Talk:Guidance buying handmade carpets
When purchasing handwoven carpets, what seems important is the harmony of the design and color of the carpet matching the interior design of the room where it is used. Like many handicrafts, the handwoven carpets depend very much on the skills of the individuals weaving them. As it takes one or at times several weavers to create a carpet, faults in the final product are inevitable, though the fewer defects a carpet has, the higher its quality is.
Stretching
This term indicates an increase in the length of the carpet which is more than its standard size. In this case, the motifs look oval and stretched.
Knocking down
This term means that the length of the carpet is reduced compared to the standard size, and the images look oval and compact.
Luche
This is what occurs to the carpet when only one corner sticks out, which means only one corner of the carpet does not fit a right angle.
Buckles and ripples
This term refers to when the edges of the carpet begin to curl.
Keesi (crease)
This term refers to the wrinkles in one part or the entire width of the carpet.
Weft Visibility (Sar pood)
This term refers to the sticking out and visibility of the weft in the carpet’s piles.
Movement of medallion
This refers to the moving of the medallion further from the carpet’s center.
The Asymmetry of the Design and Motifs
In traditional and classic designs, symmetry must be observed on four sides of the pattern and sometimes on two sides of the pattern. However, in some rural and nomadic weaves, the lack of such symmetry is not considered a shortcoming.
Leveling
This refers to the edges curling towards the backing of the carpet.
Carpet Porosity
In this case, the density of piles decreases can be detected by dipping your finger among the piles on the carpet.
Multiple Folds of One Weft
This occurs when thin wefts are not used in each row of texture, which can be recognized by looking at the backing of the carpet. This characteristic is quite common and customary in Persian rural and nomadic carpets.
Sareh
When folded lengthwise, both edges must match; otherwise, the carpet is subjected to a fault called "Sareh".
Crooked Back (Shanedar)
This means the carpet is either longer or shorter on one side than on the other side.
Sword-curved
This refers to dents or buckles in the carpet’s top or bottom.
Boreh Boreh
This happens during scissors polishing and refers to a lack of uniformity in the carpet’s weft heights.
Double-colored
This refers to a change of color in one part of the carpet. This fault is usually observed in classic weaves.
Zorati
This refers to the reduction of the piles to such a degree that warps and wefts are visible. In modern patterns, however, this is a normal characteristic.
Sparseness or Density of Images
This term refers to the lack of appropriate uniformity and scattered images on the carpet.
Defacement of Backing of the Carpet (Poudnama)
Appearing and visibility of thin wefts in the backing of the carpet so that they are easily touched with nails or fingertips.
Touch up (Ghalam khordegi)
Sometimes the carpet suffers from colored traces in parts. After polishing, therefore, these colored traces are fixed using dying brushes. However, this fault comes up again once the carpet has been washed.
Joftzadan and Darning
At times during the weaving phase, the carpet is torn widthwise. This incident is referred to as "Joftzadan", which means the tear is darned.
Blocking and Stretching
Handwoven carpets may suffer from cracks (wrinkles). To improve this fault, the carpet is stretched using a simple tool so that the sides and edges are right-angled. Holes in the carpet’s sides are an indicator showing it has been through such a process. Those carpets encountering this may be required to go through the same process again after washing.
Beating Comb
Sometimes during weaving, parts of the carpet may be either densely or sparsely woven. It is possible to fix this fault after the weaving is over, though not completely. To spot such a fault, one must ensure the elements of the pattern are symmetrical in both parts (directions) of the carpet.
Use of Thin Wefts in Each Texture Row
“Two rows at the weft”, “three rows at the weft” and “seven rows at the weft” are specific terms indicating the degree to which thin wefts are used in the carpet’s texture. The ideal approach is to use thin wefts in each row. However, this is not the case in rural and nomadic carpets in which one thin weft is used in every several rows. In urban carpets, this fault is considered as a shortcoming affecting the price of the carpet.
Use of Carburization Materials in Washing
In complementary phase washing the carpet, materials such as Sodium Hydrosulfite or Sodium Dithionite are used, especially in second-hand weaves. Therefore, the likelihood of carpet rot is quite high as hydro-materials usually remain in the carpet. If you rub the carpet firmly, these remains come out in the form of white dust.
Labels
“Two sides labeled” is a term indicating the authenticity of the product. In the Persian weaving traditions, weavers usually choose a design and then using the raw materials (either purchased or borrowed), begin to weave the carpet. Sometimes while still in progress or completed, the carpet is bought by merchants or dealers. If the merchant owns a label or brand, weavers usually install it in the carpet’s margins. ‘Two labeled’ carpets have, thus, been woven under the supervision of the merchant.
Quality of the Texture
High-quality carpets are of uniform texture. By observing the backing of the carpet, one can observe uniform wefts which indicate the high quality of the product.
Sou
"Sou" is a fault in which the lines in the designs are not continuous and therefore fragmented. It reduces the beauty of the carpet as well as its value.
Kubidegi
This term refers to the lengthwise contraction in the carpet. This fault is caused by forceful combing and knocking down the carpet.
knots
One way of finding out where the carpet was woven is the knotting approach. There are two fundamental knots in Persian carpet weaving: Symmetrical or Turki knot and asymmetrical or Farsi knot. If one of the warps is seen when moving the piles, one can ensure the knot is Farsi; otherwise, the knot is Turki.
Double Knot
This is a term directly related to the quality of the carpet. When weaving a carpet, each knot is tied on two threads of the warp, but sometimes the knot is tied on four threads of the warp. Double knots are a fault that reduces the quality and durability of the carpet.
Inscription
Inscriptions, written on the margins of the carpet, bear the identity of the weavers, clients, or producers. The Inscription is usually an indicator of the age and the quality of the carpet. At times, fake inscriptions are used to attribute the product to famous brands. In the picture, a line is observed which proves the carpets have been re-woven; images and spirals are disconnected, which is not common in traditional patterns.
Pair Carpets
This term refers to two identical carpets. These carpets are woven side by side on exactly the same loom and are commonly produced in Tabriz, Naein, and other cities. Carpets that have subtle differences in design are referred to as "similar", but if there are huge differences in details, the carpet is called "equal" or "Beham Bokhor", even though the patterns are alike. Pair carpets are obviously more valuable.
Bibliography
- Abdolhossein Ghasemnejad. 2017. Repair and Maintenance Methods of Carpet, Iran National Carpet Center. New edited by Abdolhossein GHasemnejad, 2022.