KrowGyrl,

I'm very interested to know about some of the purchases you've made on eBay. Please share your experiences in regards to the condition of these rugs.

More specifically, have you noted on the face of these rugs painted, dyed or markered areas to disguise wear? How about moth damage and dry rot?

The loading might be because of the browser, sometimes you have to scroll all the way down.

It's good that the rugs you have are satisfying. I've seen 2 or 3 pieces in person which had been gotten through eBay where the colors had run so hard it actually looked like a rose colored wool was used throughout the whole rug. Although I would imagine if it's practically indetectable most people don't care.

I know hear what you're saying about the "in the design of" what would be a Persian style. It would actually surprise many people to know some very, very high quality rugs are being imported from India to this day. In fact, there are also several books which mention some Persian Designs may have originated from Indian weavings some 4 centuries past.

It is true as you mention that many of these lesser quality mass produced carpets are coming from India, however such is equally true of Iran and even Pakistan and Afghanistan as well. In all honesty, almost any rug producing country is going to have their junk rugs. Ikea and Costco for example have pieces which have given the industry a bad name. I went to Ikea maybe 3 years ago and came across their "Hamadan" rugs from Iran which were of surprisingly poor quality. I couldn't believe how awful these rugs were - disposable pieces, and quite often worse than tufted rugs. However, I have also seen some extremely high quality Indian rugs.

Some of these big sellers on eBay you have to know what to look for. I remember one piece I happened across the seller stated in the item description the rug had a signature. I looked carefully at the carpet as photographed, and when I came across the signature, it was actually a patch which was cut from another rug! I couldn't stop laughing, but at the same time, it's a little sad because these sellers exploit misconceptions buyer's have. The public believes that there is something to a rug having a signature, which is not entirely incorrect, but is really more relevant to carpets produced many years ago... But to take a signature out of one rug, place it into another, and then make the claim the rug is signed? It's just not good business. Especially when they say the rug is a 100 year old museum antique which shows foundation.

It's great for someone to pay maybe $400 for a 9x12 because they don't want to have to care when their dog throws up on it or something. But when a seller says the rug is vegetable dye, or 100 years old and handspun wool, people take them seriously. This creates a problem for the honest rug people and scams the bidders who inevitably will be willing to spend more.

I have heard many of these goods found on eBay are actually from when the embargo was in place. They're carpets which were tied up in Iran due to the import laws in the late 70's. A great deal of the stock was subsequently used in Iran, and now has become more available to the Western Markets through these importers on the East Coast.

I guess after all is said and done setting condition aside, it's pretty amazing to be able to have a hand knotted rug for $2-4 a square foot that could have taken upwards of 8 months to make.

This make problem. Many seller do not say clearly sometimes what is handmade and machine. I see this one guy from virginia I think he doesn't do this clear. People they don't always see this.

Many seller do not say clearly sometimes what is handmade and machine>>>

Yes, I have noticed this. I steer away from anything vague or nondescript. Unless i just like it for myself as a good looking "thing." There is a not of language in the design arts that is confusing and sometimes perhaps intentionally misleading or from ignorance. I especially notice the language "I think it's ...." or "It may be ...." I may get rooked by the big seller from time to time but it's better than something that's pure guesswork. I also read the negative feedbacks of sellers. The quantity and what the complaints tend to be. There are sellers on there whose feedback says they clearly claimed one thing and delivered another. I give those guys a wide berth. There was a wonderful book I read called "OUT OF THE PAST: The Istanbul Grand Bazaar" published in 1977 by Burton Y. Berry telling of his experiences being trained in the bazaars as a young man in the 30's and 40's. The stories about the repairs and how whole loads of carpets would appear that were bought up that were being discarded and how they restored them. It sounded amazing. I'd love to know more. I was looking at the restoration sites and photos on this site. Does anybody have any favorite "must reads" they could recommend?

This is great! Many thanks.

No, I don't have a picture of this. It was a couple of months ago. Not a regular dealer I buy from, it was an individual. The starting bid was too high for me, but I did write and ask about it to see what they might say. They were clueless and "guessed" it would be hung on a wall.

The class looks great. It's part of New York University, the School of Continuing and Professional Education. They have a large and extensive catalog, and they offer several appraisal classes in various fields as well as museum studies courses.

Here is the link to the catalog course. www.scps.nyu.edu/course-detail/X03.9555/20082

The class starts on May 29th and runs for 5 consecutive Thursday nights.

Great taste in designs and colors. >>> Thanks.

It looks like a couple of these carpets are from ECG? >>>> Yep. I have gotten several from them. What is your opinion of them?

Interesting. I think I have a good eye for beautiful things, whether I know the quality and provenance or not. And maybe I am just lucky too. With maybe five or six exceptions, every rug I have gotten on eBay has been as good and in most cases far better than what I was expecting. And with the ways of selling I can fall back on if need be, I know I can sell them all fpr at the very least what I paid for them. So I am not worried there. But like I said, this is far more now to me than just buying some great things and wanting to sell them. It is fascinating to me how much presence they have, far more than the kilims, which I love also. But they are textiles. And of course far more life and presence than the two machine mades that I have for utility. Those two are mannequins, the carpets are absolutely alive. I love them! So you see I am hooked and giddy as any kid just taking off and running with something. Although I am far frm a kid.

I have been curious though about a series of Turkish rugs that were on eBay fa month or so ago. They were garrishly super bright, a product of overexposed photography perhaps. They had low KPSI. But they all look remarkably the same/similar in design and color and tone, and yet the seller talked about each one with the same language, something about being lovingly stored in a dowry trunk for 80 years. You can't read one after another after another of that same schpiel talking about 20 carpets that look like members of the same family and take that seriously.

Some rugs are of good quality and some are of poor quality
Its hard to judge rugs on internet purchasing But if we go in market and see rugs then some marketers have disguised rot points with dyed or some other material things.