Collector's Guide to Persian Carpets and Antique Rugs

Rarity increases the value and interest in any antique, and this is certainly true in the case of rugs. Collectors prize what is rare and unusual and should be willing to compete for it if they value it. Rarity is a function of production and age. Some types of rug were made in limited quantities, which account for few of them being preserved. But rugs wear out a disappear over time, and many, even those once extant in large supply become rare over longer periods of time. Pieces over two hundred years old are are much less common than those fifty to a hundred years younger. Classical pieces are rarer still, especially if they are in relatively good condition. For some collectors rarity is an objective in and of itself – the thrill of owning what few others may possess. For others, however, rarity may play a subordinate role to quality, condition, and pure visual appeal.