What makes a rug an Oriental rug? It doesn't have to be from the Orient, and it doesn't even have to go on the floor. Many Oriental rugs have been put to use as saddlebags and gun covers. To qualify, an Oriental rug has to be handmade and constructed of natural fibers such as wool, cotton or silk. The value of an Oriental rug depends mostly on the quality of workmanship, the type of material and the rug's originality. The best way to judge the quality of workmanship in an Indian or Iranian rug is to count the number of knots per square inch. Turn the rug face down, and count the number of knots in an inch along a row going from side to side and a row going up and down (figure A). Multiply the two numbers to determine the number of knots per square inch. In general, a rug with 400 knots per square inch would be considered of higher quality than one with 100 knots per square inch. Oriental rugs from China are judged by the number of lines per foot. This measurement is determined by counting the number of rows in 1" and multiplying by 12 (figure B). Another way to judge Oriental rugs is by weight. Higher-quality rugs tend to weigh more than lesser quality rugs because the material is more dense. The originality of a rug design is another factor in determining value. Many rugs use a standard design and are called "programmed" rugs. A unique design adds to a rug's value.
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