2006 Lake Norman Magazine
Volume 24, Number 12, December 2006
lakenormanmagazine.com
Luxury Underfoot Oriental rugs are lasting investment

Oriental rugs seem synonymous with both elegance and mystery. Found in some
of the most beautifully decorated homes, they can be the starting point of a
room’s design or simply a sophisticated accessory.
This centuries-old art form, however, often intimidates and confuses
shoppers. Authentic Oriental rugs can be quite expensive and are considered
collector’s items. Copies exist, especially with today’s computer
technology, that are less well made but can fool the untrained eye.
Even the collective term Oriental rugs only broadly defines the colorful
patterned rugs that come from many exotic places with names not easily
pronounced. Though the majority of Oriental rugs existing in the United
States today date back to only the 19th and 20th centuries when U.S. markets
became more open to their trade, mention is made of woven rugs and carpets
as long ago as 500 B.C. in Old Testament biblical and classical writings.
Two dealers in the Lake Norman area are third generations of families
steeped in the industry. Both have businesses in Mooresville and can offer
buyers not only the benefit of their individual experience, but also the
collective knowledge and inventory connected with their families’ businesses
still operating in the New York area.
Shawn Navab and partner/wife Sible Winebarger own and operate Rugs-N-More on
North Broad Street.
Steve Markarian owns and operates Markarian’s Home Gallery, expanding from
it’s downtown location to a new 18,000-square-foot facility at I-77, exit
33.
Is it collectible?
Both merchants explain that there are at least three distinct differences
between a collectible rug and one that is not. The first is whether it is
handmade or machine made. While some machine-made rugs can be quite
beautiful, handmade rugs are considered authentic and more valuable.
Understanding the difference is easier when seeing them side by side.
Although the fronts of the rugs may look similar, the backs tell the true
story. Often described by the number per square inch, knotting of the
handmade is noticeably finer and more dense, increasing durability, causing
the pattern to be clearly discernable on the reverse side. A handmade rug is
usually heavier, as well. Machine-made rugs have more stubbly yarn showing
on the reverse, sometimes looped instead of knotted, and the pattern appears
more muddy.
Type of wool is another important factor, with the finest wool coming from
New Zealand and Manchester, England. Silk and silk/wool blends also are very
desirable, but pure silk should be used in low-traffic areas or as wall
hangings.
The third factor is dye. Natural dyes derived from plants and other organic
materials, used since the art form began, retain their color and integrity
for generations and don’t degrade the wool, while chemical dyes may run and
fade with the first spill or cleaning.
Know the seller
How does a customer determine these more subtle details such as wool,
knotting and dye? Know the seller, say both Navab and Markarian. If a
customer wants to be sure of getting the authentic product, this is not a
purchase to be made at a parking lot tent sale or from a temporary business
that may be here today and gone tomorrow. Both Mooresville dealers stand
behind their rugs, offer to take well-cared-for rugs on trade-in from their
customers, and wash, repair and restore collectible pieces. If a rug dealer
offers an incredibly low price for a rug claimed to be handmade with fine
New Zealand wool and natural dye, Navab says, you can be assured it is not
authentic.
"In our shop, a typical handmade room-size rug, about 8 by 10 feet, will
begin at about $1,800 and go up from there," he says. "We have rugs here
that cost as much as $70,000," explains Navab, who also appraises rugs. "It
will take one or two people anywhere from eight months to two years to weave
one room-size rug on a loom. And if a rug like that was handmade in the
United States, with our labor costs, the price would probably be at least
$200,000."
"It’s an emotional purchase because we’re asking to get into your hip
pocket," says Markarian, third generation in an Armenian/Irish family of rug
dealers who has been in business in Mooresville for 10 years. "You have to
trust who you’re buying from. And it is a purchase that needs to be
explained to the customer."
That’s why Markarian asks new customers what they desire from the rug. Do
they simply want a rug with the right colors to blend with their décor? In
that case, they may not want to invest in a collectible handmade rug. Or are
they looking for a work of art to pass down to their children? He says he
can accommodate either buyer.
Regional differences
The different types of Oriental rugs derive their names from their
geographic origins. Designs and colors are repeated in a region for hundreds
of years, becoming indigenous to that area. For instance, the popular
patterns of Tabriz, Kashan and Ispahan are some of the names of rugs that
come from states in Iran. The Agra is a popular design from India and
Oushak, from Turkey. Caucasian rugs from the Caucasus mountain region of
Armenia, Georgia, Daghestan and Azerbaijan are some of the more prized in
recent years.
"There is an endless list of designs," Markarian says.
Smaller villages and more rural areas have what are known as tribal designs
that are often less formal and more primitive than those that are made in
urban areas.
"Iran still makes the finest rugs in the world. They’re called Persian
rugs," says Navab, whose family is of Persian descent. Persia is now known
as Iran. "Thirty percent that come from Iran are the most superior in the
world in quality and workmanship. They are the original weavers – rug making
began there. Right now, India produces the most rugs sold in the U.S.
Fifteen years ago, it was China. Even their handmade ones are inferior,
though (to those from Iran)," he adds.
The beauty of age
Because Oriental rugs wear well with proper care, both Mooresville
businesses deal in vintage and antique rugs, called heirloom pieces. In good
condition, they often cost more than new ones and are desired for their aged
patina and muted colors.
Essie Sakhai, a respected expert on Oriental rugs, advises purchasers in his
book "The Story of Carpet" to get a certificate of origin from the dealer
when buying any rug, but especially an older one, because authenticity is
difficult to establish without one. An "antique" rug is one that is more
than 100 years old; "very old" is 70 to 90 years old; "old" is more than 55
years; "semi old" is between 35 and 55 years old. Any rug up to 20 years old
is considered new. Markarian has a new line called a Museum Collection,
which has new handmade pieces made to look old.
But will your children be able to actually use that rug you pass down to
them in their own home’s décor? Markarian explains that such rugs can often
still can be used because they contain a wide spectrum of colors so that any
one might be pulled out to adapt to a room’s color palette.
Sible Winebarger notes that Orientals, typically found in traditional
settings, can be used in transitional and contemporary settings, as well.
"Tibetan pieces blend well with contemporary and modern design, and Oushaks
with transitional," she says. Much of the company’s vintage rug business
comes from customers wanting to trade grandmother’s Oriental for just the
right rug for their own setting.
The collectors
Peter and Evangeline "Vangie" Schlesinger have collected eight Oriental rugs
that grace their home in Mooresville. When he retired from Ingersoll Rand,
the couple returned to the Lake Norman area after living in Germany for 10
years and built their house here more than three years ago. He says that
each of their rugs is valued between $8,000 and $12,000.
"The rugs fit our home and our taste," he says. "My wife’s favorite is a
Heriz in the sun room, and it is over 60 years old. We like the richness of
the color."
"I’ve been in rug stores all over the world," says Schlesinger, who bought
one of his favorites, an Indian silk rug, while in Europe. "Of course, you
must like the color and pattern of a rug first. But, in reality, no one will
count the knots (in a rug). The most valuable advice I can give anyone is to
find someone you can trust."
Caring for Your Oriental Rug
Vacuum regularly and use a good underlayment to help protect and extend the
life of the rug. Some experts recommend shaking rather than vacuuming if
rugs are smaller.
In high-traffic areas, turn the rug around occasionally for even wear.
Shawn Navab recommends professional washing every three to five years. The
cost is typically about $200 for a room-size rug, with the first washing
covered in the cost of his company’s rugs.
Take care of stains right away. Steve Markarian urges his customers to call
him at any time, day or night, to ask about treatment of stains that will
not come out with tap water or the suds created from a liquid soap
detergent. For those they are unable to remove, he advises covering with a
damp towel until it can be treated professionally.