Antique Rugs Found at Yard Sales/Flea Markets?

[CharonPompeii]

I was wondering if any of you have had any luck finding any valuable rugs (or any textiles for that matter) in yard sales, estate sales, flea markets and the like? My mother-in-law has a genuine Persian rug and I'd like one but they are WAY out of my price range. I love scavenging for deals so I'm always hoping to find one but how can you tell if you find one whether it's the real deal? Do you just take a chance of buying it and then getting it appraised?

 

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[Alex Burke]

Here's some links that talk about your question.

http://www.ebay.com/gds/How-to-Tell-if-a-Persian-Rug-is-Authentic-/10000000178726047/g.html

http://www.rugs-oriental.net/persian-rugs.html

 

[GA_Boy]

Here are some more TNet forums that cover that. Some good info there.
Marvin
Garage Sale Finds!
Thrift Stores

 

[CharonPompeii]

Thanks to both of you! The articles were a wealth of great info and I'm still digging through those forum suggestions. Thanks to you both! Even with the diagrams, I'm still finding it a bit confusing figuring out how to properly ID the knots. I read this article that mentions jufti knots, or as they refer to them "false knots" which further confuses things. But I'm taking my laptop over to my mother-in-law's house tonight when we meet her for dinner and I'm going to look at her rug up close to see if I can get the swing of this! Maybe if I can just get a rudimentary understanding of knot differences, patterns, and identifying textile materials, I'll be okay. Thanks again for the suggestions! If I find anything I'll be sure to post pics!

 

[RustyGold]

When I was 20 years old I moved this old guy out of his apartment and into a secure retirement building and he gave me half a dozen or so rugs. Kazak runners, Serabend and Dahgestan prayer rugs and a couple of Navajo rugs and two Persian rugs.
This started my love affair with oriental and Native American rugs.
All are gone now except the Navajo rugs.
Best of luck!

 

[CharonPompeii]

What happened to your rugs if you don't mind me asking? Sounds like quite a bounty!

 

[RustyGold]

I was so young and thought that I might sell them. I asked around at the antique shops in the area and everyone to a T would only ask how much I wanted for them with zero information on their value.
I ended up selling them to a dealer who more or less laughed when I wanted a thousand dollars for the collection. He couldn't get the cash out fast enough.
Live and learn. Lol! I know better now.
Best of luck!