I really want a genuine hand-knotted rug, but I can't afford the $3-$4 thousand price tag that I see at all the rug retailers I have visited in my area. I found this rug on Overstock.com:



It is selling for only $900 via overstock. I have found the exact same rug on some other websites in the $3500 - $4000 range. According to overstock it is a handknotted rug with a pile of .5 inches and 150 knots per sq inch. It is supposedly made in India by the family of someone named Mahmood Alam.

It is manufactured by Harounian and is in their handknotted Serapi heritage collection. I called overstock to ask what it would cost to return the rug if I wasn't satisfied with it, and they told me it weighed about 40 pounds and would only cost about $20 to return. I am very tempted to take the risk and just order it knowing I would only be out $20 if I needed to send it back.

Can you experts tell me if this rug is any good? Is Harounian a decent manufacturer? Does 40 pounds sound right for an 8x10 wool rug?

I have been selling these rugs for the last couple of years and my customers have been happy with them, with several customers coming back to buy another one. The quality is good overall, although the rugs are all 'tea-washed', and the toning is sometimes uneven.
In looking at the rug you are considering, it appears to be slightly out of square, which may be why it's on Overstock. If you don't feel compelled to line it up on your hardwood floors, it's a good buy.