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Most Expensive Rugs and Carpets

Sold for a record $9.6 Million

Above: A Kirman (Kerman) 'Vase Carpet' featured in Sotheby's sale 7845 lot 100 from Southeast Persia: A Mid-17th century in the size of 11'1" x 5' at a record sale price and per square foot basis ($173,232.97 USD per square foot) and a record price of $9.599 Million!

Above: October 7, 2009, A 400 year old hand knotted Safavid silk rug from Isfahan Persia sold at Sotheby's London, shattering the highest price per square foot paid for an oriental rug. The Rug sold for for 2,729,250 GBP including buyer Premium: $4,335,415.63 USD. Just ~ $100,000 short of the most expensive rug. A record investment of $226,853.11 per square foot (measuring 3'7" x 5'4")

Above: Measuring 7'7" x 5'7", this is not only the highest price paid for an Oriental Rug, but also the Second highest investment per square foot. The rug was last sold in 1990 to tobacco heiress doris duke who then donated it to the Newport Restoration Foundation after her death. It was then auctioned at Christies in 2008. Originally the rug was categorized as a Silk kashan, but has since been re-evaluated as being what would more appropriately considered an isfahan dating to the early 1600's: A Silk Safavid Carpet. Sold at Christies on June 3rd, 2008 at Christies Auctioneers in New York City with a hammer price of $4,450,500! That translates to $105,113.37 per square foot. SEE ENTIRE RUGRAG.COM AUCTION BREAKDOWN!

Above: Measuring in at a mere 6'1" x 5'4", the current world record for a Caucasian Oriental rug (Chelaberd Kazak) was sold by Freeman's Auctioneers in PA at a hammer price of $341,625. That translates to $10,534.23 per square foot.

This 16th centruy Tabriz, previously a Rothschild carpet, sold in 1999 at a Christies auction in London for a cool $2,400,000. The carpet measures 21 feet 8 inches by 11 feet 9 inches. That translates to $9,427.18 per square foot.

Above: A Safavid Carpet from the Late 16th Century, East Persia from the collections of Lili & Edmond J. Safra offered by Sotheby's for $2,032,000 (including buyer's premium) in November 2005. The carpet measures 27 feet 4 inches by 11 feet 3 inches. That translates to $6,608.21 per square foot.

Measuring in at only 3'8" x 3'9", this Chinese rug from the late Ming Dynasty was sold by Sotheby's Auctioneers in New York at a hammer price of $163,000 including buyers premium of 25%. That translates to $11,854.55 per square foot.

Often the most costly and expensive rugs are those which are very large rugs. Carpets in excess of 12' wide often require custom made looms, and extended time under comission.

Expensive Carpets 2009

Expensive Carpets 2008

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