Antique versus vintage or new oriental rugs

I should state that I am biased on this topic being a dealer in antique items in the proper sense of the word, over 100 years old being the accepted definition. The market is swamped with new and vintage rugs and a quick browse of the internet will confirm this. Antique rugs are much less common but there are many good dealers who specialise in these pieces so a comparison can be made albeit only by image.

I consider antique rugs to be far superior in colour, design and quality to newer ones and as you enter the 19th Century they just get better and better. That said, not everyone can determine the difference and if this is the case then the answer is simply to default to buying a rug that pleases you.

The arrival of synthetic dyes in the late 19th century marked the beginning of the decline of the oriental rug, beautiful vegetable dyes were replaced with harsh synthetic colours that bled and faded. A good old rug can be ruined by a single bright orange or a red that runs into the white ground. The old dyes had variation that creates abrash in the pile, a shifting of tones that gives the rug some depth and interest. The modern dyes were consistent and often created flat and uninteresting blocks of colour.

As we proceed through the 20th century the picture gets worse. Cheap and coarse imitations abound where the design is cramped and the wool quality poor. There are of course exceptions to this rule and some weaving using traditional techniques continued.

In my mind there is little difference between vintage and new, the term vintage being loosely applied to relatively new items. The real gulf is between these and the antique rugs which have a magic about them, the former are decorative items only and the latter are special and unique possessions whose interest never wanes. I sometimes see new facets to an antique rug many years after I have bought it, realisations around the complexity of the design or some quirky anomaly.

Some might say that antique rugs are a good investment and although it may be true that they retain value in comparison to later pieces I would not advise buying them solely as an investment. Like any commodity unless you are well versed in the subtleties of the product and the marketplace then you are unlikely to make a profit. The antique market is also volatile and changes in fashion can dramatically devalue items as has been seen in the dark wood furniture and china markets.

In summary there are good quality new and vintage oriental rugs but antique ones are a different species and in my opinion far superior. It comes down to the question of whether you appreciate the qualities of an antique rug.