Early 1900s Rugs and Carpets

Antique Chinese Peking rug, size: 8' 0'' x 10' 9''.

Needlepoint rugs were created using the traditional needlework weaving technique that is used to make everyday items from furniture to carpets and artwork. However, it has a fascinat...

Antique Bessarabian Rugs / Kilims in both pile and tapestry weaving technique are some of the more beautiful carpets to have been produced in Europe. Many of the Bessarabian Kilims w...

Needlepoint rugs were created using the traditional needlework weaving technique that is used to make everyday items from furniture to carpets and artwork. However, it has a fascinating history both as a hobby and as an industry. When many people think of carpets, they think of pile carpets or flat weave kilims, but needlepoint has also been used to create beautiful carpets. These carpets are durable and an important part of carpet history. Archaeologists and scholars consider the roots of needlepoint to have been around 1500 BC. They consider the first needlepoint to include the fine diagonal stitches that were used to sew tents together by the ancient Egyptians. The art eventually evolved into tapestry weaving. However, a tapestry weaving differs significantly from needlepoint in that it uses a loom and vertical warp. Tapestry weaving is closer to the weaving of kilims and pile rugs than canvas work. However, some still include tapestry weaving in the category of needlepoint because of the fine work that appeared during the late Renaissance. It can have a similar appearance to the untrained eye. Technically, tapestry weaving and needlepoint are not the same, and they do not use the same technique. The first actual needlepoint rugs and needle-points began to appear in the late Renaissance. Needlepoint is worked by creating stitches on a stiff canvas. The canvas is typically made from jute or linen and is quite durable. Pieces from the Renaissance were used to cover footstools, chairs, pillows, bed headboards, and other furnishings. They were also used as table coverings and wall coverings. You could also find them on many small items such as purses, shoes, and various adornments for clothing. During the Renaissance, the craft reached a high level of skill, and the designs became incredibly detailed and realistic. They mimicked many of the subjects and styles of famous paintings of the time. They created florals, still life designs, scenes, and geometric tiled pieces. Some of them mimicked the designs found in Persian Carpets. Needlepoint reached its peak popularity in the 19th century when it was considered a proper occupation for a lady. Needlepoint and embroidery held a similar place in societal status at the time. During this time, the work became finer, with some of the canvas reaching a high level of detail. The level of detail is determined by counting the number of mesh in an inch. During this time petit point by French needlewomen could have a mesh count as high as 45 mesh. This allowed women to create highly intricate designs with incredible levels of detail. It is possible to find many antique pieces of needlepoint besides rugs. Needlepoint rugs were popular in France and Spain, where the technique was adapted to create highly intricate designs that mimicked the designs in architecture and fashion. They were popular because they were durable, and it could be fashioned into a variety of items. The canvases themselves were durable, and the wool that they used was also strong, which means that many of the pieces were able to withstand daily use. We have many artifacts that have survived from this time period. Needlepoint rugs are important collectibles because they are different from the pile rugs and kilims that are typically found on the market. Needlepoint carpets are special because they take many hours to create, especially larger works. Needlepoint pieces of any type became popular throughout Europe during the 19th century. It is still a popular hobby today, but perhaps one of the most interesting stories is that of the Portuguese needlewomen of Arraiolos. The story of these women and their beautiful carpets begins in 1492. Needlepoint was a popular occupation in Spain, which had a large population of Moors and Jews. They were an integral part of Spanish culture. However, in 1492, Queen Isabella of Spain issued a proclamation that gave these ethnic groups the order to pack their bags and board ships headed...

An antique Daghestan rug, circa 1900. Repeating rows of red tulips and flowers on ivory ground. Blue and black lattice main border within cross...

Hand-knotted in wool and hailing from Turkey circa 1900-1920, this 6x10 Antique Khotan rug is a rare new curation from Rug & Kilim. On the Design: Samarkand rugs often reflect a ...

Antique Samarkand Stylish Animal Print 6'8'' X 4'6'' one of a kind 1 of 1

This fabulous Hand-Knotted carpet has been created and designed for extra strength and durability. This rug has been handcrafted for weeks in the traditional method that is used to m...

This beautiful antique Persian saddlebag from the Afschar region is a testament to exceptional craftsmanship and cultural heritage. Hand-knotted in 1...

Donegal Carpet Ireland 12’0” x 16”9” - 366 x 511 Early 20th century; c. 1910 Wool pile of symmetric knots on a wool foundation Designed by Gavin Morton The Donegal factory in Killybe...

Antique Bessarabian Rugs / Kilims in both pile and tapestry weaving technique are some of the more beautiful carpets to have been produced in Europe. Many of the Bessarabian Kilims w...

Handmade Antique Indian Kashmir Shawl: Design and Colors: This square-shaped shawl is a testament to Indian Kashmiri craftsmanship. The dominant color is a rich green, creating a se...

An exquisitely composed antique Persian Malayer runner that is a captivating illustration of high aesthetic appeal, beguiling charm and alluring beauty. Herati patterns, serrated lea...

Fit for a Rothschild, this large antique French tapestry-woven carpet shows a large, layered oval medallion with an ivory central panel enclosing a detailed rose bouquet., all on a s...

Very beautiful and fine Aubusson tapestry with a nice design featuring an elegantly dressed boy, with beautiful natural colours, with blue, red, green and beige, entirely and finely...

Introducing a Gorgeous Antique Hamadan Rug: Discover an exquisite antique Hamadan rug that exudes elegance and charm. This masterpiece boasts a stunning geometrical design and featur...

Antique Samarkand Lion Design Rug 6'6'' X 4'4'', handmade and hand-knotted, Lion Designs are super rare and they were made by a tribes that they were worshiping Lions which we all kn...

Israeli Rugs – Israel is home to a surprisingly large and well-established carpet-weaving community. Area Carpet weavers in Israel had very serious traditions that were cultural, tec...

Turkish rugs (also referred to as Anatolian rugs) are, arguably, the rugs that started it all. These carpets were among the first wave of Oriental antique carpets to be exported into Europe. The vintage Turkish rugs were prized commodities and artistically influential pieces. The designs of Turkish rugs such as the iconic guls, prayer rugs and small repeating patterns found on these carpets, worked their way into the iconic paintings of the European masters, including Memling, Lotto, Bellini, Hans Holbein and many others. These painters were inspired so much by Turkish rugs and the design motifs they feature that the artists have lent their names to some of these famous Turkish patterns. One of the most famous artists that incorporated rugs from Turkey in his painting was the great and iconic 16th century painter Hans Holbein. The styles of Turkish rugs...

Ca.1900 Authentic Samarkand Rug 4'8'' x 2'9'', Tribal and Traditional, Wool on cotton foundation

Antique Oushak rug Measurement: 11'6" x 11'6".

Antique TURKISH PRAYER Rug 4.6X3.3, handmade and hand-knotted, tribal and unique pieces, woolen carpet, authentic Turkish carpe

Antique Samarkand Rugs: The desert oasis of Khotan was an important stop on the Silk Road. The people of Khotan were expert carpet weavers who produced high quality antique rugs and ...

This fabulous Hand-Knotted carpet has been created and designed for extra strength and durability. This rug has been handcrafted for weeks in the traditional method that is used to m...

Early 20th Century French Aubusson Carpet ( 13' 6'' x 22' 6'' - 412 x 686 cm)

Hand-knotted in wool circa 1900-1910, this 9x11 antique Arts & Crafts rug is believed to be a rare work from C.F.A. Voysey. On the Design: This particular Voysey rug is believed to originate in Ireland, given its similarities to Donegal rugs of this provenance. Its design further hosts the quintessential open field that connoisseurs often associate with this artist’s signature style—though open field designs are especially collectible in handmade rugs today. The colorway enjoys chartreuse and similar greens, with bright blues and pinks in its borders and floral patterns. Its particular use of botanicals and garlands around the field lead the eye naturally to the more subtle patterns in the center—almost akin to greenery around rippling water in a pond, like many paintings of the same movement in this era. Connoisseurs will admire this as a collectible as much as an elegant masterpiece of its period—exemplary of Voysey’s European rugs. Condition: This antique botanical rug...

A beautiful early 20th century Persian Sarouk Farahan rug with a mirrored floral and vine pattern woven in light and dark indigo, green, and cream colored wool, in a bright crimson b...

Archaeologists and scholars consider the roots of needlepoint to have been around 1500 BC. They consider the first needlepoint to include the fine diagonal stitches that were used to...

Size: 18ft 5in x 5ft 0in (562 x 153cm). Antique East Caucasian Avar kilim of very large size and classic design. Circa 1900. A good example of a traditio...

Antique European Rug 10'9''x8'9'

This is a lovely antique blue and rose Persian Bijar rug hand knotted in Iran in the 1900s-1910s and measures: 7.4 x 10.6 ft. Bijar rugs are mainly woven in the town of Bijar and ...

Beautiful Collection of Romanian Antique Bessarabian Kilims and Rugs Antique Bessarabian Rugs / Kilims in both pile and tapestry weaving technique are some of the more beautiful carpets to have been produced in Europe. Many of the Bessarabian Kilims were woven around the mid to late 19th century, though some do date back to the 18th century as well. This production that carried into the early twentieth century under late Ottoman Turkish rule in an area corresponding to modern Bulgaria and Romania, they stand right on the cusp of European and Oriental carpet weaving. Many of the designs are floral patterns made in a naturalistic western style utilizing brown or black ground, not unlike certain Karabaghs from the Caucauses. But others, particularly flat weaves, reflect the tradition of Turkish kilims from nearby Anatolia, although in a distinctive Bessarbian palette. In either case they are supremely decorative rugs. History Of Antique Flat Woven Bessarabian Kilim Rugs from Romania Bessarabian Kilims and carpets are flat woven rugs that originate in the Russian provinces of the Ukraine and Moldova in the late 1800’s to the early 1900’s. While most carpet experts will classify the flat woven rugs as Bessarabian they will often refer to the knotted pile carpets as Ukrainian. The Bessarabian carpets differ from antique Persian carpets in many ways. For example, unlike Persian carpets, Bessarabian rugs cannot be classified to a region according to the way the rugs were woven. Their weaves provide indications regarding the area for which they were created rather than for their classification. The markets these antique rugs were designed for could have fallen into different categories such as a rural market or an urban one. But all other attributes were dismissed and all the Romani made area rugs and carpets are referred to as Bessarabian instead. Antique Romanian Bessarabian kilims are ornate and they come in a variety of designs as well color combinations. It’s not uncommon for some Bessarabian kilims to be more floral while others may feature more geometric patterns. Bessarabian carpets are made on carpet weaving looms similar to the ones used to make the French Aubusson rugs. These looms are wooden, and the rugs are flat woven / kilims. The best of these rug types were created in the 1700’s. The Russian Imperial Tapestry Factory was where these Romanian rugs were made, and the factory was created by none other than Peter the Great. He established the Russian Imperial Tapestry Factory following his return from England and France. He was inspired to create the factory after being in awe of the splendid Aubusson carpets, Savonnerie rugs, and Axminster carpets he saw while abroad. The beautiful carpets he admired while in Europe had already caught the eyes of his Russian contemporaries, and importing them was triggering a financial drain for the Russian treasury. For this reason, the Russian Imperial Tapestry Factory was used as a location for copying the French and English carpets Peter the Great and the Russian nobility desired. Demand for these lavishly luxurious rugs grew, and additional factories were created in villages. This region is from where these rugs got the name Bessarabian. The region is divided between two territories: the Republic of Moldova and Romania. Bessarabian rug weavers were country people who had a country taste. Though they were tasked with replicating the elaborate motifs of the European rugs, they added their own unique country’s flair to their borrowed rug patterns and designs. This more folksy or traditional approach to the European patterns...

Antique Persian Sultanabad rug, room size, circa 1900 A one-of-a-kind antique Persian Sultanabad oriental carpet with a thick and lustrous wool pile, knotted by hand, with soft to...

Antique Bessarabian Rugs / Kilims in both pile and tapestry weaving technique are some of the more beautiful carpets to have been produced in Europe. Many of the Bessarabian Kilims w...

Shirvan rugs – The historic Khanate or administrative district of Shirvan produced many highly decorative antique rugs that have a formality and stylistic complexity that is found in...

Early 20th Century Chinese Peking Carpet ( 14'2" x 19'9" - 432 x 602 )

This handsome very large west Persian village carpet shows a carefully drawn smaller Herati all-over pattern on a rust-red madder ground, fixed by a small royal blue ragged medallion...

Early 20th Century Irish Donegal Arts & Crafts Carpet ( 12'6" x 25'2" - 381 x 767 cm)

Very beautiful and fine Aubusson tapestry with a nice design featuring two cows under the tree , with beautiful natural colours, with yellow, beige, brown and green, entirely and fin...

Handmade Antique Afghan Beshir Collectible Chuval Rug from the 1900s: Dimensions: This rectangular chuval rug measures approximately 1.5 feet (46 cm) in width and 4.8 feet (146 cm) ...

This fabulous Hand-Knotted carpet has been created and designed for extra strength and durability. This rug has been handcrafted for weeks in the traditional method that is used to m...

Early 20th Century N. Chinese Mongolian Carpet ( 16'10'' x 17'10'' - 513 x 544 )

Salor rug, floor covering handmade by the Salor Turkmen of Turkmenistan. Most consistent in design are the main carpets, with a quartered gul (motif) showing...

An antique Indian Agra rug 4'0" H x 2'0" W, in small rug (kaleghi), circa 1900. This fine floral wool rug features a repeating small-scale floral design throughout, iterated both in ...

Our research dates this rug to the late 19th century. It is an authentic Persian Bidjar wool rug, with its origins from Persia, or modern day Iran. This is a very traditional design,...

A beautiful antique Tibetan rug, handwoven circa 1900 with a design of two dragons chasing a flaming pearl on a light beige field. Lovely wool quality and stunning secondary colours....

This is a NW Persian urban Tabriz carpet interpretation of the Classic Persian garden design with small panel parterres and crossing water channels. Cypresses, columned niches, and v...

Antique Indian Rug 7'1" X5'8" handmade and hand-knotted, wool on cotton foundation with floral design, authentic indian carpet

Mesmerizing and breathtaking, this sophisticated Antique Persian Mahal rug is dignified to impress. Characterized by an allover botanical motif composed of stylized florals interconn...

Antique Chinese Peking Rug 8' 4" x 9' 10"

Beautiful antique Serab hand-knotted wool runner with a tan field. This Persian rug has a beige and brown accent in an all-over tribal design. This rug measures 3'10" x 13'4".

Antique Persian Bidjar Rug, Small size, circa 1900. A one-of-a-kind antique Persian Bidjar Oriental Carpet, hand-knotted with soft wool pile. This beautiful rug features a repeati...

Early-19th Century Antique Uzbek Samarkand Rug from Uzbekistan

A striking early 20th-century Persian Azari rug, this piece is a testament to the rich weaving traditions of Azerbaijan. Its series of diamond medallions, each intricately adorned wi...

Introducing our Handmade Antique Persian Style Bakhtiari Large Rug, an exquisite masterpiece that exudes timeless grandeur. Specifications: Size: 9.8' x 14.8' Era: 1900s Condition:...

Late 19th Century Persian Malayer Carpet ( 11' 10" x 16' 6" - 360 x 503 cm)

Antique Persian Mashhad rug, size: 10'0" x 14'4".

Bring home a piece of history with our Handmade Antique Caucasian Kazak Rug. This stunning rug was woven in the 1900s by the Kazak people, a nomadic tribe from the Caucasus region. T...

Antique Oushak Rug 10'10" x 11'0"

Antique Amritsar Rugs – The spectacular rugs of Amritsar capture the exotic style of India while incorporating a subtle colonial influence. This convergence of eastern and western styles results in an exceptionally alluring appearance that has been beloved by western consumers historically and today. The outstanding old Amritsar carpets were created by influential exporters to fuel the demand for exotic rugs...