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54
June15
ABI BAGHERI from
The Orientalist
in
Orchard describes two types of would-
be collectors: those who go for already
collectible items such as antiques,
mainly Persian; and those who want to
buy carpets they’ll enjoy during their
own lifetime and that will then become
collectors’ items in time. “That’s a long
shot, though,” he points out.
Changes in the market over the past
10 or 20 years have seen a move to
modern carpets, he explains. “Most
people don’t care about the knots or
the density, only that the carpet be in
the colour they want and as simple in
design as possible.” As a result, many
traditional weavers have gone for the
easier workmanship and the quicker
turnaround.
That’s not the case in Iran, says Abi,
where the traditional ways continue;
but there has been a huge reduction in
production. “These are people who have
thousands of years of involvement and
a passion for what they do; regardless
of what happens in the outside market,
they carry on.” The upside of this is that
the real carpet artists, the ones for whom
the industry is a passion, are the ones
who stay in the business – and they are
the ones who produce the best quality.
“Although I see less in Iran nowadays,”
says Abi, “the quality is outstanding. And
with lower production and higher quality,
prices have shot up. What’s being made
now will, I believe, substantially increase
in value in as little as 30 to 40 years and
become rare collector’s items.”
CHOOSE A PERSIAN
According to Peter Hedger, an
investment carpet should not be modern
or commercially made. “Choose a
Persian, or even a tribal carpet from a
remote area,” he advises.
As a dealer and investor, he’s
keeping a keen watch on both currency
exchange rates and politics, particularly
the possibility of the US lifting its trade
embargo on Iran as early as this month,
HOW DO I CHOOSE A
CARPET FOR
INVESTMENT?
June. As Americans have always loved
carpets, he says, demand is likely
to soar. By early next year, 2016, he
expects prices to rise.
“Be clear about your reason for buying
a carpet,” he says. “Is it to enjoy its
beauty and revel in the feeling of its pile
underfoot, or is it totally as an investment
with the hope of a high return? For pure
investment, it must be a Persian.”
Finally, when you’re contemplating
spending thousands on a carpet you
need to be confident that you’re getting
what you’re paying for. Check out the
dealer, what kind of warranty they give,
how accurate their information is and
what kind of redress you’ll have in the
case of a dispute.
Here in Singapore, luckily, you’re pretty
safe buying from a dealer who belongs
to the Handknotted Carpet Association,
which imposes strict guidelines to ensure
fair, honest and transparent dealing.
Both Hedger’s Carpet Gallery and The
Orientalist are members, as are a good
number of others.