The Mystique of Rugs

Buying an Oriental rug is like a treasure hunt - you just need the right clues

By Cindy Hsu Han

When I set out to find a handmade Oriental rug, I was reminded of the story of the blind men and the elephant. Each salesperson emphasized a different characteristic: knot count, dyes, wool quality. I was too confused to see each rug for what it was. It's no wonder that most people are intimidated. But the good rug dealers agree that you should not become fixated on any one thing.

And they agree on the basics: Certain factors influence rug quality, and if a rug is good, all these will be high quality. A bad rug is uniformly bad.

Country of origin - Persian rugs (actually from Iran) for example, have the cachet - and often the better craftsmanship - that a Persian-style rug from China lacks. But there are good and bad rugs coming out of every country that produces them (e.g. Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, China, India). While each rug should be judged on its own merits, the country of origin is a helpful gauge.

"You have to compare apples to apples," says Richard J. Shehady, third-generation owner of Shehady's Carpets and Rugs. "If you are trying to compare prices, you have to know what exactly you are looking at, and the dealer should tell you the country of origin."

Knot count - What knot count actually indicates is the density of the weave; generally, the higher the knot count per inch, the more detailed the design and the more firm and fluid the rug feels. Certain styles, such as a flowery Tabriz, require a higher knot count to produce those intricate designs. But some of the Tibetan rugs, which can feature minimalist geometrics, don't call for such high knot count.

"Generally, you will pay more for a higher knot count," says Richard Walker Jr. of Walker Rugs in Mount Lebanon. But he emphasizes that quality depends on several other factors, so use knot count primarily for making a one-to-one comparison.

Thickness - A very loose rule is that thinner rugs correlate with higher quality, says Christopher Welling, president of London Oriental Rug Co., part of the Marforth designer showroom. But that rule goes out the window with different styles. Yes, traditional, fine rugs tend to be thin, but more contemporary rugs might be thicker.

Dyes - Vegetable dyes, which produce more subtle colors that mellow with age, are the choice for the pro-natural crowd. Some say they might fade or run more easily; others disagree. Synthetic or chemical dyes include chrome and aniline; these offer a wider range of hues, although some can be garish or eat into the wool. Bottom line again: Good dyes of either kind are better than poor dyes of either kind. Steer clear of a rug that shows signs of dyes that run, such as traces of red in a beige field, says Shehady.

For years, Oriental rug colors were fixed in the traditional reds and blues. Then pastels and deep greens came into vogue. Now the movement is toward earth tones, muted tea-stained colors, herbal washes and golden patinas.

Wool - Wool quality is one factor that matters. And it's the one you can't measure; you just have to get your hand in there and really feel the rug.

"You can educate your fingers. If you shop around enough, you can feel the difference," says Kristen Rockwell, owner of O'Bannon Oriental Carpets. Good wool is firm and contains a high lanolin (i.e. natural oil) content, lending suppleness to the rug. Bad wool makes for dry or brittle rugs.

Design - Knowing all the styles of Oriental rugs is daunting. Most traditional patterns are named for the city from which they originated and have certain fixed characteristics, such as the Tabriz, with its center medallion and floral accents. Oriental rugs today include many contemporary styles that bear little resemblance to those from centuries past. The craftsmanship of each weaver emerges in the spontaneity of the design.

So what if you know a little bit about rugs, but still feel wary of the rug merchant? Be smart about choosing your rug dealer. Good rugs usually cost in the thousands, not hundreds, and they should last you a lifetime. Find a merchant you can trust. Get recommendations, and look for someone who has been in business a while. Ask lots of questions; your dealer should be knowledgeable.

"If you're not sure what someone is saying is the truth, ask them to put it in writing. And if you return it because they didn't tell you the truth, make them buy it back at twice the price," says Welling.

Steer clear of places that hold "going out of business" sales, then re-open soon after (boldly advertising "in business for 20 years!"). Same goes for roving sales where you have no ability to return a rug.

And beware of inflated price tags. If every rug is marked down 50 percent, you should question whether the "original" price is jacked up. Here's where it helps to know enough about the rugs to know when prices are out of line. Anything marked "60, 70, 80 percent off" is pretty unlikely.

A good rug dealer should be able to serve as a surrogate designer, pulling out pieces that suit your tastes (Rockwell recommends bringing pictures of rugs that you like) and suggesting complementary rugs or placement ideas.

Higher-end rug dealers almost always allow you to take a rug home and try it out before you buy. Most of all, remember that even though a rug will be underfoot, it ultimately unifies and beautifies a room.

Since a good Oriental rug should last more than your lifetime, choose one that you love. Even though quality and pricing matter, the sheer beauty of the rug should appeal to you most of all.

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Details:

Shehady's Carpets & Rugs
Strip District
471-6336

O'Bannon Oriental Carpets
Squirrel Hill
422-0300

London Rug Co.
Strip District
456-2354

Weisshouse
Shadyside
441-8888

Walker Rugs
Mount Lebanon
563-1111

Linder's Oriental Rug Gallery
McKees Rocks
771-2345.