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Thread: Fake or not

  1. #1
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    Default Fake or not

    I am curious about this rug but can't get there for few days, so was hoping to get some guesses online first. I realize it's not possible to be certain and these pics aren't the best, but I figured it's worth a try

    claims: rug was bought 50 years ago at cost of $15k+. To me, it seems to be closer to machine made than not. Color look to be very good (although i think rug is dirty), hence maybe why it makes me think it's not 50 years old but more like 10-15.

    TIA
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    Last edited by ceasar2k6; 07-08-2018 at 01:44 PM.

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Fake or not

    I think its handmade, if you look very closely you will see the repeating patterns in the design vary slightly, and that's the key to handmade vs machine-made. When done via machine, the patterns are perfect. The knots look hand-tied to me, and it appears to be on Wool warp and weft - I can't be sure from just a few photos.

    Pay no attention to what they tell you was the new price - that's irrelevant. Age is irrelevant as well if less than 100 years old. No rug dealer of note should be selling you a dirty rug. Ask them to wash it before you get there. Probably came out of an estate sale and they paid very little for it if its dirty. Don't listen to the sales pitch! Compute the size and pay by square footage. For example:

    8' x 10' is 80 s.f.

    You can buy a very nice Turkish handmade rug for $ 100 a s/f = $ 8,000 (new) retail. The same rug made in China will be $ 50 a s/f or $ 4,000 and you have to have a keen eye to tell the difference. If that rug came out of a house and is dirty, then I'd be at $ 30 s/f or so, less if it needs repairs. If its clean and no repairs, its probably new.

    Push them on country of origin and insist they put it on the bill of sale, if they hesitate or don't want to, its Chinese or Pakistani being sold as Turkish. Tell them you will have it appraised, that weeds out the cheaters a little - spooks them into being honest because they know if they put it on the receipt that they have to stand behind it. Pay with a credit card so you have chargeback rights if you think its a fraud after you buy it. And get it appraised by another run dealer if you buy it.
    Last edited by drcollie; 07-07-2018 at 05:55 PM.
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
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    Default Re: Fake or not

    Quote Originally Posted by drcollie View Post
    I think its handmade, if you look very closely you will see the repeating patterns in the design vary slightly, and that's the key to handmade vs machine-made. When done via machine, the patterns are perfect. The knots look hand-tied to me, and it appears to be on Wool warp and weft - I can't be sure from just a few photos.

    Pay no attention to what they tell you was the new price - that's irrelevant. Age is irrelevant as well if less than 100 years old. No rug dealer of note should be selling you a dirty rug. Ask them to wash it before you get there. Probably came out of an estate sale and they paid very little for it if its dirty. Don't listen to the sales pitch! Compute the size and pay by square footage. For example:

    8' x 10' is 80 s.f.

    You can buy a very nice Turkish handmade rug for $ 100 a s/f = $ 8,000 (new) retail. The same rug made in China will be $ 50 a s/f or $ 4,000 and you have to have a keen eye to tell the difference. If that rug came out of a house and is dirty, then I'd be at $ 30 s/f or so, less if it needs repairs. If its clean and no repairs, its probably new.

    Push them on country of origin and insist they put it on the bill of sale, if they hesitate or don't want to, its Chinese. Tell them you will have it appraised, that weeds out the cheaters a little - spooks them into being honest because they know if they put it on the receipt that they have to stand behind it. Pay with a credit card so you have chargeback rights if you think its a fraud after you buy it. And get it appraised by another run dealer if you buy it.

    hi

    thank you for the detailed info.

    it's not a dealer but an older gentleman who said he bought it new back then. i was just worried about it being machined/etc.. if it's dirty, i could probably get it cleaned myself as I know the person won't doit.

    if i can get it below $1k all together, would i get scammed?
    Last edited by ceasar2k6; 07-07-2018 at 07:15 PM.

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Fake or not

    I can't tell you on value from photos, sorry.

    You can clean the rug yourself though, its not hard. You simply need a nice day (or two) sunny with low humidity. Ideally do it on a deck or somewhere where it can drain rather than flat on the driveway (doing it atop shipping pallets is ideal). Get a garden hose and flood the rug, then get liquid Tide and a handled scrub brush and go at it. Scrub-scrub-scrub. When done, flood it well to get the soap out and let it dry. Sometimes they dry in a day, sometimes two. You need to get some air under it to dry properly - don't bring it in the house until fully dry. Now you just did a professional rug cleaning for a couple of dollars worth of soap. Your rug will be much brighter in color when clean. Avoid buying any rug that has cat urine on it - that is nearly impossible to get out.
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Fake or not

    Quote Originally Posted by drcollie View Post
    I can't tell you on value from photos, sorry.

    You can clean the rug yourself though, its not hard. You simply need a nice day (or two) sunny with low humidity. Ideally do it on a deck or somewhere where it can drain rather than flat on the driveway (doing it atop shipping pallets is ideal). Get a garden hose and flood the rug, then get liquid Tide and a handled scrub brush and go at it. Scrub-scrub-scrub. When done, flood it well to get the soap out and let it dry. Sometimes they dry in a day, sometimes two. You need to get some air under it to dry properly - don't bring it in the house until fully dry. Now you just did a professional rug cleaning for a couple of dollars worth of soap. Your rug will be much brighter in color when clean. Avoid buying any rug that has cat urine on it - that is nearly impossible to get out.
    thank you. I did consider that but I live in a condo, so it's not possible to do that here . Hopefully ill be able to get it and see what can be done.

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