Start with the corners
Fold back one corner and look at the knots. On a hand-knotted carpet you will see each knot as a small bump, in rows, with the design clearly visible. The rows are never perfectly straight; that small wander is the weaver's hand.
Count the knots
Lay a ruler along the back and count the knots in one centimetre across, then one centimetre down. Multiply the two. Twenty or more per square centimetre is a well made city carpet; sixty and above is very fine work; silk can reach well past one hundred.
Read the colour
Look for abrash: soft bands where the colour shifts. It comes from small batches of hand-dyed wool. On the back it is easier to see than on the pile.
Check the foundation
The warps run the length of the carpet and end in the fringe. If the fringe is sewn on separately, the carpet is probably machine-made or tufted.
Look for old repairs
Repairs show as patches of slightly different knotting or colour on the back. A good repair is not a problem, but you should know it is there, and the price should reflect it.
We will happily turn any carpet in the gallery over for you. It is the first thing we do ourselves.
Written by the Silk Road team. Example details for this demo.