Art Deco Chinese and East Asian Rugs

Beautiful antique Art Deco hand-knotted wool rug with a blue field. This Chinese rug has a tan frame in a gorgeous all-over Chinese floral design. This rug measures: 9'1" x 11'5"...

An antique Chinese Ningxia square throw rug handmade during the early 20th century. Measures: 2' 3" x 2' 4" 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...

1920s Chinese Art Deco Carpet ( 8' 11'' x 11' 7" - 272 x 353 cm )

77615 distressed antique Chinese Art Deco oval rug 03'00 x 04'09. This hand-knotted wool distressed antique Chinese Art Deco style rug features a bea...

1930s Chinese Art Deco Rug ( 4' x 6'8" - 122 x 204 )

Antique Handmade Art Deco Chinese rug 6'11" x 8'8" Oval, Indulge in timeless elegance with our exquisite antique Art Deco Chinese carpet. A mesmerizing navy blue backdrop gracefully ...

Spectacular palace size Art Deco rug, circa 1920/1930's. The rug features a tan, or mustard, center field bordered in blue , then mustard again, it has a restrained floral motif thr...

Beautiful antique Art Deco Chinese hand-knotted wool rug with a green field. This Chinese rug has a purple and black wide frame and multi-color accent colors in a gorgeous all-over C...

1920s Chinese Art Deco Carpet ( 9' x 11' 6'' - 275 x 350 cm )

77426 antique Tibetan wool tea cozy with dragon design, late 19th century tea cosy. With its exotic dragon pictorial design and vibrant colors, this hand knotted wool antique Tibetan Tea...

1920s Chinese Art Deco Carpet ( 10' x 15 - 305 x 458 cm )

1920s Chinese Oval Art Deco Carpet ( 6'2'' x 7'9'' - 188 x 236 )

1920s Chinese Art Deco Carpet on Black Background with Dargons & Flaming Pearls ( 7'10" x 9'8" - 238 x 295 cm )

1920s Chinese Art Deco Carpet ( 10' x 17' 6'' - 305 x 535 cm )

A wonderful Chinese Art Deco runner with a gray field with five multi-colored cherry blossom medallions surrounded by an indigo border with mor...

Beautiful antique Art Deco hand-knotted wool rug with the goldenrod field. This Chinese rug has a burgundy frame with multi-color accents in a gorgeous all-over traditional Chinese f...

1920s Chinese Art Deco Carpet ( 8'9" x 11'6" - 267 x 350 cm )

Beautiful antique Art Deco hand-knotted wool rug with the gray field. This Chinese rug has a burgundy and goldenrod frame with multi-color accents in a gorgeous all-over traditional ...

Beautiful antique Chinese Art Deco rug, hand knotted wool with a red field, and multi-color accents in an all-over Classic Chinese floral design, circa 1920. This rug measures 9'...

Antique Chinese Art Deco rug with a floral design, size: 9'0" x 11'6".

Antique Art Deco Chinese rug, 4'10" x 7'9", c-1920, tree of knowledge. Handwoven with natural dyed of soft wool pile, in cream border and purple background color and traditional and ...

1930s Chinese Art Deco Carpet ( 3' x 5' - 92 x 153 cm )

Antique handmade Peking/ Art Deco Chinese carpet, c-1910's 9' x 11'4", Blue background color and floral design and Chinese motive patterns. This rug is in excellent condition and it ...

1920s Chinese Art Deco Carpet by Nichols ( 7' 10'' x 9' 2'' - 238 x 279 cm )

1920s Chinese Art Deco Carpet ( 8' 10'' x 11' 7'' - 270 x 353 cm )

1920s Chinese Art Deco Carpet ( 2' x 4'8'' - 92 x 142 cm )

This very rare antique rug is hand woven in china circa 1920. With indigo blue field and a taupe border, decorated with red/maroon plum blossom and in one corner with an emperor pala...

78243 Antique Chinese Art Deco Rug, 11'10 X 14'00. This hand knotted wool antique Chinese Art Deco rug features a color-blocked field and border scheme festooned with glorious sprays...

This is a semi-antique hand-knotted silk Chinese rug with an Art Deco design woven circa 1970 - 2000 and measures 241 x 167 CM in size. Its field is made with a combination of geomet...

1930s Chinese Art Deco Carpet ( 11'9" x21'6" 358cm x 655cm )

Antique Art Deco Chinese rug, 2'6" x 4'8", c-1920, curious Bird. Handwoven with natural dyed of soft wool pile, in gold and purple background color and traditional and unique floral ...

Beautiful antique Peking Chinese hand-knotted wool rug with a navy blue field. This Chinese rug has a tan frame with multi-color accents in a gorgeous all-over Chinese floral design....

Beautiful antique Art Deco hand-knotted wool rug with a red field. This piece has a green frame with multi-color accents in a gorgeous traditional Chinese floral design. This rug...

A wonderful early 20th century Chinese Art Deco rug with a muted cranberry field surrounded by a wide indigo border, and all overlaid with multi-colored peonies and lotus flowers, wi...

Beautiful antique Art Deco hand-knotted wool rug with a tan field. This Chinese rug has a yellow and blue frame with green accents in a gorgeous traditional Chinese floral design. ...

1920s Chinese Art Deco Carpet ( 8' x 9' 8'' - 245 x 295 cm )

1920s Chinese Art Deco Carpet ( 9' x 11' 8'' - 275 x 355 cm ) With green background . Floral design with plain small purple border,

Beautiful Modern Art Deco hand-knotted wool rug with a brown field. This Chinese-style rug has a wide black frame and multicolor accent colors with a gorgeous all-over Chinese floral...

1920s Chinese Art Deco Carpet ( 10' 1'' x 13' 4'' - 305 x 405 )

1920s Chinese Art Deco Carpet ( 9' x 11' 6" - 275 x 350 )

1920s Chinese Art Deco Carpet ( 8' 10'' x 11' 2'' - 270 x 340 cm )

Antique Handmade Art Deco Chinese dragon Carpet, c-1910's, 8'11" x 11'5". Woven with natural dyed soft wool pile, in purple and gold bac...

1920s Chinese Art Deco Carpet ( 8' x 9'9" - 245 x 297 cm )

1920s Chinese Art Deco Carpet ( 8'10" x 11'6" - 270 x 350 )

Rare Vintage European Art Nouveau Rug Bold Art Deco rug black handmade Kelim 8x10 7'9" X 9'10" 8x10 236cm x 300cm "Very cool vintage A...

1920s Chinese Art Deco Carpet ( 10' x 17'2" - 305 x 523 )

Beautiful antique Art Deco hand-knotted wool rug with a navy blue field. This piece has a red frame with multi-color accents in a gorgeous traditional Chinese floral design. This...

1920s Chinese Art Deco Rug ( 2' x 3'8'' - 62 x 112 )

1920s Chinese Art Deco Carpet ( 8' x 9'8" - 244 x 295 )

1920s Chinese Art Deco Carpet ( 9'3'' x 11'8'' - 282 x 282 x 355 )

1920s Chinese Art Deco Carpet ( 2' x 3' 10'' - 60 x 115 cm )

1920s Chinese Art Deco Carpet ( 7' 10" x 9' 6" - 238 x 290 cm )

Antique Art Deco Chinese Carpet, Dragon and paradise. Open green field with dragon and floral design, absolutely in perfect condition and very fine wool with nice high pile. This ...

A contemporary Tibetan Art Deco style small room size carpet handmade during the 21st century. Measures: 7' 0" x 10' 11"

This beautiful Chinese carpet from the Art Deco period is distinguished by its elegance and unusual style. The wool is shiny and silky, spun with greater thickness than normal Chines...

77454 Antique Chinese Art Deco Rug Inspired by Walter Nichols with Jazz Age Style 08'08 x 11'06. This hand knotted wool antique Chinese Art Deco rug features a color-blocked field an...

1920s Chinese Art Deco Carpet Navy background with blue border. ( 10' x 14'6'' - 305 x 442 )

Antique Chinese Art Deco scatter rug, circa 1920, a hand knotted wool carpet featuring cobalt and sky blue floral sprigs on a dark salmon ground. In excellent condition. Measures:...