Signatures on rugs can be difficult to find, especially for those who do not understand Arabic script, but taking the time to examine the edges may reveal a few surprises.

What Do These Rug Signatures Look Like?

Persian rugs signed by master weavers frequently contain simple initials or other identifiers written in Farsi in Arabic script woven into the rug. Interestingly, many of the signatures may not be of the actual weaver, but that of a financial benefactor or the person who commissioned the rug.

Some of our Master Weaver signed rugs include:

• Antique, Authentic Persian Isfahan rug, signed by Master Seyrafian
• Authentic Persian Isfahan rug, signed by Master Davari
• Authentic Person Mashad rug, signed by Master Ghadiri
• Authentic Persian Nain rug, signed by Master Habbibian

Those who do not read Arabic may confuse a signature with calligraphy known as ‘Kufic’, which is derived from Arabic script as decoration. Often, however, the Kufic will have mirror images and flow more with the decoration than a signature.

Where Do Signed Persian Rugs Originate?

Most of the rugs signed by master weavers actually originate in big cities well known for their weaving cultures. In the cities, weavers tend to have the freedom to make personal embellishments they may not have in the more culturally restrictive rural areas. There are also higher rates of literacy in city centers, making it more likely that the weaver would have the ability to add in initials, a full signature, or even a verse from a poem or the Koran.

Do Signed Persian and Oriental Rugs Have More Value?

Signed Persian and Oriental rugs do not necessarily have more value, unless the signature is of particular note, but that is quite rare. Since rug weavers tend not to be well known globally, it would be difficult to find a buyer for a particular signature. In general, however, the signature does add a bit of interesting history to the piece and something that might definitely interest future buyers if the owner ever wished to sell.

If you’re interested in unique and exclusive rugs to add to your home, eSaleRugs offers a variety of traditional, antique and modern rugs at discounted prices to fit your budget.

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For over three hundred years, the weavers throughout Romania have created beautiful rugs and carpets that have delighted both local people and foreign traders alike. The vibrant colors and unique design patterns tell the story of the region and are in many ways unique compared to other types of ornate, hand crafted rugs. Unfortunately, the rug industry in the region has suffered over the last century, first during the World Wars and then again in recent years. Although the government has at times shown an interest in preserving the traditional Romanian carpet trade, it remains to be seen how long it will last: enter Persian reproduction rugs.

Romanian Weaving Techniques Resemblance to Kilim Style

Although the different regions of Romania have unique styles, a great number of Romanian rugs are made in a flat woven or Kilim style, meaning that they look finished from both sides. The rugs derive their colors from the colors naturally found in the sheep’s wool as well as local plants that can be used for dyes. In many ways, the techniques and patterns found in a Romanian carpet weaving are influenced by weavers both from further west in Europe and from weavers to the East throughout Persia and the Asian world.

Traditional Romanian Weaving Designs Seen in Persian Reproduction Rugs

Many antique Romanian designs are done in the unique Bessarabian style. These techniques are believed to have originated under Ottoman rule and are common throughout Romanian and Bulgaria. This style encourages a floral pattern on a brown or black ground.

Many traditional carpets from the region also derive symbolism from the daily life of the makers. For example, weavers in the rural northwest areas of Romania have been known to create stunning patterns with traditional design motifs that contain various symbols for the meaning of life in traditional culture. Other Persian reproduction rugs may contain images from village life, such as animals, people, or simply unique patterns found throughout the traditional, rural Romanian culture.

These Persian reproduction rugs offer a great deal of unique beauty to existing rug collections. If you’re interested in Persian reproduction rugs, browse our collection. We also offer a range of timeless, beautiful, and authentic Oriental rugs and Persian rugs for your home or workspace.

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Using Vegetable Dyes for “Softer” Colors and High Quality Wool

Ziegler rugs were first commissioned in the 1880s by a German company, Zeigler & Co, looking to balance the beauty of the native Persian carpets with the Western preference for a slightly softer palate. They worked with some the best weavers from Iran and Europe and used vegetable dyes to create the desired softer color. The rugs were based on a modified Sultanabad style and quickly became popular on the Western market.

Now, the name is used to denote all rugs developed in the same style, made with 100% natural vegetable dyes and hand-knotted using fine hand-spun Ghazni or Himalayan wool. Although Ziegler rugs are typically lower in knot counts (usually averaging between 80 and 100 per square inch), they are still considered high quality because of the material they’re woven with.

The rugs have been credited with re-introducing traditional vegetable dyes into Persian rugs, and are now made all over the Middle East. Many Ziegler rugs are now made in Afghanistan.

The Ziegler Rug Spectrum

Ziegler rugs come in a few different varieties, and at eSaleRugs we categorize them as follows:

• Ariana Zieglers: These Zieglers use finest of vegetable dyes, and often display a unique rusty-muted tone regardless of their coloring.
• Classic Zieglers: These are the most popular style of Zieglers, and use traditional patterns with 100% vegetables dyes.
• Geometric Kazaks: These rugs use same natural dyes as Ziegler rugs, but are woven using geometric patterns rather than traditionals.
• Ziegler Mamluk: These are inspired by the Egyptian style and woven using extremely fine threads. Mamluk Zieglers combine highest grade of natural dyes with extra-fine weaving techniques.
• Modern Zieglers: Also colored using 100% natural vegetable dyes, these Ziegler rugs use contemporary, fresh, and simple motifs while maintaining the same color vibrancy and beauty.
• Over-Dyed Zieglers: These rugs are made by dipping finished Classic Ziegler rugs into herbal-infused bright dyes, creating a unique modern mono-tone look. This is extremely difficult to do with a rug made using natural dyes and hand-spun wool, and the color consistency is almost impossible to maintain. Oftentimes, manufacturers must go through many Classic Ziegler rugs just to produce a single “perfect” Over-Dyed Ziegler rug.

Benefits of Vegetable-Dyed Rugs

Rugs dyed with vegetable based colorings offer gentler color tones that can make it easier to match with modern and classical décors.

Another benefit to these naturally-dyed rugs is that they do not contain the harsh chemicals that are common to many other dyes. This makes them much better for the health of the carpet weavers, the carpet owners, and the environment. They’re ideal interior design additions for sensitive children or pets.

Much of selecting the perfect rug comes down to personal style. Zieglers make excellent decorations with their expert blend of Persian and Western influences, so it shouldn’t be hard to find one you love in our large naturally-dyed collection.

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That being said, when you are shopping for the perfect rug for your home or collection, you may be confronted by two terms which sound similar: hand-knotted vs. hand-tufted rugs. Although they sound similar, they indicate very different things about the way the rug was made.

What Is a Hand-Tufted Rug?

A hand-tufted rug is developed by carefully using a tool known as a tufting gun. To use this tool, the canvas is first stretched across the frame and outlined with the carpet pattern to guide the carpet maker. The tufting gun will then be used to punch strands of yarn into the canvas, carefully following the outlined pattern. See how it works in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLglIhy2N6Q

While a degree of skill is required to properly operate the tool as well as accurately following the pattern, hand-tufting does not necessarily require the same level of training and expertise as hand-knotted rug weavers do.

What Is a Hand-Knotted Rug?

By contrast, a hand-knotted rug typically follows weaving techniques employed for generations to create lusciously ornate rugs. Weavers must physically tie each knot required for the rug to the canvas tightly and in intricate designs. While there may be some local variations in techniques, most hand-knotted rugs are created by knotting the yarn around a base string, often made of cotton fiber.

Most expert weavers are capable of tying about 10,000 knots a day. This means that each rug can take days or longer to complete, as opposed to a few hours in the case of a hand-tufted rug.

Understanding the Value of Your Hand-Made Rugs

Both hand-knotted and hand-tufted rugs can be beautiful decorations and wonderful additions to any home, but in the long term there are a few differences in their value.

Hand-knotted rugs tend to be of higher quality and have a longer life span. While this may not matter too much for those looking for home décor, those looking instead to make an investment or to buy something destined to be a family heirloom may find this to be a significant difference. A hand-knotted carpet, when cared for properly, has the potential to last easily through several generations.

Since a hand-knotted rug is unique and created using age-old techniques, they also have a much greater likelihood of becoming a collector’s item and having rising value. Although not every rug will see the value increase over the years, a hand-knotted rug has a much greater chance of gaining value than a hand-tufted rug.

No matter which technique was used, hand-knotted and hand-tufted rugs are developed with care and can both make beautiful additions to any home. View our collection of discounted authentic hand-knotted Persian rugs, hand-knotted Oriental rugs, or hand-tufted area rugs from around the world to find one that fits your own space.

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Blue Color Psychology for Bedrooms

There are many positive emotions and effects elicited from the use of the color blue. According to design specialists, the color has been found to produce feelings of peace, tranquility, serenity, contemplation, and can even help prevent nightmares. These features make it an excellent addition to a bedroom, where it can help people relax and have rest in a stress-free environment.

While some people may like using the color throughout the room on the walls, many others prefer to use it as an accent paired with another neutral color or with different shades of blue as compliments. This helps to keep the room looking stylish without becoming overwhelming.

Bedroom Interior Design Ideas with Modern Area Rugs

Modern area rugs can make an excellent addition to any room. They offer additional comfort and warmth as they help to protect feet from cold floors. They also help rooms feel more comfortable and welcoming. Area rugs are also a fantastic way to introduce more color into a bedroom. And, since they are easy to change and adjust, people who are experimenting with new designs and colors often feel more comfortable beginning with modern area rugs to make sure they like the color scheme before making more permanent design changes.

Blue modern area rugs help by adding just the right touch of calming blue color to the bedroom. For example, an off white color on the walls can look elegant and serene when contrasted with a deep blue area rug. Eyes are drawn immediately to the blue color, which helps produce the calming effect associated with the color and sooth the emotions of those who enter the peaceful bedroom.

When looking to decorate or renovate a bedroom, adding blue area rugs can be an excellent addition to elicit feelings of serenity. They are the perfect compliment to a range of color schemes and are an easy way to make your bedroom a haven for rest and relaxation.

Check out the rest of our posts on Choosing a Rug for more great interior design ideas!

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Art collectors and investors greatly benefit from becoming involved with antique oriental rugs because not only are they reliable investments, but they can also be used as luxurious home decorations long before they are sold for potential profit.

Why Oriental Rugs Are Excellent Investments

Antique rugs in general are believed to hold their value extremely well. Although oriental rugs are not an investment for those looking for a quick return, they do tend to be very reliable in the long term. They are excellent investments to hold on to for the course of a lifetime and even pass along as a part of an inheritance.

Even while the rugs, like most art, are slowly gaining value over the years, they are also serving a second purpose by providing beautiful home décor in the interim. People can decorate walls, floors, and other parts of their home by carefully and professionally laying out their antique rugs.

What to Keep in Mind When Purchasing Oriental Rugs

Oriental rugs are only going to maintain and increase their value when they are properly cared for. Potential investors should carefully study how to care for their new rugs to avoid unnecessary wear and tear or other damage. They should also investigate what rugs work best where. For example, some may be more fragile and best used for walls or the floor in low traffic areas. Others are better equipped to handle more steady foot traffic.

It may also be a good idea to avoid buying only rugs that are currently considered ‘hot’ investments. Since these oriental rugs are already being sold at their top value, they will have the least room to gain in the long term. While predicting what will be popular in several years is very difficult, investment professionals may be able to offer helpful advice about which rugs are currently undervalued.

Antique oriental rugs make excellent art investments for those looking to decorate their homes while also making money in the long run. Careful research about the care of the rugs as well as the best value can go a long way in helping the investment be successful.

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The dyes from Kerman, Iran are famous for their beauty. Here are just two of the reasons why they have been noted throughout the ages in Kerman Persian rugs.

Kerman Dying Techniques

The wool dyed for Kerman Persian rugs varies wildly, containing many vivid and beautiful colors. The dying typically occurs while the wool is still in flock, before it is spun. This helps to encourage uniform color and allows for the eye catching designs that draw so many to these beautiful rugs.

The rug makers from this region are known for their ability to capture even the slightest variations in color, especially the lighter shades. This wide range in color gradients makes the final product even more stunning.

The Kerman Persian rug also makes frequent use of traditional Persian carpet colors, such as brilliant reds and blues, which both tie the carpets in to the wider Persian carpet design culture, but also keep them distinctive.

Kerman Persian Rug Patterns & Designs

What really helps the dyes in Kerman rugs stand out for observers is the final design. When the colors are expertly woven together, the contrast between the colors and the subtle differences in shade become obvious.

Kerman Persian rugs are known for their curvilinear designs as well as floral patterns, which add taste and grace in any home décor. The assortment of colors allow for a richness in design that speaks highly to the skills of these traditional Kerman carpet weavers. The weaves are traditionally done with as many as 400 knots per square inch, which demonstrates the level of quality involved in the carpet creation.

Kerman Persian rugs and their colors speak to a valued art in a centuries old technique. These carpets that have been designed in the Kerman tradition offer a gorgeous complementary piece for any home. See our entire selection here.

The post Kerman Persian Rugs: Why the Colors of These Rugs Catch So Many Eyes appeared first on eSaleRugs Blog.

Persian rugs are considered the finest of all Oriental rugs, and as one of the most distinguished demonstrations of Persian heritage, they are an indispensable part of the Persian cultural history.

Carpet weaving has been a part of the Persian culture for centuries, and the practice actually dates back to the ancient Persia. These also account for a major portion of their export business.

The highest quality authentic Persian rugs are hand woven (also known as hand knotted). Although machine made rugs are cheaper, they lack the one-of-a-kind charm that authentic rugs provide and are consequently significantly less valuable.

Evaluating Your Persian Rug’s Authenticity

To test your Persian rug’s authenticity, you must determine whether it is handmade or not. Handmade Persian rugs are woven by skilled craftsmen, and each rug requires great talent and time to create.

A quality Persian rug will be hand-woven with quality silk or wool thread, and may have imperfections if it was in fact made with a wooden loom. Its design should also be unique; if your Persian rug’s design is completely identical to other rugs, chances are it was machine made.

The most genuine Persian rugs are made using Persian Senneh knot, a special knot made using two knots that combine to look like one.  The Yazd Persian rugs from our collection are wonderful examples of fine hand-woven craftsmanship.

Yazd Persian area rugs are made with Senneh knots

Part of the specialty of these weaves is that passing one strand under another can create a wide range of knots and patterns. The unique artistry is what makes these rugs so valuable and unique. For instance, the Bakhtiar Persian rug is made using 100 knots per square inch in order to lend it the authentic luxurious feel.

Persian rugs come in many variants of materials such as silk, wool, jute and others. Their rich texture and bright colors brighten up any room and add glamour. Persian rugs have intricate designs, the central piece and the border being their most important parts. Some use imperial  golds and crimson reds, and others use more neutral browns and blues.

Persian rugs can be pricier than other rugs due to the amount of skill, time and effort that goes into creating each one of them. This uniqueness is part of what makes them so sought-after around the world.

Find the perfect Persian rug to add a special design touch to your home.

The post Authentic Persian Rugs: How to Tell What You’re Buying appeared first on eSaleRugs Blog.

Unlike wall-to-wall floor carpets, rugs are available in numerous shapes and sizes. They offer a wide variety that can be complemented with a multitude of house décor themes. In fact, you can arrange your home decor to highlight a unique rug as the centerpiece of your room; you’ll find it easier to select furniture, curtains and other decor elements once you’ve established a design anchor for every room.

Rugs come in a variety of textures, patterns, colors and shapes. However, working with existing furniture, lightings, wall colors and upholstery can be a real challenge. Here are 5 area rug design ideas to highlight your favorite room:

1. Use rugs as visual partitions. Every room has its own practical demands. Keeping this in mind, you should first plan the complete layout of your room. For instance, large living rooms can be wisely separated with the help of small rugs at various points along with some memorable décor items.

2. Balance aesthetic between rug and furniture. The size of the furniture and the rugs need to be balanced perfectly. A small sofa set looks awkward when teamed with an over-sized area rug. All rugs in a room should have a common factor in order to maintain a proper balance. A natural coherence must be maintained through colors, patterns or shapes.

Round Turkish Cut & Loop rug

Patterned rugs like the Gabbeh area rugs or Turkish cut and loop rugs bring diversity to the décor. This splash of various colors and patterns can balance well with soft-colored furniture and other décor elements.

For a traditional setting, Persian and Oriental rugs are the best options, as they pair well with classic wooden furniture.

Modern style area rugs can help create a chic and trendy décor.

3. Work with lighting elements. Light fixtures can add an element of glamour to a room, and strategic use of diverse lighting options can help enhance the aesthetics of your rug. A small traditional chandelier placed over a Kerman round rug looks absolutely stunning.

Alternatively, a rectangular Persian rug on a corridor might best be complemented with a series of square spotlights. The downward light of spotlights helps to brighten up the area and augment the design and richness of the rugs.

4. Match colored walls with your rug. Single-toned rugs with soft color pallets allow you to play around with bright colored walls and furniture. Considering the intensity and loudness of boldly colored rugs, it is important to go for neutral interiors in order to tone down the brightness.

5. Last, but not least: don’t overdo it! Whatever the color and pattern of your household rugs, they should never overpower the interior of your space. Instead, they should work cohesively with all your other design elements to create a comfortable, welcoming, and beautiful space.

The room or the space should be a reflection of your taste and personality. Make sure that you choose an area rug for your home that can help you create a perfectly balanced and appealing space.

For more area rug design ideas, browse our entire selection of area rugs.

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How are Oriental Rugs Made and Designed?

Oriental Rugs can again be categorized into different types based on their origin. Persian rugs, Arabian rugs, Chinese rugs and Tibetan rugs are all examples of fine oriental rugs.

In order to make an Oriental rug, weavers use a loom to weave together threads of different colors into a complex pattern. A traditional Oriental rug design begins with a border, followed by a central design piece with some significance. Additional embellishments and patterns are then woven in, with the ultimate result being an elaborate pattern of with many design elements. Tabriz Oriental rugs are splendid examples of this sort of design.

A blue and red Mahal Oriental area rug.

Rug designers and weavers incorporate rich and bright colors such as red, orange, beige, navy blue and maroons as they make Oriental rugs to make them look opulent and glamorous. Authentic Oriental rugs are made using 100 percent pure natural wool and have 150 or more knots per square inch.

The designs are of Asian style and pattern which make them look very ethnic. Such beautiful oriental rugs were used by the Kings and other affluent classes in the ancient times. They reflect the buyer’s class, fine taste and grandeur.  Purists believe that an authentic oriental rug is hand knotted or woven, rather than machine made. (Machine made rugs are often said to lack panache and authenticity.)

These beautiful rugs are also used as art forms and collected in museums. The Mahal-patterned Oriental area rugs can look as grand on the wall as it does on the floor. The Birjand-patterned Oriental area rug is also a beautiful example of such an excellent craft.

Cleaning Oriental Rugs: Care and Repair

These glorious pieces of décor need extra care to keep them looking as glamorous as they do, and different rugs are cleaned in different ways. Never wash an authentic oriental rug at home using shampoo or detergents. If you need to clean your Oriental rug, it’s always a good idea to send it to a professional cleaner. This helps increase longevity of the rug. Make sure you clean the rug regularly.

To repair your Oriental rug after any wear and tear, have the damaged areas rewoven by a professional before the damage is exaggerated. You need to take extra care if you have pets at home.

What’s your favorite Oriental rug pattern? Let us know in the comments!

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