What the certificate documents

A certificate is a single sheet of letterhead with the following fields filled in, by hand or by typed entry, then signed.

Origin.
The country of weaving. For older pieces this is sometimes specified to the region (Sultanabad, Khorasan, Heriz, Cairo, Konya). For contemporary pieces this is the country and the specific weaving partner.

Weaver region or workshop.
For antique pieces, the regional school of weaving (Sultanabad, Heriz, Kazak, Mamluk-revival, etc.) and any village or tribal attribution we are confident in. For contemporary pieces, the named workshop and the regional cluster (e.g., “Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh, India” or “Hereke, Turkey”).

Date range.
A 10- to 30-year window for antique pieces (e.g., “circa 1890–1910”). A single year of completion for contemporary pieces.

Materials.
The specific fibers in the pile, the warp, and the weft. Wool is identified to grade (hand-spun ghazni wool, hand-spun New Zealand wool, mill-spun Pakistani wool, etc.). Silk content is identified to type (Bombyx, Mulberry, or art silk where applicable). Cotton is identified to source. Natural dyes versus synthetic are noted; if mixed, both are listed.

Knot density.
Knots per square inch (KPSI) as counted on the back of the piece, with a notation of the knotting style — symmetric (Turkish), asymmetric (Persian), or hybrid.

Dimensions.
Length and width in feet/inches, with millimeter conversion. Pile depth measured at the center.

Restoration history.
Any reweaving, fringe replacement, edge binding, or color correction performed since the piece’s original completion. If the piece has been washed, the wash type is noted. Pieces with no restoration history are marked as such, in writing.

Inspection date and signatory.
The date the piece was inspected and certified, and the name of the team member who did the inspection. This is the person you can ask follow-up questions of, by name.

Why we do this

A rug is bought once and lives in a room for 25 to 200 years. The decision to bring a particular piece into a home is also a decision about what story is being preserved. We think the buyer should be able to tell that story accurately, in writing, without our help — to a child, to an appraiser, to an insurance company, to a future owner.

The certificate is also the document an insurance carrier will ask for if a piece needs to be scheduled on a homeowner’s policy. The same is true for a future appraiser. By the time a piece is inherited or sold on, the document is the only thing left that ties it to a verifiable account of where it came from.

We don’t think every rug seller needs to publish their provenance practice. We think we ought to, given the price point and the kind of buyer who finds us.

What the certificate is NOT

It is not a guarantee of investment value. The market for handmade rugs is real but illiquid; we make no representations about appreciation.

It is not a guarantee of dating to a single year. For antique pieces, dating is inferred from construction, dye chemistry, motif vocabulary, and condition — methods that produce a defensible window, not a stamp.

It is not a third-party appraisal. For pieces over $25,000 we recommend an independent appraisal at point of purchase, particularly for insurance scheduling. We will provide our certificate to the appraiser at no charge and respond to any verification request the appraiser makes.

Frequently asked questions

Does every piece come with one?
Yes. Every piece sold by Raihan Rugs, from the smallest accent runner to the largest 14-foot palace carpet, ships with a certificate. There are no exceptions.

Can I see the certificate before I buy?
Yes. Email the team and reference the SKU or product page; we’ll send the unsigned working draft of the certificate by PDF the same day. Signed originals ship with the piece.

What if my piece has restoration?
Restoration is documented in writing on the certificate, with the type and extent. A 19th-century Sultanabad with re-piled corners and a replaced fringe will say so, in detail. This does not lower the value of the piece — restoration is normal in antiques and, when done well, preserves the piece. What lowers value is undisclosed restoration.

What if I lose the certificate?
We keep a complete record of every certificate we have ever issued, indexed by piece. Email the team with your order number and we will reissue. No fee.

Will the certificate be accepted by my insurance company for scheduling?
For most homeowner policies, yes. For pieces over $25,000 most insurers will additionally require an independent appraisal — we can suggest qualified appraisers in your region.

Do you offer a separate appraisal service?
No. We don’t appraise our own pieces. The certificate documents what the piece is; an appraiser sets a market value. The two documents have different purposes and we keep them separate on purpose.

Two sample lines from real certificates

Origin: Iran, Sultanabad region. Date range: circa 1890–1910. Materials: hand-spun wool pile on cotton foundation, natural dyes (madder root, indigo, weld, walnut husk). KPSI: 110, symmetric knot. Restoration: minor re-piling along selvedges, no reweaves of motif. Inspector: Sarah K., March 12, 2026.

Origin: India. Workshop: Studio M., Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh. Date of completion: November 2025. Materials: hand-spun Ghazni wool pile on cotton foundation, vegetable-dyed. KPSI: 140, asymmetric knot. Restoration: none. Inspector: Raihan, December 3, 2025.

If you have a piece you’re considering, ask us for the draft certificate.

It will arrive in your inbox the same day, and it will tell you in writing what the piece is.

Ask about a specific piece