Early 20th Century Chinese and East Asian Rugs

An antique Mongolian room size carpet handmade during the early 20th century with a contemporary Art Deco style geometric pattern in neutral colors. Measures: 9' 2" x 11' 1" The craft of the hand-knotted carpet in China, and the surrounding areas including Mongolia and Tibet, extends into the early centuries of the first millennium, C.E., but we really have a firm grasp only beginning in the later 16th century with large, very coarsely woven carpets, often depicting dragons, created for the Imperial Forbidden City palaces. Chinese carpets have always been commercial and there are no tribal groups responsible for any of the carpet weaving strains. When the Ming Dynasty fell in 1644, with no Imperial patrons, production moved to the city of Ningxia in north central China where several workshops turned out more finely woven pieces for the Mandarins of the administrative Ch’ing bureaucracy and well-to-do merchants. Ningxia was the major Chinese carpet center up through most of the 19th century, with first allover and then medallion designs on cotton foundations in medium weaves. Palettes were initially limited to yellows, dark blue and cream, but later widened to include reds, browns and even green. These antiques were the first Chinese carpets to be exported to the West and they fitted in well with the craze for Chinese blue-and-white porcelain in the second half of the 19th century. Ningxia also wove shaped and rectangular small rugs for saddle underlays, chair (“throne”) seats and shaped backs, pillar carpets with dragons or monks for Buddhist monasteries, and long divided runners for monastery meditation halls. These small rugs are among the most collectible of all Chinese weavings. Weavers from Ningxia set up workshops in the capital Peking (Beijing) in the 1860’s and began weaving Western room sizes for export, primarily to America. In blue – and – white and polychrome palettes, with round wreath medallions, precious objects, seasonal flowers, paeonies, lotuses, fretwork, clouds, butterflies and bats, all relatively spaciously drawn. The round “Shou” (Good Luck) character is also a prominent decorative motif. There are also a few Peking landscape pictorials with pagodas, houses, bridges, waterscapes and boats. Peking carpets were woven right up until WWII and production began again after the Cultural Revolution around 1970. They are moderately well-woven, on cotton foundations, exactingly executed and indisputably Chinese. Many are in the blue-and-white style. Nothing else looks like a Peking carpet and for a Chinese “look” in a room, they are absolutely indispensable. Sizes range from scatters and a few runners, through the popular 9’12’ size, to large carpets over 20’ which must have been special orders. The earliest Peking Revival carpets are pliable and fairly thin, but they became heavier and more compact in the 20th century, in competition with Art Deco carpets from Tientsin. The modern, post- 1970, pieces are in the traditional Peking style, but are a little too regular and neat. Exactitude has been favored over character, as hard to explain that as it is. There are a number of all-silk and silk-and –metal thread pieces, many with inscriptions purporting to link them with rooms in the Imperial palaces, bringing very substantial auction prices, but none are really antique. The genre emerged after WWI and the present demand comes from mainland Chinese. The silk piles often stand in pattern relief against flat woven gold metal thread grounds. The inscriptions are apocryphal, the rugs are flashily opulent, perfect for nouveaux riches. The Art Deco period between the two World Wars saw a distinctive carpet industry developing in Tientsin (Tianjin) in northeastern China. These are highly prized for their transitional design character, neither overtly Chinese, nor abstractly modern/contemporary. Woven exclusively for export, usually by and for American firms, such as Nichols and Elbrook, they are totally in the “Jazz Age Modern” style of the 1920’s, often without borders, with abstract or abstracted patterns, and only with, at best, a few Chinese-y pattern elements. Vases asymmetrically placed in the corners are features of some of the more Chinese-y carpets. Open fields with floral sprays and branches growing in from the edges are anther design innovation. Often, Chinese motives have been re-imagined in more sharp-edged, abstract manners. Some have no references whatsoever to natural elements. The patterns are sharp and the rugs are never subdued, soft or restrained. The rugs are heavily constructed, with crisp, unfading dyes and medium to medium coarse weaves on cotton foundations. All are extremely well-executed, with none of the vagaries, variations or twists found on even high-quality Persian rugs. The majority are in the 9’ by 12’ format and a surprising number can be found in top condition. There also was a substantial production in Peking from, especially from the Fette factory. Elliptical and round carpets, and lighter, often pastel colors, were a specialty. Nothing looks like an Art Deco Chinese and they work well with traditional Chinese furniture and the most modern decor as well. These is no substitute for a good Chinese Art Deco carpet. Chinese carpets also include small scatters from Tibet, with high quality wool, floating dragons and allover textile patterns. The colors of vintage and modern pieces are bright, but there are antique small rugs (sleeping rugs) with simple chessboard allovers. Only a few large antique Tibetan carpets...

1920s Chinese Art Deco Carpet 8' 9" x 11' 4"

Decorative Chinese Art Deco hand knotted wool rug, in the style of Nichols. The rug features a green ground with decorative foliate, intertwined with an unexpected lavender bamboo bo...

Handmade Antique Peking/ Art Deco pictorial Chinese Rug, 1'5" x 1'5" , c-1920's, in Ivory color background with pictorial traditional design of Chinese village. The rugs are in excel...

Antique Chinese Art Deco Rug, attributed to Walter Nichols. This hand-knotted, wool, room-sized rug features a color-blocked field and border in Mustard, Plum and Lavender. Detailed ...

Hand-knotted in wool circa 1920-1930, this 9x11 antique 9x11 Indochinese Art Deco rug is a rare and exciting curation from the Rug & Kilim collection. On the Design: This is an ex...

A beautiful early 20th century Chinese Art Deco rug with an all-over celadon green field overlaid with multi-colored peonies, chrysanthemum, lotus, and cherry blossoms, all auspiciou...

Early 20th Century Samarkand Dragon Carpet Size: 11'3" x 12'0" (342 x 365 cm) For ages Chinese rugs were made solely for the internal consumption and the access to those weaving wond...

PRESENTING a BEAUTIFUL and RARE Medium sized Helen Fette Rectangular Oriental Rug from the Art Deco Era. Beautifully detailed and HIGH QUALITY wool weave. Circa 1925. Rectangular ...

A Chinese Rug circa 1920. Hand Knotted, made of 100% wool yarn.

An authentic early-20th-century Chinese rug with a spacious open field floral design with an eclipsed medaion on a tan ground. Measures: 8' x 9'8''.

This is an antique Chinese Art Deco rug! It's hand-knotted with wool and features a bold red field and striking multicolor hues. The rug is adorned with a classic Chinese floral desi...

Antique Chinese Art Deco rug. Hand-knotted wool. Bold red background with Chinese floral design in multicolor hues. This rug measures 9'8" x 13'3".  

Early 20th century Chinese yellow handmade silk rug by Doris Leslie Blau Size: 6'2" × 9'0" (187 × 274 cm) Chinese Art Deco rugs are well known thanks to their dazzling designs, but a...

This antique Chinese Art Deco rug is hand-knotted with wool and features a burgundy red field with a navy blue multicolor floral design. The classic Chinese floral pattern is elegant...

"Chinese Silk Rug, Beijing, Qing Dynasty, Circa 1930" Even after the fall of the Celestial Empire, carpets were woven according to very precise rules, as in this quality product, wh...

A wonderful early 20th century Chinese Art Deco rug with a central peony and chrysanthemum medallion woven in cream, ivory, and dark indigo set against a lighter indigo field of more...

PRESENTING a BEAUTIFUL and RARE small sized Oriental Floor Rug by Helen Fette, from the Art Deco Era. Beautifully detailed and HIGH QUALITY wool weave. Lovely patina consistent wit...

Vintage Chinese Baotou Prayer Rug S2601

The old gold field shows a round, composite floral medallion, closely supported by vases, cloud bands, and bonsai trees, within triangular dragon fret and flower corners. Straw main...

PRESENTING a BEAUTIFUL and RARE small sized Oriental Floor Rug by Helen Fette (2), from the Art Deco Era. Beautifully detailed and HIGH QUALITY wool weave. Lovely patina consistent...

PRESENTING a BEAUTIFUL and RARE medium sized Helen Fette Oriental Rug from the Art Deco Era. Beautifully detailed and HIGH QUALITY wool weave. Lovely patina consistent with age. H...

This traditional hand-woven Samarkand Khotan rug has a rust field with a profusion of auspicious symbols and pomegranate motif enclosing a triple column of roundel medallions, in a p...

This traditional hand-woven Samarkand Khotan rug has a sandy beige field with sparse muted floral motif enclosing a central row of grand roundel medallions, in refined Chinese geomet...

A specific cluster of northern Indian rugs are inspired by antique Chinese weavings, and are often referred to as Indochine. Here wee see a very subtle palette on an ivory background...

Rare Walter Nichols Antique Art Deco 1920 Rug Chinese Art Nouveau 6x9 183x 269cm 1960 5'10" x 8'10" (6' x 9') 178cm x 122cm "This is a very beautiful antique geometric Ar...

A bright and cheery antique Tibetan rug, handwoven circa 1920 with a three medallion design on a tomato red field. Lovely wool quality and rather funky secondary colours! Size: 1.70m...

1920s Chinese Art Deco Carpet ( 9'' x 11'8'' - 275 x 355 )

Early 20th Century Chinese Peking Carpet ( 8'4" x 9'10" - 255 x 300 )

Early 20th century Chinese beige and blue handmade wool rug Size: 8'4" × 10'10" (254 × 330 cm) Chinese Deco rugs originated in the first half of the 20th century to cater to the need...

Early 20th Century Chinese Silk Dragon Carpet 6' 3"x 9' 3"

1920s Chinese Art Deco Carpet 11'x 17'

Earrly 20th Century Chinese Peking Carpet

Late 19th Century Chinese Peking Carpet ( 9'2" x 11'5" - 280 x 350 cm )

Early 20th Century Chinese Yulin Runner Carpet ( 3'9" x 8'9" - 114 x 267 )

Antique Handmade Art Deco Chinese carpet, c-1920's,3' x 4'10". Woven with natural dyed soft wool pile, in green and rust/brown background color and traditional floral design, this ca...

:: Pictorial landscape design motif with a hut, fence, mountainous region, blossomed trees, in an oval shaped format. Colors and shades include: Dusty blush, faded cochineal red, dar...

The ecru field show a round rock and phoenix motif with spaciously set branches, sprays and butterflies, within colourful openwork floral corners. Main dark blue and inner medium bl...

Early 20th Century Chinese Peking Carpet ( 6' x 8'9" - 183 x 267 )

1920s Chinese Art Deco Carpet ( 9' x 11'8" - 275 x 355 )

Early 20th Century Chinese Peking Carpet ( 9'2" x 11'10" - 279 x 361 )

Early 20th Century Chinese Silk & Metallic Threads Carpet with Inscription " For Use In The Royal Aurora Hall " 4'3" x 6'3" - 130 x 191

78762 Antique Blue Chinese Peking Rug, 04'00 x 05'09. Chinese Peking rugs, originating from Beijing (formerly known as Peking), China, are renowned for their intricate designs, vibra...

Early 20th Century Chinese Peking Carpet ( 6' x 9' - 183 x 275 )

Rare Antique Art Deco Rug Antique Chinese Rug Art Nouveau Rare Handmade 9' x 11'6" 275cm x 351cm Circa 1920 "This is a magnificent unique antique Art Deco rug. It has a fine qu...

Hand-knotted in wool, this antique 9x11 art deco rug originates from China circa 1920-1930. On the Design In this particular rug, deep blue tones underscore a play of floral patter...

Antique Nichols Peking Chinese Oriental Wool Rug with Flowers C1930 Measures- 92.5''L x 54.5''W x 1''D

Early 20th century colorful antique Khotan gallery rug. The field is a bone color, denim blue, rust accents are dominant. Measures: 5'8" x 12'11".

This antique, circa 1900, Khotan rug has a mole-brown field with an overall dense terracotta-red pomegranate vine forming three columns issuing angular floral vine stems, in a narrow...

Early 20th Century Chinese Tibetan Saddle Cover ( 2'3" x 4' - 69 x 122 )

A beautiful early 20th century Chinese Art Deco rug with a gray field surrounded by a wide royal blue border. Overlaid across the entire rug are two vases potted with auspicious flow...

A fantastic early 20th century Chinese Art Deco rug with a brilliant orange sherbet field surrounded by a thin violet liner strip and a wide indigo outer stripe, and all overlaid wit...

Antique Chinese Silk Rug, Size: 4' 0'' x 6' 0''

Early 20th Century Chinese Peking Dragon Carpet ( 5' x 6'10" - 152 x 208 )

Early 20th Century Chinese Peking Dragon Carpet 12'8" x 16'4" - 386 x 498

A border-less soft gold ground of this Tianjin 1930s carpet has a blue fretwork in the upper right corner and a facing four claw dragon in the lower left. This almost Minimalist comp...

Early 20th Century Chinese Peking Dragon Carpet 4'2'' x 6'9'' - 127 x 206

Late 19th Century Silk Chinese Embroidery ( 2'9" x 2'11" - 85 x 90 )