Posted 9 years ago
americandi…
(8 items)
I believe this is a Persian rug known as a Sarouk and based on the appearance of the tag seems mid century or earlier. Tag is hand written on ivory colored fabric (probably originally white) stapled to the rug. I got this out of an estate where the owners had a massive collection of hand woven rugs and originally lived in Washington D.C. Rug is approx. 11' x 14' Is it painted?
Be interesting to see if anyone drops a comment on your thread. I have a rug similar, never thought about it being painted, though.
Beautiful! Yes it looks like Sarouk, perhaps a bit darker though. What makes you think it would be painted? Or do you mean synthetic dyed wool?
Interesting. You learn something every day. After reading up a bit on the custom of washing and painting Persian rugs in the US, I understand your question. Perhaps that's why it's so rich in color or maybe the yarn was dyed that way for export rugs. Never heard of it before, though. I guess if the original dye had been washed off and the pattern re-painted wouldn't the backside underneath be much lighter? About the white border of the blue flowers in the second picture from the left. Look underneath the rug and check if there are white knots arond the edges of the blue flowers or if it is an intended effect of the painting. If there are indeed white knots next to the blue I'm fairly sure it hasn't been painted, since the paint work wouldn't really have that resolution, right? Intresting to hear comment from someone familiar with painted rugs.
This carpet is Afghanistan Elephant prints. I have one in my dining room. My husband had an estimated appraisal done before he gave it to me for Christmas. The tighter the hand weave is the more it's worth. The beginning appraisal was $3300.00. They are done by hand every inch and hand knotted, no machines used. They are not painted but hand threaded in the colors.
No, afghan elephant print have octagonal pattern resembling elephants feet. Usually black and red. This is a quite traditional Sarouk. In US it's not uncommon that they are hand made with hand threaded colors. After that they are bleached and painted again in the same pattern. You're right in the sense that Afghan rugs not are painted though.
Does your carpet resemble these? http://m.imgur.com/a/4O9hl
This is a true Afghanistan Elephant print. Any carpet with a tag was made from factory. They use to smuggle them in because it was illegal for them to sell them in their country. Mine is very old and hand woven with no tag. Each thread is hand dyed. I had 6 professionals look at it and they all told me the samething. It is handwoven best they have seen. And if it has a tag it was factory made. Mine is full size and no tag. And it was appraised at because of the hand tightness at $50,000 because of the tightness and how well it has held up. I have done alot of research on them myself also. True ones do not have tags on them. Mine was not made in the US. And it wasn't bleached and painted. Everything was hand dyed used from plants. As a native American I research before I put any comment about my carpets. If you got them in the US they are most likely hand made the way you say. But if you check from estate sales from people who travel all over you can truly find out where your carpets are from.
Ok, so what you're saying is that the fact that the carpet shown in this post has no tags makes it a true Afghan elephant print regardless of what it looks like???
this rug looks like a much smaller version of one my folks have in their house. theirs was made between 1910 and 1920 and was last appraised at 80-90g. it's very large - around 15' x 12' [or something close].
Regardless of what it looks like, if there is no tag it's a true print. Some are faded over time others aren't. The earlier the print was made and the condition it is in the higher the appraisal.
I cleaned mine with dawn dish soap so as not to ruin the print.
If you have one take it to a carpet specialist that deals in older carpets, they will tell you if it is a true Afghan print or not. Someone that has experience in them. More than 10 years I would say.