Skip to main content

Märta Måås-Fjetterström Rugs and Carpets

Swedish, 1873-1941

Märta Måås-Fjetterström was the leading figure in Swedish textile design in the early 20th century. Through her rug-weaving studio, MMF AB, Måås-Fjetterström introduced a modern and cosmopolitan spirit to the tradition-bound craft, creating some of the era’s most sublime rugs and carpets — works that are elegant yet have a handmade warmth and honesty.

Måås-Fjetterström was the daughter of a small-town minister, and her creative bent led her to study drawing at the School of Industrial Arts in Stockholm between 1890 and 1895. She became an art teacher after graduating and began drafting textile designs in the late 1890s. At the time, Sweden was experiencing many of the same cultural concerns that fueled the English Arts and Crafts movement: fears that industrialization was causing many traditional handicrafts to wither into extinction. The state supported numerous artisan workshops, and Måås-Fjetterström was hired as director of a weaving studio in the southern city of Mälmo in 1905. She was dismissed six years later for insisting that artisans be allowed to create original patterns rather than merely copy old ones.

She traveled widely in search of design inspirations, and in 1919 — thanks in large part to the patronage of Ludvig Nobel, grand-nephew of Alfred Nobel, who commissioned her to make all the rugs for a new country manor hotel — Måås-Fjetterström opened her own workshop. There she trained many of Sweden’s best modern weavers, including Barbo Nilsson and Marianne Richter (the latter, a widely celebrated mid-century modernist designer, became a leader at Måås-Fjetterström's atelier after its founder's death in 1941).

A major exhibition in Stockholm in 1934 brought public acclaim, a reputation secured worldwide by exhibitions at the British Museum in 1936 and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in 1939. Måås-Fjetterström’s company, MMF AB, is still in operation, and most of her roughly 700 designs are available for fabrication.

A broad range of influences can be seen in Måås-Fjetterström’s designs, among them Art Nouveau and classic Near Eastern and Asian styles. Her rug patterns fall roughly into two groups: The first includes stylized floral and other naturalistic motifs as well as modernized folkloric themes. The second comprises those employing geometric “tiles” in a formal composition based on that of Persian rugs, with an intricate border surrounding a central medallion.

Måås-Fjetterström generally used a subtle color palette: Soft pastels predominate, punctuated by the odd vibrant note. Her rugs are remarkable for their flexibility of use in decor schemes. They are a perfect complement to simple modern furniture in both blond and darker finishes; at the same time, the rugs can act as a perfect calming foil to more ornate historical styles. Måås-Fjetterström's creations, particularly signed vintage pieces, are highly collectible. Her designs are found in the world's leading museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm.

Find a collection of vintage Märta Måås-Fjetterström rugs and carpets on 1stDibs.

73
1
to
2
57
17
74
74
74
32
16
4
2
1
73
1
9
57
5
3
6
8
3
2
1
Width
to
Length
to
68
67
10
1
1
74
74
72
22
5,250
4,017
1,428
1,215
Creator: Märta Måås-Fjetterström
Mid-Century Marta Maas-Fjetterström AB Swedish Rug Signed by Barbro Nilsson
By Märta Måås-Fjetterström, Barbro Lundberg Nilsson
Located in West Hollywood, CA
This vintage hand-woven Swedish deco rug has a shaded aquamarine field with overall design of overlapping diagonal and curved delicate stripes, enclosed by central complementary poly...
Category

1930s Swedish Art Deco Vintage Märta Måås-Fjetterström Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Mid 20th Century Marta Maas-Fjetterström AB Swedish Rug Signed by Barbro Nilsson
By Märta Måås-Fjetterström, Barbro Lundberg Nilsson
Located in West Hollywood, CA
This vintage hand-woven Swedish rug has a tonal overall field of camel, beige, sage and gray interwoven serrated geometric motif, overlaid by polychrome scattered tribal lozenges row...
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Art Deco Märta Måås-Fjetterström Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Mid-20th Century Swedish Pile Carpet by AB Märta Måås-Fjetterström
By Märta Måås-Fjetterström
Located in New York, NY
"Il Greco." Sweden ca. 1941 Initialed: AB MMF (AB Märta Måås-Fjetterström). 10'11" x 7'11" (333 x 241 cm)
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Märta Måås-Fjetterström Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Mid-20th Century Swedish Flat-Weave Carpet
By Barbro Lundberg Nilsson, Märta Måås-Fjetterström
Located in New York, NY
Initialed:AB MMF BN
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Märta Måås-Fjetterström Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Swedish Flat-Weave Carpet by Barbro Nilsson, 1964
By Barbro Lundberg Nilsson, Märta Måås-Fjetterström
Located in New York, NY
"Paula, Gul." Swedish Flat-Weave Carpet Sweden, ca. 1964 Initialed: AB MMF, BN (AB Märta Måås-Fjetterström, Barbro Nilsson)
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Märta Måås-Fjetterström Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Mid-20th Century Swedish Pile Carpet by Märta Måås-Fjetterström
By Märta Måås-Fjetterström
Located in New York, NY
Mid-20th century Swedish pile carpet. Sweden ca. 1940 handwoven Initialed: MMF (Märta Måås-Fjetterström).
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Märta Måås-Fjetterström Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Mid 20th Century Swedish Pile Carpet by AB Märta Måås-Fjetterström
By Märta Måås-Fjetterström
Located in New York, NY
Mid 20th century Swedish pile carpet Sweden ca. 1940 Signed "AB MMF" (AB Märta Måås-Fjetterström) Handwoven 8'8" x 5'4" (264 x 163 cm)
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Märta Måås-Fjetterström Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Mid-20th Century Märta Måås-Fjetterström Swedish Deco Rug by Barbro Nilsson
By Märta Måås-Fjetterström, Barbro Lundberg Nilsson
Located in West Hollywood, CA
This vintage handwoven Swedish Deco rug, titled Tigerfällen, has a raspberry red field with broad tribal X-motif pattern formed by varying bold to dotted stripes, in a thin raspberry...
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Märta Måås-Fjetterström Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Mid-20th Century Swedish Flat Weave Carpet
By Märta Måås-Fjetterström
Located in New York, NY
Initialed: MMF (Märta Måås-Fjetterström)
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Märta Måås-Fjetterström Rugs and Carpets

Mid-20th Century Swedish Flat Weave Carpet
By Märta Måås-Fjetterström
Located in New York, NY
Initialed: MMF (Märta Måås-Fjetterström)
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Märta Måås-Fjetterström Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Early 20th Century Marta Maas-Fjetterström AB Swedish Deco Rug by Barbro Nilsson
By Barbro Lundberg Nilsson, Märta Måås-Fjetterström
Located in West Hollywood, CA
This vintage hand-woven Swedish deco rug has a playful pastel field with overall design of overlapping diagonal and curved delicate stripes, enclosed by central polychrome striped co...
Category

Early 20th Century Swedish Art Deco Märta Måås-Fjetterström Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Late 20th Century Swedish Flat-Weave Carpet
By Barbro Lundberg Nilsson, Märta Måås-Fjetterström
Located in New York, NY
"Ostia Grön" Initialed: AB MMF, BN (AB Märta Måås-Fjetterström, Barbro Nilsson).
Category

Late 20th Century Swedish Märta Måås-Fjetterström Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

20th Century Swedish Flat-Weave Carpet by AB MMF
By Märta Måås-Fjetterström
Located in New York, NY
20th century Swedish flat-weave carpet. Initialed: AB MMF (AB Märta Måås-Fjetterström)
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Märta Måås-Fjetterström Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

MMF Rug 'Bruna Heden' (Brown Heath) Rölakan Flatweave Märta Måås-Fjetterström
By Märta Måås-Fjetterström
Located in London, GB
A spectacular vintage example of Marta Måås-Fjetterström's Bruna Heden (Brown Heath) design. The textile is a rölakan flatweave (same pattern on both sides...
Category

1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Märta Måås-Fjetterström Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Flat-Weave Rug by Marta Maas-Fjetterström
By Märta Måås-Fjetterström
Located in Long Island City, NY
Vintage Swedish flat-weave, "VITA Rutmattan" rug, designed by Marta Maas-Fjetterström (1873-1941). Dimensions: 210 x 138 cm. (84" x 54.3"). Marked AB MMF. Designed in 1933. Woven a...
Category

1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Märta Måås-Fjetterström Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Barbo Nilsson, AB Marta Maas-Fjetterström Carpet "Blaarp" MMF 1962
By Märta Måås-Fjetterström, Barbro Lundberg Nilsson
Located in Houston, TX
"Blaarp" MMF Rolakan, large example, 239" x 84". Sweden, circa 1962 Barbro Nilsson, AB Marta Maas-Fjetterström  BN AB MMF Blue, white Measure: 607 x 213 cm. Handwoven wool in blue...
Category

1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Märta Måås-Fjetterström Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Märta Måås-fjetterström rugs and carpets for sale on 1stDibs.

Märta Måås-Fjetterström rugs and carpets are available for sale on 1stDibs. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Märta Måås-Fjetterström rugs and carpets, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider rugs and carpets by Barbro Lundberg Nilsson, Märta Måås-Fjetterström AB, and Judith Johansson. Prices for Märta Måås-Fjetterström rugs and carpets can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $5,200 and can go as high as $240,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $34,250.

Recently Viewed

View All