Folk Art North and South American Rugs

A handmade one of a kind American Hooked Rug from the 3rd quarter of the 20th century with an irregular checkerboard pattern Measures: 3' x 5'7''.

A handmade American hooked rug from the mid-20th century depicting a head of a Native American on a brown field. Condition is really nice. No stains, no tears, has been professionall...

Inspired by the historic making technique of colonial American braided rugs, the Pool rug series dramatically updates the silhouette while still paying homage...

A vintage American rag rug handmade during the mid-20th century. Measures: 3' 6" x 5' 8" North American rugs & carpets: North American has never developed a unified handmade rug tradition, but rather it is the unassimilated confluence of several. From Mexico comes the Saltillo serape wearing blanket, and this stimulates the Navajo and Rio Grande (Colorado) weavers, first as blankets, then as rugs. The thrifty habits of rural America gave rise to the New England (and Western Canadian) hooked rug types, while the farmers of the Midwest recycled their disused garments into braided and rag rugs. The closest to a real ongoing tradition are the Southwestern (New Mexican) Navajo rugs. By the 1860s the native tribes were weaving wearing blankets with wool from the Spanish churro sheep. These were in stripe design, with combinations of undyed wool with cochineal reds and indigo blues. The multi-phase “Chief’s Blankets” from the 1870s-80s are a natural outgrowth of these. Machine spun red wool from Germantown in Pennsylvania appeared in the 1870s with a bright red hitherto unobtainable. The weavers loved it and blankets appeared with bright reds, generally aniline, in “eye dazzler” patterns. Anglo traders established posts beginning in the 1890s. Navajo weavings were perfect accompaniments not only for Western-themed decors, but for East Coast apartments, only they needed to be thicker and more rug like to be truly accepted. The traders brought Caucasian and Turkish village rugs to copy, borders were introduced and central medallions devised. The weavers continued to create on vertical looms, with a shared warp (dovetailing) weft structure to avoid slits. The warps were cotton string. Sizes were generally scatters, but occasionally a special order came in, hence antique room size Navajos are very rare and very pricey. Distinct village/pueblo styles developed. Among the best are: Two Grey Hills (considered the tightest, closest of all Navajo weaving), Crystal Springs, and Ganado. Certain new patterns such as the “Storm pattern” with jagged lightning bolts emanating from a dark cloud developed. The Yei rug with dancing Kachina doll figures became popular. The palette has been expanded beyond the classic grey, tan, dark brown, and cream natural wool combination to again include reds, blues, and greens. Navajo pictorials include American flags, trains, and automobiles, domestic and local scenes and scenery. Individual artist weavers now command gallery shows and correspondingly elevated prices. There are several levels of Navajo work, and antique and vintage scatters with simple flat designs, medium weaves, and tritonal palettes, and in good floor worthy condition are still available reasonably. The Native American weaving tradition extends into Colorado with two-piece scatters with sharp sawtooth medallions and striped end borders, with wool tapestry weave on cotton warps. These descend from the Saltillo blankets...

A braided wool rug composed of a simple circle and oval shape bound together. Each shape explores a subtle contrast in braiding technique with the cir...

A vintage American Braided carpet from the second quarter of the 20th century. Although America (British-America) has been producing rugs since the 16th century it was never industrialized at the time. Colonial America had been importing European rugs through England. However, tariffs after the Revolutionary War concluded the importation business. The American rug industry boomed during the third quarter of the 19th century. What started off as a makeshift homemade project by women in the late 16th to early 17th century, braiding scrap clothing and fabrics to provide warmth and a feeling of protection for homes had now become popularized in American fashion, design, and trade. Vintage American Braided rugs...

Rare American Hooked rug with a happy colorful motif. Dated 1963 and initialized IEV. Not sure whose name is in the initials Measure: 30'' round.

A vintage American Braid carpet from the mid-20th century.

A vintage American folk rag rug in accent rug format handmade during the mid-20th century. Measures: 5' 10" x 8' 7".

An early 20th century American hooked round rug Measures: 2'.

A large braided wool rug made using the same fabrication technique as our Pool rug series, but with a form inspired by aerial landscapes and crop circles. ...

American hooked rug from the late 20th century. An array of fruits and on circular medallions. A rooster spotted on one of the medallions. Initials of weaver found on another medallion.