Diverse rug making traditions
China has diverse rug making traditions, including rugs with a Middle-Eastern flavor from Xinjiang, such as Khotan, Samarkand and Kirgiz types, contrasting with "classical" Chinese rugs from Ningxia (Ninghsia), Baotou in Inner Mongolia and the Beijing (Peking) region, and Tibetan rugs from the Tibetan Autonomous Region.
How to buy antique rugs
We choose our carpets based on criteria of beauty (first of all), condition, age and rarity. We look for rugs made from lustrous wool well-drawn designs with good color.
Repairs
Nearly all old carpets have at least some repairs. Most of the antique carpets we sell have repaired selvedges (edges) since if a frayed edge is not fixed it can lead to further damage later. We accept minor patches and repiling, but avoid stocking carpets that have been extensively re-piled.
Cleaning
All our antique carpets are cleaned prior to sale.
Ages of old rugs
We are often asked how we estimate the ages of old carpets. In most cases we do this by examining the dyes used in them. Prior to the 1870s carpets were made with natural dyes, but after this date a succession of synthetic dyes became available. Expensive synthetics were used sparingly at first, but by the inter-war years they were widely used.
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