A real human rug would have gone through a tanning process. To achieve a more realistic effect, the skin should have been colored a deep amber in uneven layers resembling the marbled look of parchment. The hair might turn bright red from certain chemicals used in the process. There would also be some shrinkage and mummifying of facial features. Glass eyes would be put in.
Was it art when human beings were actually turned into lampshades and bars of soap?
Might Ed Gein's handiwork instead be found in a gallery today had he been given a more acceptable medium to work in?