Q&A: Expert Opinion Appreciated! 10x14 Carpet, What is it?

We look forward to talking with anyone on questions pertaining to oriental rugs.  We are an Independent Reviewer, and will give you our opinion for any rug, new or old.  Should you have any questions you would like to submit for a blog entry response, please do so, and be sure to include photographs of your rug.  For more information, please take a look at the bottom of this page, or feel free to Contact Us at Info@RugRag.com

Question received the 11th of August 2008:

Response:

*UPDATE*  Since this response has been written, e-mail confirmation has been made stating this rug is in fact a Kerman carpet from the 1960's.  According to a local rug expert there is a very similar rug which resides in a British Embassy.  Thank you for additional information! 

Hello!

This is a nice looking carpet you sent images of.  It would help if we had some very high resolution photographs of the pile and reverse side of the rug, however we can give you some information from experience. 

Looking at this carpet, we would call it a Milfleur (also spelled millefleur, meaning "thousand flower") design Kerman.  So, going by provided photographs, we can say we absolutely agree with the seller about it being a Kerman.  The tricky thing is telling the age from very few images.  We think this could possibly be a carpet from very late production of Laver (Lavar) Kermans (also spelled Kirman) around the mid 30's.  The feel of these Lavar rugs changed considerably around this time from what had been accepted of these carpets in and around the early quarter of the 20th century.  The carpets became thicker, and used brighter coloration in comparison to earlier Laver Kermans.

However, one thing which is somewhat deceiving include the extensive use of very bright pinks and other colors.  While 1930's rugs incorporated some of these tones, and were not entirely uncommon, the multiple numbers of brighter colors could be very well be an indicator of the carpet being much newer, possibly even as late as 1950s-60's.  The way we could tell the difference of this would be to see a very good close up of the reverse side and pile face for more *conclusive* Internet answer. 

To see an example of a Laver Kerman (circa 1925) which recently sold at a Freemans Auction in PA this year, view Lot 11167.  Coloration is similar, this rug was in fairly good condition with several lower piled areas and badly in need of a good wash.  Not to say valuation would be similar, we're simply using this coloration for comparison.

Either way, old or new, this certainly is a very pretty example of a Kerman carpet, and certainly a solid value in good condition for a 10x14 with the investment of €1500.  Enjoy this carpet! 

Thanks again for posting.  Let us know if you have any additional questions or would like to send more images

-Rug Rag

For all those interested in submitting a question to the Rug Rag Editors:  We'd be more than happy to help, please send some photographs of the reverse side of the rug very close up with a quarter placed on the knots, plus a picture of the fringe, the whole face of the rug and detail shot of the pile.  If the rug is worn, please include photographs of worn areas.  For rugs of any age, please be sure to check for dry areas, moth damage, odor, and whether or not the rug is straight/has right angles where called for.  If you have any questions about our assessment request feel free to send us an email.  Otherwise, we are looking for something similar to these images posted here. 

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