Your link takes me to the sign-in page. Can you re-attach your rug. Would love to se!

Hm. Let me try again. Sorry these are sized so large, but they're screen shots.

This is the Certificate of Authenticity:

Rug Details:

And a close-up of the rug itself:

I don't know what you paid for it but I'll share some of my non-expert thoughts.

As it had a rating of very good, it will have flaws. Now, that's not a problem, in my book, as I'd rather have an older Persian than a new hand-tufted rug. The KSPI is acceptable, not magnificent, but fine. Most importantly, it has a very beautiful pattern.

I assume you checked the seller's feedback. My biggest concern would be how clean the rug is. It's quite expensive to have a large rug cleaned.

Duh, have to start previewing messages.

I meant to type KPSI.

Parma, thanks for your thoughts. Please tell me what KSPI stands for and what is considered a magnificent KSPI? I think my husband and I were feeling the same way about the rugs age. Older rugs have a certain, uh, patina? Probably not quite the right word, but I think you get what I mean.

I paid $426.66 for the rug. Considering the price of a brand new, large rug at Target ($299.99!) I thought the price was really, really sweet. And I do admit to having to blow dry my keyboard after drooling over it for those short twenty minutes before I took the plunge and made a bid. Bids were only at $356 before I got in.

Feedback for the seller was excellent, they have a Web presence, and the shipping is free. Ebay buyer protection is on and I have 7 days to return the product, though I'd have to pay shipping. If it came to that though, I'd probably just sell it on Craigslist.

I am curious too about the price. It sounds like you did very well and got a wool rug in colors and pattern that you really love. What's not good about that?

I think you're going to be pleasantly surprised. I've purchased Persian rugs on Ebay and love all of them. KPSI means knots per square inch. The tighter the weave the longer the wear. Let us know how you love it.

KPSI is Knots per Square Inch, and it is a major indicator of a rug's quality. The greater the density, the higher the quality of the hand-made rug.

For example, I have a 100% silk rug I purchased in China that measures only 3 feet x 2 feet. It has 4,800 KPSI and took over 2.5 years to make. The workmanship is extraordinary. Obviously, this rug is a wall hanging...it is not walked on! For point of reference, in China, even with its excellent Yuan-$$$ exchange rate, I paid $3,000 for this beautiful work of art.

I also have 100% wool hand-knotted Orientals scattered throughout my house, ranging in size from 3 x 5 feet to over 15 x 20 feet. I've purchased most of these on site in Pakistan and Kashmir when I lived in that part of the world. The rest I purchased in U.S. stores, and the carpets were made in Iran and Iraq. By contrast, because the wool fiber is much ticker than a silk thread, the KPSI of a wool carpet is lower.

My personal standard for purchasing wool carpets is that the KPSI must be 400 or above....it creates a tighter weave, a better quality rug...assuming quality of wool, quality of color choices and accuracy of weaving. When you turn a 400+ knots per square inch rug over to the backside, you will see what looks like a beautiful petit point, or tapestry. The design is so clear and distinct, as are the colors. When you place the reverse side of a 400+ KPSI next to the reverse side of a lower count carpet, the difference will be very noticeable.

Wow, thanks for the primer on KPSI. Very educational. I'd love to see a pic of your 4800 KPSI. It sounds quite lovely.Mine doesn't come near 400 KPSI, but the price is quite a bit more in my range. :)

Cooper and yaya, I'll be sure and post a picture when it arrives. I'm pretty excited about this now, so *fingers-crossed* that I'm not disappointed. Though I do consider myself pretty laid back on such matters. I really just want a beautiful rug that has colors I love and will last me quite a few years.