not, your hard earned money probably shouldn’t be spent splurging on it.
Start with your budget and then compare pricing for the size you’re looking for and go from there. If it ends up being out of your price range, it’s time to ask yourself if you can live without it.
Keep in mind that vintage and hand knotted rugs are typically made with natural materials such as wool, silk, bamboo silk, viscose and cotton. Many modern rugs are made from synthetic materials which are not made to last. As evidenced by this guide, hand knotted area rugs are very durable and can last for centuries if they are well maintained and high quality to begin with.
I like slight imperfections but a rug that is falling apart isn’t where you should spend your money.
How to Clean Antique and Vintage Rugs
The great thing about vintage anything is that what you’re looking at, you can 100% know has stood the test of time. A rug that is over 30 years old and not falling apart at the seams is reason enough to know that getting it wet or a small stain on it isn’t the end of the world. Most of the time, a simple damp towel and a little scrubbing will go a long way. Vacuum it, but be sure to NOT use the carpet setting. Only use the wood flooring setting so that you don’t mess with the weave. Shake it out over a balcony or outside your front door for a quick refresh.
If your rug has a bit of a ‘smell’ to it (which most rugs do after that many years), I suggest taking it to a professional to clean or even leaving it outdoors for a few hours on a cool Spring day.
How and Where to Buy
A rug is considered vintage if it’s less than 100 years old. If it’s more than 100 years old, then it’s considered an antique. If you’re shopping at a flea market the terms will likely be interchangeable, but at an antique store or rug dealer things get very technical!
When it comes to vintage rugs, I consider it the same as buying all of my other vintage items: the flea market is where it’s at. There are plenty of sellers who have a specialty in buying and selling rugs (which you’ll also be paying a premium for) but it’s good to get an idea of what you’re looking for. Sometimes you’ll come across sellers who have an entire gamut of home decor and you may be able to get a better deal on a vintage rug because of that.
Etsy is another great option for buying, although the only set back is you aren’t able to see it in person before purchasing. You will, however, be able to see reviews for the seller and exact measurements as well as many more colors, shapes, and patterns. If you’re buying online, ask for more pictures if you are unsure about the color or damage of your rug.
- LOOM + FIELD is a small studio offering handcrafted home goods created by artisans around the world including vintage boucherouite and berber rugs. Proceeds empower women weavers in Morocco with literacy education and training. Shipping is quick and usually within 1 week.
- ELRAMLAHAMRA offers the most beautiful and colorful selection of vintage boucherouite and Beni Ourain rugs as well as Moroccan wedding blankets, poufs and pillows. Shipping is fast and rugs arrive ready to use.
- OLD NEW HOUSE offers antique and semi-antique rugs as well as vintage furniture and household items. The items are expertly curated, plus they have a nice return policy.
- CARPETMANIA offers beautiful handcrafted rugs. If you’re searching for rugs with deep red or bright coral hues, look no further than Carpetmania.
- BERBUL offers authentic Moroccan vintage decor including Beni Ourain rugs, boucherouite and azilal rugs, Moroccan wedding blankets and more. Plus, all rugs are shipped Express and they arrive cleaned, washed and ready to use in your home or office.
- RUGTOGO offers a collection of rugs from different regions/cultures. They list items on a daily basis and offer quick shipping throughout the world.
Facebook Marketplace is becoming another great place to shop for vintage and antiques. The upside with FBM is that you can coordinate with the seller to check out the rug in person.
Vintage rugs come in all kinds of sizes which is great if you need an unconventional size, however many online sellers will include measurements in centimeters (not inches or feet). I learned this the hard way when shopping for a rug during our primary bedroom design. If you’re shopping in person, bring your measuring tape and measure out the rug yourself to ensure it’s exactly the size you need.
Be sure to measure out your room and then tape off where you’d want a rug to be. This will give you a good idea of the dimensions you want and how it’ll look when bringing your furniture all together. It’s often recommended to start with buying a rug first and then building everything around it including your color scheme or finishing to bring everything together.
