I wonder what the reserve is or should be for a rug like this? Seems like an odd way to sell this rug with a starting bid of $100 and no idea of a reserve. Why do you play games when you need a serious buyer?http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=2&pub=5574716523&toolid=10001&campid=5336111917&customid=Forum&icep_item=320526355634&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229466&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg

I usually assume all signatures are fake and let the rug prove it warrants the signature rather than the signature proving that it is a valuable rug. In this case that seems like a high value. to match the signature. However, that is my question.

I would expect the reserive to in the $3,000 to $5,000 range, but am I off on this?

A good rug for you to add to your collection fredgrower.

Looking at the pictures on ebay I have my doubts about most of the information listed. It is defenetly no Seirafian, it is most likely made in the 1980 rather than bought 1968 in Iran. It is no top quality Isfahan. It is well knotted and has a fine knotcount, is on silk warp with silk highlights. Retail ca. US$ 2000 - 2200. Look at the supersize picture with the signature, the wool is aready coming out of the Kelim where the signature was added.

I would not say that signatures in the Kelim are more suspect, some Seirafian rugs are only signed in the Kelim, and they are original. If you take Nain as example, it is typical that the rug is signed in the center of the upper main border or the smaller border above. And at least 95% of all "Nain Habibian" on the market have fake signatures. If they would weave the signature in while producing the rug, it would be a little harder to tell if it is fake, but most fake signatures are added after the rug is finished. There are small workshops who are specialized to add any signature you want into any type of rug.