Most Expensive Rugs Sold

Value in Handmade, Traditional Distinction

Well made carpets or rugs contribute huge amounts of beauty to the decor of any abode or business. With their patterns, colors, and designs, rugs add to the aesthetic of any surrounding furniture, and completes a space really well without being overwhelming. They add a sense of vitality and life to homes – and their placement inside living rooms, the traditional center of family life, can really contribute to the emotional and performative dynamic of homes.

It would be totally logical to assume that these rare rugs cost more than the Home Depot machine manufactured alternative. Oriental and Persian rugs are inherently valuable and pricey do to their intricate craftsmanship and limited availability. It’s no surprise that these rugs often sell for lofty price points comparable to rare artworks or sculptures – that’s because these rugs demonstrate the attention to detail that goes into any special work of art.

Most Expensive Rugs Sold at Auction

Recently, there’s been quite a few records broken by rugs sold at auctions. In June 2008, a Isfahan Silk rug sold at an auction at Christie’s for 4 and a half million dollars. In 2008, a masterpiece rug made of over a million seed pearls, and embroidered with diamonds emeralds, sapphires, and rubies sold for 5.5 million dollars at a Sotheby’s auction in Qatar.

In April 2010, a Kerman Carpet with vase inspired patterns was sold for 9.6 million dollars.  While these sales are immense in their  monetary value, they don’t come close to the recent selling price of the Clark Sickle-Leaf carpet. This ornate and beautiful rug recently sold at Sotheby’s New York for 33.8 million dollars to an anonymous bidder. After additional taxes, commissions, and charges, the total price for the rug was a massive 43.8 million dollars.26