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Ingrid Dessau Rugs and Carpets

Swedish, 1923-2000

Renowned for her striking, skillfully crafted rugs and carpets made with harmonious color combinations and rich geometric and minimalist patterns, iconic textile designer Ingrid Dessau played an integral role in introducing traditional Scandinavian rug design to the world during the mid-20th century.

Dessau was born in 1923 in Svalöv, an area of Sweden known for its roots in Skåne handicraft traditions. At age 17, she studied weaving, composition, loom-pattern weaving and tapestry at the prestigious Konstfack (University of Arts, Crafts and Design) in Stockholm. Later, she documented folk textiles in watercolor paintings for an archival project at the Kristianstad County Handicraft Association, followed by an internship under textile pioneer Barbro Lundberg-Nilsson at Märta Måås-Fjetterström’s workshop in Bâstad.

In the late 1940s, Dessau won scholarships to study folk crafts in the United States. After traveling to New York City, she met and married Kaj Dessau, a Danish entrepreneur and director of legendary silverware firm Georg Jensen

While living in New York, the city’s atmosphere and skylines greatly inspired Dessau’s rug designs. Her best known work, a handmade wall hanging called Manhattan, depicts New York City at night, with rows of woven skyscrapers. The mid-century modern tapestry was included in an exhibition titled “Scandinavian Design and USA — People, Encounters and Ideas, 1890-1980” held at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Milwaukee Art Museum, Nationalmuseum in Stockholm and Nasjonalmuseet in Oslo, Norway.

Throughout the 1960s, Dessau produced an impressive collection of Swedish flat-weave rugs such as her reversible, Scandinavian modern Sylarna rug and a range of double-sided carpets featuring intricate patterns and tonal colors. She also designed several Western European and Indian-style rugs and area carpets for manufacturers including Malmöhus Läns Hemslöjd, Doris Leslie Blau and Kinnasand, where she worked as a designer.

Over the course of her career, Dessau received numerous commissions from embassies, banks and museums throughout Europe and North America. Today, her rugs, carpets and tapestries are highly sought by interior designers and collectors of 20th-century Scandinavian textiles.

On 1stDibs, find a range of vintage Ingrid Dessau rugs and carpets.

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Creator: Ingrid Dessau
Vintage Swedish Flat Woven Rug by Ingrid Dessau
By Ingrid Dessau
Located in New York, NY
Vintage Swedish Flat Woven Rug by Ingrid Dessau Size: 7'0" × 10'10" (213 × 330 cm) A mid-20th century vintage Swedish flat woven wool rug by Ingrid Dessau. It is in excellent origina...
Category

Mid-20th Century Scandinavian Mid-Century Modern Ingrid Dessau Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Vintage Scandinavian Modern Double Sided Swedish Rug by Ingrid Dessau, 1960s
By Ingrid Dessau
Located in Bochum, NRW
Mid-Century Swedish flat-weave rug designed by Ingrid Dessau. Double weaved - this reversible carpet can be used on both sides. Geometric design in shades of marled gray yarns, musta...
Category

1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ingrid Dessau Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Ingrid Dessau 20th Century swedish flat weave.
By Ingrid Dessau
Located in Hammarö, SE
MAde in Kristianstads Läns Hemslöjd, stylized decor in blue, gray and violet.
Category

20th Century Ingrid Dessau Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Linen

Ingrid Dessau "Sylarna" Flat-Weave Rug, Reversible, Sweden, 1960's
By Ingrid Dessau
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Ingrid Dessau "Sylarna" flat-weave rug - Reversible - Sweden 1960's 91.3" x 62".    
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Ingrid Dessau Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Ingrid Dessau Flat Weave Swedish Rug for Malmöhus Läns Hemslöjd 1960's
By Ingrid Dessau
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Ingrid Dessau Flat Weave Swedish rug for Malmöhus Läns Hemslöjd 1960's 211 x 204,5 cm, signed MLH ID Four large sun-like ornaments in a variety of red, pink and orange nuances. An ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Ingrid Dessau Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Linen

Sweden Wool Carpet by Ingrid Dessau for kinnasand Carpet, 1990
By Ingrid Dessau
Located in Byron Bay, NSW
Incredibly rare wool rug by the prestigious Ingrid Dessau for Kinnasand exclusively made in India. like new, never been used.
Category

1990s Swedish Modern Ingrid Dessau Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Midcentury Ingrid Dessau Swedish Striped Rug
By Ingrid Dessau
Located in New York, NY
Mid-20th Century Ingrid Dessau Swedish Striped Handmade Rug Size: 5'2" × 8'10" (157 × 269 cm). This uncomplicated yet ingenious creation comes from the hands of an iconic Swedish des...
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Ingrid Dessau Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Nazmiyal Collection Modern Ingrid Dessau Rug for Kinnasand. Size: 9' x 9' 4"
By Ingrid Dessau
Located in New York, NY
Beautiful Square Size Modern Contemporary Ingrid Dessau Rug that Was Designed for Kinnasand, Country of Origin / Rug Type: India, Circa Date: Late 20th Century. Size: 9 ft x 9 ft 4 i...
Category

Late 20th Century Indian Modern Ingrid Dessau Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Mid 20th Century Swedish Flat Weave Rug by Ingrid Dessau
By Ingrid Dessau
Located in New York, NY
Sweden, ca. 1950 Measures: 13'2" x 9'2" (401 x 279 cm) Signed "KLH ID" (Kristianstad Lans Hemslojd, Ingrid Dessau) Handwoven.
Category

1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Ingrid Dessau Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Mid-20th Century Swedish Flat-Weave Carpet
By Ingrid Dessau
Located in New York, NY
Mid-20th century Swedish flat-weave carpet. Initialed 'ID KLH' (Ingrid Dessau, Kristianstad Läns Hemslöjd).
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Ingrid Dessau Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Ingrid Dessau Carpet Produced in Sweden
By Ingrid Dessau
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Rare carpet designed by Ingrid Dessau produced in Sweden.
Category

1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Ingrid Dessau Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Linen

20th Century Swedish Flat-Weave Carpet
By Ingrid Dessau
Located in New York, NY
Swedish flat-weave carpet, initialed ID, KLH (Ingrid Dessau, Kristianstad Lans Hemslojd).
Category

20th Century Swedish Ingrid Dessau Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Vintage Ingrid Dessau Flat-Weave Swedish Carpet
By Ingrid Dessau
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage Ingrid Dessau flat-weave Swedish carpet. Store formerly known as ARTFUL DODGER INC
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Ingrid Dessau Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Vintage Ingrid Dessau Flat-Weave Swedish Carpet
By Ingrid Dessau
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage Ingrid Dessau flat-weave Swedish carpet.
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Ingrid Dessau Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Vintage Ingrid Dessau Flat-Weave Swedish Carpet
By Ingrid Dessau
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage Ingrid Dessau flat-weave Swedish carpet. Comes original tag. Store formerly known as ARTFUL DODGER INC
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Ingrid Dessau Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

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Rug ‘Stensöta’ Designed by Ingrid Dessau for Kristianstad Iäns Hemslöjd, Sweden
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Ingrid Dessau Double Sided Flat-Weave Swedish Rug, Sweden 1960s
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Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Ingrid Dessau Rugs and Carpets

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Ingrid Dessau Carpet Produced in Sweden
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Ingrid Dessau Swedish Flat-Weave Rug for Kasthall, Sweden, 1950s
By Ingrid Dessau
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Ingrid Dessau Swedish flat-weave rug for Kasthall, Sweden, 1950s. Size: 82" x 55" Signed by Ingrid Dessau with initials - ID This is an excellent example of Ingrid Dessau's des...
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Vintage Scandinavian Rug by Ingrid Dessau. Size: 4 ft 7 in x 6 ft 10 in
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Rug, Designed by Ingrid Dessau, Sweden, 1960s
By Ingrid Dessau
Located in Stockholm, SE
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1960s Swedish Modern Vintage Ingrid Dessau Rugs and Carpets

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Vintage Scandinavian Modern Double Sided Swedish Rug by Ingrid Dessau, 1960s
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Ingrid Dessau "Coniferous Forest" Swedish Wool Reversible Flat-Weave Carpet
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1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Ingrid Dessau Rugs and Carpets

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Ingrid Dessau rugs and carpets for sale on 1stDibs.

Ingrid Dessau rugs and carpets are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of fabric and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Ingrid Dessau rugs and carpets, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original rugs and carpets by Ingrid Dessau were created in the Scandinavian Modern style in sweden during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider rugs and carpets by Marianne Richter, Erik Lundberg, and Ulla Parkdal. Prices for Ingrid Dessau rugs and carpets can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $4,400 and can go as high as $85,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $15,650.

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