The human race has a fascination with the past. We often look to our history for answers and admire pieces of art that were created a long time ago. The rug industry is no different. One of a rug retailer’s most important skills is the identification of an authentic antique rug. After all, a reputable seller does not want to mark an item as antique when it was merely made to look distressed.
Through painstaking hours of research and decades of experience, today we’re going to help you learn how to identify an authentic antique rug. Let’s begin by looking at the definition of an antique rug.
What is an antique rug?
An antique rug is at least 100 years old. Because we’re publishing this blog in 2023, it means that a rug made from 1924 and onward cannot be antique. However, age is not the only requirement for a rug to be considered antique.
In order to be considered an antique, a rug needs to have been made using proven weaving techniques. Often, antique rugs come from the world’s Rug Belt, a semi-official term that refers to rugs made in regions associated with the Silk Road. This extends from Egypt to China and from Iran to southern Russia.
What details should I look for?
When going in-person to purchase a rug that claims to be antique, be sure to flip it over. You should see a distinctive pattern of knots on the back. If you see an attached rug pad instead of knots in the same pattern as the rug’s front, then it’s not an antique.
Speaking of knotting techniques, there is a difference between hand-knotted and hand-tufted rugs. Both knotted and tufted rugs qualify as antiques as long as they’re not produced by a machine. Because modern machines didn’t exist over a hundred years ago, any machine-made rug is not considered antique.
Is my rug antique or vintage?
Recently, we covered this topic in detail in a broader overview of antique rugs. However, in a nutshell:
- Vintage rugs are less than 100 years old, but more than 20.
- Antique rugs are at least 100 years old.
Keep this in mind when analyzing the rug’s details and how the vendor is selling it. Many so-called antique stores use the terms interchangeably, so the owner may tag a rug as antique when it’s actually vintage. Vintage rugs are still old enough to add a sense of history to your decor, but they’re not technically antique.
Can a retailer help me identify an authentic antique rug?
A reputable retailer such as Rug Source is able to show you each aspect of the rug and how it verifies the piece’s authenticity. In other words, knowledge and experience matter, and you should work closely with trained experts if authenticity is a priority for you.
Our team will gladly help you identify an authentic antique rug whenever you need assistance. To contact us, send our team a message here, give us a call at 980-819-7373, or visit our showroom in Charlotte!