Buying an antique rug, all the more so at a distance, involves trust: you want to be sure the piece is authentic, that the price is fair and that you can count on the seller if something does not turn out as expected. This guide brings together what to look at before buying and how Figalli works to take the risk out of that equation.
How to Tell Whether a Rug Is Authentic
A truly antique rug is made by hand, knot by knot, and that leaves signs. On the back, the knots appear one by one, slightly irregular, unlike the perfect, uniform mesh of a machine-made rug. The colours, drawn from natural dyes, show small variations of tone across the piece (what is called abrash), which are part of the charm and not a defect. The wool has a sheen and a feel that synthetic yarns do not reproduce. And every piece has an origin: type, region and approximate period.
Small imperfections, by the way, are normal and even to be expected in a hundred-year-old piece. We explain why in should I worry about the imperfections in my antique rug.
Warning Signs
Be wary of an “antique” rug that is too perfect, with no mark of time on it. Be wary too of prices far below the market, of vague descriptions that give neither type nor origin, and of sellers who offer no guarantee and no returns policy. If there is no way to know where the piece came from, or to speak to someone who understands the subject, it is better not to take the risk. To help you understand what makes up the price of a rug, we wrote the article how rug values are determined.
How Figalli Takes the Risk Out of Buying
Every rug in the collection is assessed by specialists and comes with the house guarantee as to origin, age and handmade construction. You will find the details in buying safely at Figalli and in guarantee.
Before you buy, our concierge service sends additional photos, answers questions and helps you compare pieces, with no rush. And if, when it arrives, the rug is not what you expected, there is the cooling-off period in the returns policy for sending the piece back. The step by step of the purchase is set out in purchasing guidelines.
Start on WhatsApp
The best way to buy safely is to talk. Message us on WhatsApp, tell us what you are looking for and clear up every doubt before you decide.
