Has anyone repaired a middle-eastern carpet?

[doberman]

I have a rug in my family room. My husband got it for me as a birthday present many years ago. At that point it was called an antique Kerman(sp?). Well it's at least 25 years later and even more antique by now but it's getting little bare spots on it and some of the fringes on the end are shot. I'd like to take it to be repaired, and I thought someone here might have done something like this and could offer advice. I am definitely NOT an expert in rugs so anything you might know would be helpful. Thank you!

 

[missy]

I have a rug in my family room. My husband got it for me as a birthday present many years ago. At that point it was called an antique Kerman(sp?). Well it's at least 25 years later and even more antique by now but it's getting little bare spots on it and some of the fringes on the end are shot. I'd like to take it to be repaired, and I thought someone here might have done something like this and could offer advice. I am definitely NOT an expert in rugs so anything you might know would be helpful. Thank you!

Have you tried googling antique rug repair in your area? When I do so for NYC a few highly rated places pop up. I think that might be your best bet. Check out reviews and go from there.

FYI

Repairing Oriental Rugs | The Rug Gallery in Cincinnati | Rugs, Carpet, & Flooring

In some cases, an Oriental rug will get some wear and tear and will need a few repairs to keep it looking great. Repairing Oriental rugs isn’t usually something you can do on your own, but a professional can help. John Maher: Welcome to The Rug Gallery with Sam Presnell. The Rug Gallery is an...

www.ruggallerycincy.com

 

[doberman]

Have you tried googling antique rug repair in your area? When I do so for NYC a few highly rated places pop up. I think that might be your best bet. Check out reviews and go from there.

FYI

Repairing Oriental Rugs | The Rug Gallery in Cincinnati | Rugs, Carpet, & Flooring

In some cases, an Oriental rug will get some wear and tear and will need a few repairs to keep it looking great. Repairing Oriental rugs isn’t usually something you can do on your own, but a professional can help. John Maher: Welcome to The Rug Gallery with Sam Presnell. The Rug Gallery is an...

www.ruggallerycincy.com

I was just wondering if anyone has ever done this and what the limitations are, i.e. is it worth the cost. I guess I'll just have to take it in and hope for the best.

 

[missy]

I was just wondering if anyone has ever done this and what the limitations are, i.e. is it worth the cost. I guess I'll just have to take it in and hope for the best.

It is definitely possible. Just have to find a really good person and it will be expensive but worth it if your rug is very valuable. And an expert will be able to tell you if it is worth or possible repairing depending on the specific rug. Good luck.

 

[doberman]

If I lived in NYC it would be a lot easier!

 

[missy]

If I lived in NYC it would be a lot easier!

Come on over and I'll go with you.

 

[AGBF]

I have not, but I have thought about it for many years. There is a television advertisement on my local television station for a place that supposedly specializes in the repair and cleaning of Oriental carpets. The one of mine I would repair arrived damaged when I bought it from overseas decades ago. It was too beautiful and too difficult to retur, so I kept it, I but never again did business with the seller (of course). I also never touched the carpet out of fear of ruining it. (This "carpet", by the way, like all of my "carpets", is actually a fairly small rug. I have small rugs, not huge carpets.)

May we see a picture of yours? I love Oriental rugs.

Deb

 

[doberman]

Come on over and I'll go with you.

You'd have to - I dont know my way around the city at all, and my family teases me about my complete lack of sense of direction. I can get to Broadway though lol.

 

[doberman]

I have not, but I have thought about it for many years. There is a television advertisement on my local television station for a place that supposedly specializes in the repair and cleaning of Oriental carpets. The one of mine I would repair arrived damaged when I bought it from overseas decades ago. It was too beautiful and too difficult to retur, so I kept it, I but never again did business with the seller (of course). I also never touched the carpet out of fear of ruining it. (This "carpet", by the way, like all of my "carpets", is actually a fairly small rug. I have small rugs, not huge carpets.)

May we see a picture of yours? I love Oriental rugs.

Deb

View attachment 734594

 

[doberman]

Dont mind the couches - they've been catted to death.

 

[AGBF]

doberman,

Your carpet is beautiful! It is such a rich color and has a lovely design and is huge! You must try to preseve it! But for now it looks perfect as it is. After all, it is supposed to be an antique carpet, no? Not something off the rack!!! Just do not let it deteriorate!

I envy you!!!

Deb

 

[doberman]

doberman,

Your carpet is beautiful! It is such a rich color and has a lovely design and is huge! You must try to preseve it! But for now it looks perfect as it is. After all, it is supposed to be an antique carpet, no? Not something off the rack!!! Just do not let it deteriorate!

I envy you!!!

Deb

Thank you! I saw this one in the store and fell in love. It was a major purchase and I have no idea whether we overpaid but I will definitely get it fixed up when my husband is back from his trip and can move furniture!

 

[Bron357]

If you can find a store nearby that sells Persian carpets they will have someone who can mend your carpet expertly. They can also professionally wash it for you. It’s worth the $$$

 

[Queenie60]

Beautiful rug - the color is very rich. And yes, there are companies that restore these rugs. I would google an antique rug dealer in your area, they could help.

 

[MollyMalone]

I don't think it's actually antique (more than 100 years old), but it's a lovely rug that also means a lot to you and your husband! So I ditto all the other responses encouraging you to explore the options possible and their respective costs.

Oops, I posted before seeing your post at #12. I think it's grand that you're planning to take it to a "spa"!

 

[doberman]

I don't think it's actually antique (more than 100 years old), but it's a lovely rug that also means a lot to you and your husband! So I ditto all the other responses encouraging you to explore the options possible and their respective costs.

Oops, I posted before seeing your post at #12. I think it's grand that you're planning to take it to a "spa"!

Well it was sold to us in the early 90s as 75 years old, so by now it's an antique. But I figure anything older than I am must be an antique!

 

[lambskin]

I have collected hand knotted carpets over the last 30 years. Every carpet is unique to the weavers and regions as well as the fibers. Your Kirman carpet is beautiful. It may be from the 1920s or so as that is when Kirmans were produced in large quantities for export to the West from Iran. Wool carpets need to be periodically cleaned and rotated to avoid fiber damage and wear and tear. Water, pet urine, food, and dry rot as well as direct sun light are a carpet's worst enemies. Vacuum both sides of the carpet to protect the warp, weft and fibers. Repairs are very, very expensive. Finding folks who do repairs are hard to come by but can be trained. A bad repair can devalue the carpet and be even worse than letting the damage remain. As such the labor costs are high. Also,finding replacement yarns to match the natural dye colors- with aged fading- can be difficult. Replacing the fringe and selvedge is not as pricey or difficult as repairing worn spots, rips/tears and stained areas. That being said, the cost of the repair may exceed the value of the carpet. Current trends have seen a pronounced decline in classically designed hand knotted carpets.( It's sort of like the 'Brown Furniture' phenon.) Young buyers do not like the designs, bold patterns and colors and cost. The Pottery Barn off white and indigo Moroccan rugs, sisal, or neutral styles seem to be in vogue. So there are plenty of auctions and estate sales selling incredible old, antique and vintage carpets at deeply discounted prices. Before lugging your big rug anywhere and getting it repaired, see what similar carpets ( age, size and condition) sell for at auction and at estate sales. The prices will be much higher at a carpet store. (Don't be fooled by 'Going out of business" sales or carpet shop auctions/bankruptcies.) When I get my carpets cleaned a I have them inspect the carpets and give me a quote for repairs. I also ask them re the 'ball park' value of the carpet. They would rather sell you a new rug than repair the old one so the repair quote may be really high. Reputation of the store is key. I am not repairing my carpets anymore as the current values do not justify the cost and frankly my heirs are not interested in them. Despite all of this, I still love carpets and am always on the look out for additions.

 

[minousbijoux]

Wow, @lambskin, that is great information! I'd love to see your rug collection.

 

[AGBF]

Wow, @lambskin, that is great information! I'd love to see your rug collection.

I feel the same way, minousbijoux. I do not believe I ever had a friend who knew so much about Oriental carpets. The few I bought (about five) were bought solely based on my liking them and not on any information I had on them..lambskin's knowledge is encyclopedic.

edited to add: I believe I should be calling these "hand knotted carpets". I do not think I ever even heard that term before.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Oh, I love handmade rugs, too! In fact, I may soon get one from my in-law's house that has a lot of red like yours, @doberman! Right now I just have one high quality rug in my dining room. I sold most of the rugs from my last house when we moved 10 years ago. My in-laws had many rugs and I've kind of waited to replace mine until they were moved out of their house because I know I can get a few from them.

The brown furniture thing kills me. Antiques and finely made reproductions are beautiful and timeless to me!

Here's the red one. I know it's not of the finest quality, but I still love it!

 

[MamaBee]

I love your rug @doberman! It looks very similar to mine. I LOVE hand knotted rugs..This is in my dining room in Maryland..I bought it as a vintage rug many years ago. Periodically it’s flipped and vacuumed on the back. I would get this repaired if it wasn’t too expensive because I love it so much. If it was a crazy price I would just wear it out..keep it clean..and love it the way it is.

 

[doberman]

@Mamabean @diamondseeker2006
Those are beautiful carpets. I'm a sucker for red! We got this one in Istanbul.

 

[MamaBee]

@Mamabean @diamondseeker2006
Those are beautiful carpets. I'm a sucker for red! We got this one in Istanbul.

Pretty rug! I have a pretty one upstairs next to my bed. I’ll post that tomorrow..Bailey is bringing me his leash..haha!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Ohh, love all the red rugs! They all have blue, too! I can't find a picture with my dining room rug at the moment, but here's one more from my in-laws house that I am considering. It's actually more of a rusty red than this picture shows

 

[Arcadian]

this rug hung on my wall in Massachusetts. At current its rolled up in the closet. Its...ginomous. Hand made, my father purchased in Afganistan and had it shipped to me. Hand knotted as is my other one (that one is tribal Pic2) both are really well done and plush (both are wool of course!) which was purchased probably the year after. Images does not do either justice, they're both quite vibrant in person.

 

[lambskin]

I love everyone's rugs! Each is so unique and beautiful. I also love the stories behind the acquisitions. I have more rugs than floor so storage is hard. The rugs must be very clean as moths eat at any biological matter (food, crumbs, etc) that fall on and between the fibers. They simply eat the whole fiber. So make sure any stored rugs are cleaned and mothballed. Some shops are hesitant to take carpets with signs of moth infestation as they do not want to infestate their shop. If they take it there is an upcharge. I had a carpet that had moth damage but no live eggs. Nonetheless they would not clean it. So I took it home, watched a bunch of videos on YouTube and cleaned it myself on my driveway. It was hard getting it completely rinsed out and dried (do it in the summer or fall with no prediction of rainfall for a few days) but it turned out beautifully. Now, with few exceptions, I wash my own carpets. In the Midwest cost to have the rugs cleaned run from $2.00 (on sale and you drop off and pick up) to $4.00 a square foot. They measure from fringe to fringe. So if you have a large rug it can get pricey. I love formal dining rooms with brown furniture and beautiful carpets so traditional will never go out of style in my mind. Plus all of the food and wine that have been dropped and spilled are easily cleaned up and any stain is camouflaged by the colors and design!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I love everyone's rugs! Each is so unique and beautiful. I also love the stories behind the acquisitions. I have more rugs than floor so storage is hard. The rugs must be very clean as moths eat at any biological matter (food, crumbs, etc) that fall on and between the fibers. They simply eat the whole fiber. So make sure any stored rugs are cleaned and mothballed. Some shops are hesitant to take carpets with signs of moth infestation as they do not want to infestate their shop. If they take it there is an upcharge. I had a carpet that had moth damage but no live eggs. Nonetheless they would not clean it. So I took it home, watched a bunch of videos on YouTube and cleaned it myself on my driveway. It was hard getting it completely rinsed out and dried (do it in the summer or fall with no prediction of rainfall for a few days) but it turned out beautifully. Now, with few exceptions, I wash my own carpets. In the Midwest cost to have the rugs cleaned run from $2.00 (on sale and you drop off and pick up) to $4.00 a square foot. They measure from fringe to fringe. So if you have a large rug it can get pricey. I love formal dining rooms with brown furniture and beautiful carpets so traditional will never go out of style in my mind. Plus all of the food and wine that have been dropped and spilled are easily cleaned up and any stain is camouflaged by the colors and design!

I have heard of people doing it themselves in the driveway! Thanks for the moth warning.

I am right there with you on the wood furniture with rugs in formal dining rooms! I also don't think it ever goes out of style, but I hope the trend turns back that way for the younger people so someone will want it!

I guess I will tell this story here since we are on the topic of wood funiture. Years ago when I was looking for nice antique repro furniture there were high end brands that I loved but just couldn't justify the cost with kids various expenses. I had an antique set that was fine for the time being. Later I got my mother's set when they downsized their house and it is a style I like and was nice quality solid mahogany, so I was happy with it. Last year my youngest was getting married and we were furniture hunting for their apartment. One day last summer I walked into the Habitat for Humanity Restore because we live in an area where nice things are donated, so you can find good things if you persevere and visit often. This day I walked in and these beautiful hand-carved Chippendale dining room chairs caught my eye. (My dining room chairs were also Chippendale but not carved as much.) I went over to them and turned a chair over to see the brand, and it was one of the top quality brands that made antique reproduction furniture in the US (and they happened to be in NC but closed a few years ago, so no longer made). It was a feeling like I had found a treasure. Almost brought tears to my eyes!!! Here I was looking for furniture for my daughter, and I found something for MYSELF that I definitely didn't need!!!!

I made a quick call to my SIL who had worked for years with an interior designer and told her what I had found and she said she was extremely interested in it, but they were going out of town the next weekend and there was just no way they could make it up here to get it. So I said I'd just buy it because I knew it would be gone fast, and if I decided not to keep it, she could have it. The price of the table (which also had the carved ball-and-claw pedestal feet) and 6 chairs was $850 and truly, that was at least a $5k set or higher originally. I didn't even bargain on the price since it was technically going for a good cause. I called my husband to bring his truck and we got the table and chairs home.

The table is slightly smaller than my dining room table, so what I decided to do was use the new table in my breakfast room with the chairs from my dining room, and use the new carved chairs in my formal dining room so they will be more preserved. lol! Then I gave my breakfast room set to my daughter, and it was actually nice quality solid wood but definitely more casual that the sets I kept (great condition, too). So it ended up helping her and allowing me to keep a set that was like art or a fine handmade rug to me.

Here's one of the chairs from the day I brought them home, not even dusted yet! The seats were in perfect condition, so there was nothing to do but dust them off and put them in the dining room!

 

[MamaBee]

I have heard of people doing it themselves in the driveway! Thanks for the moth warning.

I am right there with you on the wood furniture with rugs in formal dining rooms! I also don't think it ever goes out of style, but I hope the trend turns back that way for the younger people so someone will want it!

I guess I will tell this story here since we are on the topic of wood funiture. Years ago when I was looking for nice antique repro furniture there were high end brands that I loved but just couldn't justify the cost with kids various expenses. I had an antique set that was fine for the time being. Later I got my mother's set when they downsized their house and it is a style I like and was nice quality solid mahogany, so I was happy with it. Last year my youngest was getting married and we were furniture hunting for their apartment. One day last summer I walked into the Habitat for Humanity Restore because we live in an area where nice things are donated, so you can find good things if you persevere and visit often. This day I walked in and these beautiful hand-carved Chippendale dining room chairs caught my eye. (My dining room chairs were also Chippendale but not carved as much.) I went over to them and turned a chair over to see the brand, and it was one of the top quality brands that made antique reproduction furniture in the US (and they happened to be in NC but closed a few years ago, so no longer made). It was a feeling like I had found a treasure. Almost brought tears to my eyes!!! Here I was looking for furniture for my daughter, and I found something for MYSELF that I definitely didn't need!!!!

I made a quick call to my SIL who had worked for years with an interior designer and told her what I had found and she said she was extremely interested in it, but they were going out of town the next weekend and there was just no way they could make it up here to get it. So I said I'd just buy it because I knew it would be gone fast, and if I decided not to keep it, she could have it. The price of the table (which also had the carved ball-and-claw pedestal feet) and 6 chairs was $850 and truly, that was at least a $5k set or higher originally. I didn't even bargain on the price since it was technically going for a good cause. I called my husband to bring his truck and we got the table and chairs home.

The table is slightly smaller than my dining room table, so what I decided to do was use the new table in my breakfast room with the chairs from my dining room, and use the new carved chairs in my formal dining room so they will be more preserved. lol! Then I gave my breakfast room set to my daughter, and it was actually nice quality solid wood but definitely more casual that the sets I kept (great condition, too). So it ended up helping her and allowing me to keep a set that was like art or a fine handmade rug to me.

Here's one of the chairs from the day I brought them home, not even dusted yet! The seats were in perfect condition, so there was nothing to do but dust them off and put them in the dining room!

Great find! I once found a huge pie crust side table..but the claw ball foot was chewed by a dog..lol..I brought it to a furniture restorer who carved a new foot for it..It’s beautiful. I put all my framed photos on it..I think you appreciate it more when it’s a find!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Great find! I once found a huge pie crust side table..but the claw ball foot was chewed by a dog..lol..I brought it to a furniture restorer who carved a new foot for it..It’s beautiful. I put all my framed photos on it..I think you appreciate it more when it’s a find!

Yay for finding someone with the skill to restore the foot! I know exactly the table you are talking about! I did have a thought about my dog and these feet, but thankfully there have been no disasters!!!

 

[lambskin]

Great find. Especially the slip seats which are super easy to reupholster yourself. (I have recovered in white velvet and white moire and when kids were born a navy and a tweed to hide spills.) I too inherited parent's mahog. DR set. Beautiful and not a scratch as table pads were on every surface. But alas the chairs are falling apart as kids put feet on rails etc. So always on lookout for replacement chairs -with slip seats only(the style is called 'ribbon back'). I love a formal DR but I am old school. I have refinished many a cast off and hand me down -always sanding and staining-never painting- as I do not have the heart to cover solid wood. Have a few pieces that are in use in a daughter's bedroom that will be refinished when she goes off to college.