KAD's observation on another thread regarding low price eBay rugs (mine and Jesco White's) has got me thinking.
I think one problem is the definition of cheap. This rug, at $800, is the most expensive article I have ever bought, apart from my car and house.
Obviously I'd *like* something gorgeous, in great condition. Lack of knowledge and money are constraints.
I can build knowledge, thanks in large part to all you guys, but my budget is unlikely to increase.
So something's got to give. In the case of the $800 rug, I got something newish (frayed around the edges), meaningful to me, clean, regular, with good colors for the space. The compromises were size (smaller than I wanted) and wool quality, as KAD pointed out. Also, it is not really possible to understand color and quality online, so I was disappointed in the real life appearance, initially.
If someone had told me a few months ago it wouldn't necessarily be possible to get a very good quality rug for $800 I would have been surprised. But then I wasn't thinking of the hand-made, and the time and labor involved.
I am in the process of working out some of my own values in relation to rugs.
I want the rug to be intact, artful, sturdy, functional. Another thing that is turning out to be important is the interpersonal relationship with the dealer. Do those of you who buy on eBay care about this or is each transaction a one-time only affair?
Handmade rugs put the buyer into relationship not only with the seller but with the maker, in a range of ways including the aesthetic and economic. I want to go and see rugs being made in my own country (Ireland), in Donegal Carpets, which is one of the surprising outcomes of this so far, for me.
What sort of compromises do you guys typically make? And what elements are you not prepared to compromise?
Do you fall in love with a rug and use that strong attraction, even if not understood, as a touchstone?
Or do you approach the search very rationally, with your precise needs (color, dimensions, budget) in mind, and searching for best possible apparent value?