Persian and Oriental Rug Services
Persian rugs > Persian and Oriental Rug Services
At Little-Persia we provide a number of services for rug owners and enthusiasts including rug appraisals, sourcing, cleaning and repair. While we are unlikely to buy your used Persian or Oriental rug unless it is very different from what we have we may be offer an exchange or part exchange.
Here you can find examples of the work we are able to carry out by viewing a case-study of a major Persian rug repair.
1. Professional Persian Rug Cleaning
2. Persian Rug Repair & Restoration
5. Part Exchange and Rug Buying
6. Trade Customers - Interior Designers, Decorators & Retailers
Rug Cleaning
Little-Persia can professionally clean your hand-knotted Persian or Oriental rugs here in Glasgow. Although there are a number of rug and carpet cleaning companies around we focus solely on handmade rugs, giving you the piece of mind that your rugs are in the hands of someone who will give them the respect they deserve.
We do not subscribe to the idea that 'one solution fits all' and will give your rug our complete attention and care. While it is possible to clean your own rug to an extent (information can be found in our rug cleaning guide) we recommend your leave hand-knotted rug cleaning to professionals. Rugs should be professionally cleaned at least once every 10 years to ensure a long life.
We currently clean all rugs using specialist machinery and by hand. Before cleaning begins we will hold a consultation with you to decide how intensive the cleaning process should be - certain rugs (generally older pieces) are best given a gentler wash to maintain their integrity, minor repairs may also be suggested. For an in-depth description of our cleaning process see our rug cleaning page.
Please note that we do not recommend that you attempt to clean silk rugs by yourself.
It is also important that a rug is thoroughly cleaned at periods throughout its life as fine dust can settle in the foundations causing them to become hard and brittle.
Call or email info@little-persia.com for an estimate.
Please Note: We may refuse to clean artificial silk or viscose/rayon rugs. These materials often bleed dyes in washing and the pile can break and become frayed. We would recommend not to buy these knowingly and send our sympathies to those who have been duped. See our buying rugs abroad article for information and advice on buying rugs abroad.
Restoration & Repair
Little-Persia offers expert restoration and repair services for your handmade Persian carpets. We clean rugs and restore damaged or loose fringes as well as the selvages (the sides of a rug) in our gallery in Scotland.
For more thorough work such as when a rug needs re-knotted in areas, major structural work or when the rug requires special attention (some high quality, silk or antique rugs) we recommend sending the rug back to Iran to be repaired - obviously this is a lengthy and more expensive process but the results are often breath-taking. Below is an antique Kashan rug and Isfahan rug which were sent to Iran to have their fringes fixed and lengthened, skilled Persian workers were able to bring the rugs back to life, restoring them to their former glory.
An antique Kashan rug brought back to life by those who really know what they're doing.
This valuable antique Isfahan rug deserve the attention of master-weavers in Iran.
We have also recently repaired a large Nain rug in Iran, we will be using this as a case study to show the process which is gone through while carrying out a major repair, to view the process visit our Persian rug repair page. The only option for structural or major repairs is to send the rug to Iran. This is only a reasonable option for certain rugs and the work can take considerable lengths of time. The Nain rug had to have a large section re-knotted taking around 9 months to complete.
Our biggest ever repair, the whole border of a large Nain was re-knotted in Iran.
If your rug fringes are damaged it is important to fix the problem as soon as possible. The fringe is the foundation of the rug and being exposed it is often the first part to be damaged, if the damage spreads the pile can come loose and unwind permanently damaging in the effected area. We can halt further damage and even up the fringe which can be achieved in a number of ways depending on the rug and the condition of the fringe but it is best to deal with the issue as soon as possible. If the problem is dealt with immediately there will be no real damage to the rug and the cost of fixing it will be fairly small. The longer the problem is left the more damage is likely to occur. This damage can be halted but if it has spread to the pile (see below) the only way to fully restore the rug is to send it to Iran where a number of rows of knots will be re-knotted. This is obviously an expensive process and unless the rug is a particularly good or valuable piece it may be best to just minimize the damage by having it secured as it is.
This fringe has been allowed to unravel to the extent that there is damage to the pile.
The side of rug also known as the selvage or the binding is what holds the rug together at the sides. As the rug is woven from side-to-side (across the warp strings - the non-exposed fringe) there must be an end point. This is end point is bound by the weaver both holding the shape of the rug and preventing knots to unravel. The binding can often become loose which encourages the rug to be damaged. Again it is best to deal with the problem as soon as possible as a small loosening of the selvage can soon become dramatic. The longer the problem is left the more damage is done and the more expensive it becomes to repair. The phrase a "stitch in time..." definitely applies to hand-knotted rugs!
A rug which has been damaged by the selvages (sides) coming loose - the quicker it's dealt with locally the less damaging and expensive the repair.
If you have areas of low pile on your rug which has developed over time you may wish to restore it to its original condition. Low pile is less of an immediate danger than damaged fringes or sides but with extreme low pile the foundation becomes exposed and there can be some serious damage to the rug. Some people do not mind low pile as it shows age and character, it depends on the level of use and the extent which the rug is worn whether it is worth having it repaired. To repair low pile we send the rug back to Iran where the area of the wear is un-knotted and re-knotted with fresh wool. Due to the nature of the repair an exact match in colour is not always possible but we have seen some almost perfect results with rugs we have had repaired for ourselves. Deciding on whether to get the rug repaired in this way depends on how much you are willing to spend and whether the rugs value is high enough to justify its repair.
Appraisals/Valuation & Insurance Claims
Free informal verbal valuations can be given, giving you a ball-park figure for replacement value. We can also provide written valuations for insurance coverage or claims for a small fee, this will be refunded if you purchase a replacement rug from Little-Persia.
Please note: retail replacement value is not the same as what you would get for the rug if you attempted to sell it. It is simply an indication of the price you would pay for a similar rug in a high-street store. The market for handmade rugs is very difficult and finding a buyer is not easy, it is very unlikely that selling your rug privately you would get near the retail replacement value of the rug unless it is perhaps a high quality older rug in good condition in which case it may do well at one of the high-end auctions such as Christies or Sotehrbys. We can have rugs in our store for 5 years or more before being sold so the difficulty in finding a customer who is looking for the particular size, likes your rug and is willing to pay for it should not be under-estimated.
It is always best if you can bring the rug into the store however, if you are unable to do so, we can evaluate your rug over the internet. Simply email us pictures of the rug and its condition and we will do our best to carry out as accurate a valuation as possible. For best results please try to send the following:
*** Pictures should be a good resolution, around 1MB per picture is reasonable. When taking close-up pictures use the Macro function on your camera or select the flower symbol 
if your camera has one. ***
Pictures
1. A picture of the full rug gives us an idea of the design and quality of the piece. From here we can begin to determine its origin and quality. Taking pictures from both sides will give us a better indication of the appeal of the rug as there tends to be a lighter and darker side to the carpet.
2. Using the macro-mode if available take a close up of the sides of the rug (known as the selvages) at the back showing the knots running in to the ends of the rug:
3. Take a picture of the knots going into the fringe (or warp strands) of the rug. Preferably do this from both the front and back but the back of the rug is most important.
4. A picture of the knots of the rug with some form of ruler or measuring tape showing an inch (preferably send both horizontal and vertical measurements) which allows us to establish the knots per square inch (KPSI).
You should also send pictures of any points of interest in the rug, perhaps a particular detail or a signature, if the rug is damaged or has any areas of wear this should also be included.
5. Any areas of interest including (but not limited to): low-pile, moth damage, tears, stains, obvious colour changes, special looking designs, motifs or animal prints (sometimes rugs have animals woven in silk while the rest of the rug is made from wool), signatures or dates may also be significant. Older rugs are expected to have some areas of low pile but it would be useful to tell us the level and spread of any areas of damage. Obviously if staining or damage is the reason for the insurance claim the valuation will be treated as if they did not exist but pictures should still be sent. Use macro-mode if close-up is required.
6. A close up of the pile itself is also useful in determining the quality of the wool and any sun-fade or oxidation (this is not necessarilly a bad thing, particularly if subtle and even).
The more you are able to show us the more accurate we will be able to be in our valuation.
Contact us for more information.
Sourcing & Bespoke Rug Production
Little-Persia can source rugs based on your requirements should you not find your desired rug amongst our existing stock, we can normally find you the perfect rug in the right colours and sizes and have it brought to the UK within 3-4 weeks, we also have sources in London meaning it is possible to find you a rug much quicker. We are also able to have carpets made based on your artwork or design - this process obviously takes much longer depending on the size of rug to be knotted (as it has to be produced bespoke) and is a far more expensive option.
We source rugs for individuals and companies by initially gaining a brief of their requirements and taste. Pictures of a similar rug or examples of rugs which are perhaps the wrong size or colour are helpful as a starting point to find the right design. From there we can send digital images via email of potential rugs found by one of our agents. When you find something you think you like we will have more detailed pictures sent. If you decide you wish to have the rug brought over there is a 15% non-refundable deposit (in the event the rug does not work out for you we will be stuck with a rug which we would not have otherwise purchased). The 15% helps to pay for the duty, VAT and shipping costs to import and minimizes our risk to an extent - the deposit cannot be refunded but can go towards another rug in our current stock.
The process of making bespoke rugs becomes more complex, we can have designs made based on your artwork but this is an expensive and time-consuming process. Everything from the quality of the wool to the knots per square inch (KPSI) and the method of washing must be chosen and the design must be accurate. From here the lengthy rug making process begins, this could take anywhere from 3 months to 2 years depending on the size and quality of the rug. The final result is not guaranteed to be exactly the same as the submitted design as when the rug is washed the final colouring can have slight variations. That being said a typical rug design but implemented in an alternative way should wield accurate results. In the past we have had window hangings knotted for Cafe Anduluz in Glasgow's city-centre, these were based on the normal Turkmen design but shaped to fit around the windows to great decorative effect.
Buying or Exchanging Rugs
Looking to sell your Persian or Oriental rug? Little-Persia may be willing to buy it from your or offer an alternative rug as a trade-in. We have a massive range of Persian & Oriental rugs in stock (currently around 1,200) so please do not feel insulted if we are not be interested. Although we do consider buying rugs it would have to be at trade prices, it is much more likely that we would offer to exchange or part-exchange it for something in our store.
If you are looking to sell your rug we can agree a price and sell it on our website and in-store by consignment. After we agree a price we put the rug on our website and show it with the other rugs in-store and when it sells you get your money. This may take some time, depending on the value you want from your rug, but you are free to take your rug back at any time (or request us to take it offline if it was only displayed on our website).
If you are unable to bring the rug in to show us please follow the same instructions for the rug valuation process above. When attempting to sell your rug it is even more important to include any pictures of stains and areas of wear or damage.
Business-to-Business & Interior Designers
Little-Persia is always happy to work in partnership with other businesses requiring the highest quality Persian and Oriental rugs at competitive prices whether they be other rug companies or interior designers. We have the logistics and experience to work closely with your business to bring about the best possible result. Whether its for an extended period or a one off project Little-Persia is committed to helping your business at every possible step.
