Oriental rugs

It is surprising how few people consider Oriental carpets as an investment. Antiques, objets d'art, paintings and furniture over 100 years old or thereabouts, yes, but carpets and rugs that you walk on and may wear out, do not add up to a sound investment for the average person. With those who are enlightened it is a far different proposition. Let us consider some facts.

There is the wearability of an Oriental carpet compared with the average Wilton or Axminster carpet sold today. The Al Axminster has forty-nine tufts per square inch and the average Wilton approximately sixty: neither has a base knot.

Their wool is blended (the method used to mix the cheaper and better grades of wool before spinning) and mill spun, which has the tendency of shedding the loose ends for many months before the pile settles down.

The life expectancy is from ten to fifteen years, and the colours are sharp aniline dyes which tend to fade, the designs are set in complete balance repeating every two or three feet.

Their secondhand value after purchase decreases by 50 per cent which then depreciates gradually until eventually no value remains. Of course, they have their uses, as have the clothes we wear, to be discarded when desired or necessary.