Pricing Guide

Artistic Value
Pricing a handmade rug is not an exact science because handmade rugs are works of art and they have artistic value. Two rugs of the same size made by the same weaving group with the same knot density and material are not necessarily priced the same. As a matter of fact, one could be up to ten times more expensive than the other due to its more attractive color combination and an exquisite design.

Comparison
In the same way that one would never compare an abstract painting with an impressionist painting, one would never compare a workshop rug such as an Esfahan with a nomadic rug such as a Baluchi. Handmade rugs should always be compared within their own family. To find out whether an intricately designed workshop item with a high knot density is priced correctly, one should compare it to rugs in the same family, meaning rugs with intricate designs and high knot density. The perfection of the design, the fine knotting, exact patterns, uniform color tones, and the very best materials are the determining factors in the value of such a rug. However, in nomadic and some village rugs, knot density is usually not a factor in the value of the rugs because nomadic rugs are judged by a different standard than workshop rugs. Nomads do not have the same sophisticated tools as other city weaving groups do. These items are valued by the fact that their designs are created from memory, their dyes and materials are provided from the nature around them, and most importantly the weavers' way of life is expressed in these rugs. The artistic value of nomadic rugs does not lie in their perfection; it lies in their heritage and simplicity.

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Investment
Not only do handmade rugs satisfy our artistic thirst and serve as practical floor coverings, they are also sound investments. A rug which was $400.00 in 1940s can have a wholesale value of 7,000.00 to 8,000.00 dollars and a retail value of about 12,000 to 15,000 dollars today. If you buy a handmade rug and hold on to it, and one day decide to sell it, not only have you gained on the value, but also you have enjoyed the rug for years. Even though handmade rugs, if bought correctly, are good investments, our suggestion is that they should never be bought for the sole purpose of investment; they should be bought for enjoyment. Do not buy a handmade rug solely as an investment unless you are a professional handmade rug merchant.

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