Flamboyant, classy and elegant Classic Indian rugs lend your home an air of refinement. Deft Indian craftspeople have been weaving complex patterns with an eye for detailed colours for centuries. In this article, we discuss types of Indian rugs and how to buy classic rugs.
What Are the Origins of Classic Indian Rugs?
Rug weaving has been a way of life and art in India since the 1500’s. Indian weavers probably found inspiration from the Persian rug industry and some parts of Asia. The most elaborate rugs woven in India belong to the Mughal Empire period (16th and 18th centuries). Initially, Mughal rugs woven in royal ateliers of Agra determined the styles of rugs. Subsequently, weavers adopted elaborate styles, colours and sizes to appeal to the buyers in Britain. A large number of antique rugs from India originated in Lahore, Amritsar, Kashmir and Agra. These regional creations are still celebrated for their distinct appearance and style.
What Are the Characteristics of Classic Indian Rugs?
Rugs from the Mughal period are adorned with leaf and blossom patterns as well as floral motifs. And, Indian rugs are sometimes labeled as “Indo- Isfahan,”, or “Indo-Persian”. In addition, a lot of classic rugs that come in animal designs are of Indian origin. Some artisans from India used varying shades of blue, red, pink, yellow and green. The base colour palette of Indian rugs is well-known as ‘lac red’ (bluish red), which represent fields. And, they often wove different shades of the same colour together, without separating the two with an outline.
What Are the Types of Indian Rugs?
There are different types of Indian rugs. While some antique rugs were made in the 16th or 17th century, there are artisans who weave rugs using ancient techniques with painstaking precision. There are small packets of rug weavers in India who still use handspun yarn and weave their rugs patiently by hand.
Indo Persian Rugs
Artisans have been weaving Indo Persian rugs since the 16th century. And, these rugs are usually hand-knotted and the design structure includes a variety of motifs. The weavers derive inspiration from flowers, folklore, royal lifestyle, and plants to craft exquisite designs on the rugs. The art of weaving Persian rugs is complex and laborious. A single section of the rug can take from a few weeks up to a year to complete. The weaving timeframe depends on the fineness of knots, size and quality. Indo Persian rugs are woven in Varanasi, Jaipur, Agra and Shahjahanpur.
Indo-Isfahan
Indo-Isfahan also spelled Indo-Eṣfahān rugs were originally handmade in Indian in the 17th century. And, these rugs were imitations of ‘Herat designs.’ And, this particular design is known for the vine-red field, emerald green borders as well as touches of brilliant golden yellow. The scrolling vine design in Indo-Isfahan rugs connect with feathery lancet leaves, small floral motifs and cloud bands. Whiel some of these rugs were crafted in Agra, the more fanciful ones were woven in Deccan.
Wool and Silk Rugs
The exotic combination of wool and silk is richer than wool rugs yet more cost-efficient than pure silk ones. Generally, in this type of rugs, the silk is used to bring out the floral motifs. And, the wool forms the pile base. Wool and silk combination is considered a modern version of more traditional Persian rugs. They combine affordability with aesthetic appeal. Wool and silk rugs are woven in Jaipur and Agra.
Ziegler Rugs
This unique variety of rugs are hand knotted and woven from handspun gazani wool yarn. The traditional styles are floral motifs that gracefully weave across the rug. Low pile and uneven surfaces are unique design characteristics of Ziegler rugs. They blend harmoniously with contemporary décor. Ziegler rugs are traditionally woven in beige, rust as well as red and brown hues. But, lately some weavers have been crafting Ziegler rugs in softer, more subdued colours. And, these rugs are crafted exclusively in Agra.
Now that we’ve discussed extensively about the origins and types of Classic Indian rugs, let us talk about buying those.
How to Buy Classic Indian Rugs – Measure Your Space
The first step in getting the aesthetics right in furnishing your room with classic rugs is to get the dimensions of the room right. You should always maintain six inches to a foot in space from the rug’s edge to the wall. Avoid buying a rug that is exact in size to the floor space in the room. Rugs should stay away from the wall carpet territory.
How to Buy Classic Indian Rugs – Look for Hand Woven Rugs
Antique and classic rugs are hand woven with great attention to detail. Check the back of the rug to make sure that it is not machine woven. In hand woven rugs, the knots and weaving are rarely uniform. That is how you know the rug you wish to purchase was crafted with care, slowly.
How to Buy Classic Indian Rugs – Consider the Material
Rugs crafted using natural material (even dye) are considered classic. Turn over the rug and check if the knots appear coarse. If they are, the rugs were hand-woven using natural material. And, rugs made with natural wool and silk are the best. To determine whether they have used natural or synthetic dyes, bend the rug to expose individual threads. Naturally dyed threads will show variance while synthetic ones will appear even.
How to Buy Classic Indian Rugs – Check for Rugs Made With Handspun Yarn
The quality of your classic rug would enhance further if it is made with handspun yarn. There is a difference in texture, consistency and thickness in handspun rugs. When you lift a rug made with handspun yarn, you will feel that it is more substantial. Machine spun yarn tends to be thin and looks uniform in width and texture. There are irregularities in handspun rugs that impact how the material absorbs the dye. Traditionally, handspun yarn is dyed in small batches. Hence, they accumulate a charming watercolour effect. While most wool is made in machines today, there are a handful of weavers in India who use handspun yarn.
How to Buy Classic Indian Rugs – Check the Knotting
Handmade rugs from India are crafted using ‘the asymmetrical knot.’ These knots are considered technically superior for their density of knotting. This technique allows artisans to weave realistic figural detail
How to Buy Classic Indian Rugs – Embrace the Fade
As years and warm rays of the sun age hand-woven rugs, the pleasing depth and dimension of colours enhance. While it may sound strange, considerable fading indicates quality and a long life to the rugs. Of course, you would not want a rug with the design entirely lost. But, having the colours brighter in some places and faded in others is a sign of authentic antique rugs.
How to Buy Classic Indian Rugs – Trust Your Instinct
The most important part of buying a classic rug is that you love it. It is not too dissimilar to buying classical paintings or art that resonates with you. Check all of the above characteristics, but trust your gut. Buy the rug that makes your heart skip a beat. And, you will love seeing it on the floor every day.
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