Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a rug and a carpet ?

Its all about size, basically any piece over 9ft. by 6ft., 274 by 183cm, I would classify as a carpet. Any piece under that dimension I would describe as a rug.

How do you tell the difference between a hand made piece, and a machine made copy ?

The pattern on the front of the piece should be almost as clear on the reverse side. As a further check the fringe ends should be an integral part of the rug. The fringes are the ends of the warp threads that run through the whole piece and are what the knots are tied onto. Unless false fringes have been added, machine made carpets always have added fringes.

Can antique rugs and carpets be walked on ?

Hand made rugs and carpets, whether antique or modern, in most cases can be walked on. Some rugs are better than others at withstanding varying amounts of wear and tear. Thick wool pile rugs can be used anywhere and silk rugs in areas that take not too much heavy wear. Rugs and carpets will last lifetimes, if professionally cleaned-once every three years is the average. The fact that there are hand made rugs in use over 100 years old indicates that they are versatile, functional and durable floor coverings.

How are rugs and carpets classified and named ?

In most cases the weavers of carpets are anonymous, with a few exceptions. Therefore pieces are named by the place, ie city, town or village from where it is believed they are made, or by the name of the tribal group that weave on their migrations.

How often should rugs and carpets be cleaned ?

Depending on the amount of wear and tear, we recommend that pieces should be professionally hand cleaned once every three to four years. This removes the dirt and grit deposits that can cause erosion of the pile.

How often should I have my insurance valuation updated ?

Once every five years should be sufficient. However at Wadsworth’s, we keep detailed records of all insurance valuations and are in a position to advise if there is a sudden increase or decrease in values, thereby updating when appropriate.

Are all the colours used in hand made carpets of
vegetable origin ?

No, essentially most colours used in rugs and carpets made after 1900 are in fact of chemical type. The latest study suggests that chemical dyes started to be used as early as the mid 19th century in Persia and Turkey, and by the turn of the century almost all dyes are of chemical origin. This is mainly due to commercial demands and the need to produce a greater volume of pieces for a growing market. Throughout the 20th century there have been pockets of revival in the use of vegetable dyes, but this has not been widespread or commercially viable.