Russian and Scandinavian Rugs

Up for sale is an antique Samakhand Uzbek rug, circa the 1900s.

Swedish wall hanging Sweden, circa 1960 Signed: GYNNING PF (Lars Gynning, Pinton Frères).

These type of Russian prints that are also called 'trade cloth' since they were made for Central Asian markets.

"Song of the Birds" Mid 20th century Swedish pile-weave carpet Sweden ca. 1940 Handwoven Initialed "SB" Sigvard Bernadotte.

Vintage Swedish Pile rug Sweden, circa 1950 Handwoven Initialed: SKLH, 1950 (Södra Kalmar Läns Hemslöjd).

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...

A Scandinavian Modern all wool rug made with "rollakan" flat weave technique. A variety of colored threads are closely combined to create a fine heather ...

The Zero collection is a celebration of wool in its most pure state. Durable handwoven rugs made with our best quality European wool, with zero dye, uncolored, to reveal the natural ...

The kilims known as ‘Bessarabian’ were woven in the Russian regions of Ukraine and Moldavia. Intended to satisfy the demands of the local aristocracy, who had developed a taste for c...

"Vildhästen" Swedish wall hanging Sweden, circa 1933 Initialed: MMF (Märta Måås-Fjetterström) 100% wool woven over a cotton foundation.

Rug “Ursula” designed by Märta Måås-Fjetterström for MMF AB, Sweden, 1935. Handwoven wool. Measurements: L 270 cm/ 8' 10 ¾” W 164 cm/ 5' 5”. Märta Måås-Fjetterström estab...

This 10x14 indoor-outdoor rug is a bold new addition to the Scandinavian Collection by Rug & Kilim. hand knotted in performance polyester, its design reflects a contemporary take on ...

Created by Swedish textile designer Märta Måås-Fjetterström in the early to mid 20th century, this traditional wool hand-woven Swedish pile rug has features a rich brown base with mu...

Swdish pile Reliefflossa, mid-1900s. Pattern in grey or green relief.         

Mid-20th Century Finnish Flat Weave Carpet Finnish flat weave Finland ca. 1930s Designed by Greta Skogster-Lehtinen

Sweden Mid-20th Century Handwoven 17'9" x 11'0" (541 x 335 cm)

This is a very rare Scandinavian Modern high-pile wool rya rug has soft, vivid tones of pink, purple, yellow, blue, red, green and white which brings a calm elegance to this versatil...

Contemporary Swedish Flat-Weave Wool Runner Size: 3'1" × 12'1" (93 × 368 cm) Inspired by the geometric traditions of Scandinavian weaving, this contemporary Swedish flat-weave runner...

79050 Vintage Swedish Scandinavian Flossa Rug, 05'09 x 07'11. This captivating vintage Swedish Flossa rug from the 1930's is a remarkable example of...

The Grand Collection is made to create a hotel-like feel in your home. The collection comes in luxurious yet contemporary colors; Dusty White, Silver, Brick Red, Deep Blue and Pale G...

A mid 20th Century fun, funky Turkish Kars rug Measures: 6'6'' x 9'6''

mid 20th Century Moroccan rug featuring small horses Details rug no. j3591 size 5' 1" x 8' 1" (155 x 246 cm)

Large Pillow made from a Caucasian Karabagh rug. Polyfill and zipper closure included Measures: 16'' x 24''.

Antique Chinese Rugs, as opposed to most of the antique rug productions, were woven almost exclusively for internal consumption. Since they were mostly sheltered from European and We...

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...

Ancient Roots Of Needlepoint Rugs 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. Historical Needlepoint Carpets and Rugs 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...

Mid-19th century Bessarabian carpet. Place of origin: Russia.

Soumak rugs (also spelled Sumak) – This construction technique produces a flat-weave rug that is thick, strong and exceptionally durable. Unlike kilims, Soumak rugs are not reversible because non-clipped yarns are left on the back. However, they are also stronger than kilims. Antique Soumak carpets are unique because the wefts are used to produce decorative patterns rather than as a structural element. Antique Soumak rugs are generally very finely woven and feature richly detailed motifs. Traditionally, these spectacular flat-weave carpets are decorated with ancient symbols, tiny birds and geometric animals. Many of these geometric patterns and tribal symbols are associated with the Shahsavan tribe. In the 17th century, these influential warriors served as the personal bodyguards to Shah Abbas according to historic legends. The Shahsavan, who used Soumak weaving techniques widely, inhabited modern-day Azerbaijan and parts of Northwest Persia near Ardabil. Because Soumak rugs were woven in various carpet producing regions, the designs they feature are exceptionally diverse. Although they are fairly rare compared to pile carpets and traditional kilims, antique Soumak rugs feature grand medallions, finely executed repeating patterns, Persian garden designs and tribal motifs that are surrounded by multiple sets of richly detailed borders. Antique Soumak rugs make outstanding floor coverings, but the technique was also used to construct bags, trappings, saddle covers, decorative bed spreads and functional household items. Like other regional handicrafts, antique Soumak rugs are highly decorative and diverse textile pieces that flatter modern furnishings and soften minimalist interiors very well. Soumak or Sumak is a type of brocading or flat-woven pile. Thicker than a kilim carpet, it is accomplished by looping the yarn horizontally around successive pairs of warps in between passes of over-under wefting. When compressed vertically with a weaver’s comb, the resultant texture looks like cabling rising slightly from the surface of the rug. Soumak is named for the village of Shemaka in the Caucasus where this technique was widely practiced, but it certainly was not invented there. Soumak has been practiced extensively across the antique rug producing world, from Central Asia to Iran, the Caucasus, and Turkey. Antique Soumak Weave Techniques: Soumak Weave – The art of fine rug weaving and making is ancient and complex. Over the centuries, a myriad of disparate cultures, from every corner of the globe, have developed methods of creating tight, long-lasting weaves, such as rugs, carpets, and kilims. As such, there is no singular, universal method for creating a fine weave; rather, there are several different, totally distinctive weaving techniques. These techniques and approaches have been developed over time and that are unique to the area, tribe and or people. One specific example of a type of weave that was developed and is still used to this day is the Soumak weave. The widespread adaptation of the Soumak weave by such a wide range of different rug-producing cultures is certainly a rather strong testament to the quality and “reproducibility” of the process — cornerstones of any long-lasted artistic technique. One of the most familiar types of antique weaving from the Caucasus region is the Soumak. These were produced in a wide array of designs, but generally they are typified by a crisp, precise drawing applied to highly abstract or stylized geometric patterns, using a rich and varied palette. In technical terms, Soumaks are flatwoven rugs. Their technique is related to that of kilims, but it is somewhat more complex, thicker in handle, and more durable as floor covering. As opposed to Kilim technique which consists of compacted weft facing simply running over and under the vertical wraps, Soumak weave runs the yarns around the warps in a serpentine pattern, over two, back one, over two back one, and so forth. The rows of this yarn facing or brocading are then separated by wefts like the rows of knots in pile carpets. The origin of this technique is hard to pinpoint, but it is attested literally from one end of the rug-producing world to the other. The term Soumak is apparently a corruption of the name Shemaka, a town in the Shirvan region of the Caucasus, where such rugs, it is often claimed, were made. However Soumaks were made in various areas of the Caucasus and the region north of Kuba seems to have been a major center of their production. Caucasian Soumaks have a very interesting design repertory, with a number of distinct types or groups. From the perspective of carpet history, the most interesting group is the one that utilizes field designs of large polygonal medallions, often in the shape of diamonds or stars. These tend to be modeled on early Turkish pile carpets, especially those of the so-called “small pattern Holbein” and “large pattern Holbein” types produced in Western Turkey during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. A key feature of the Holbein rugs is the use of small squares with horn-like hooked pairs as fillers in the indentations along the edge of the main medallions. Caucasian Soumaks of this type reproduce even these details with remarkable consistency and fidelity. The various smaller motifs used as space fillers seem to come from the common tribal repertory behind most Caucasian and Turkish rugs. The borders of Caucasian Soumaks tend to be made up of small geometric medallions or stylized rosettes, although they can be surprising, as on the example shown here which is adapted from kilim designs. A second major group of Caucasian Soumaks have allover field designs made up of smaller medallions arranged closely in staggered repetition. Some of these which have multi-pointed star-like configuration (the so-called Crivelli-Star) also come from the repertory of early Turkish rugs. But the oval medallions with undulating edges are floral palmettes of classical Persian derivation. Despite the varied origins of the design elements, the Soumaks of this group still convey considerable stylistic homogeneity or integrity. The borders of this second group are much the same as those of the first, although the example shown here has a highly unusual border that derives once again from early Turkish rugs. A third group of Caucasian Soumaks stems from more local traditions. Known as “Dragon Soumaks...

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 ...

Mid-20th Century Swedish Flat Weave Carpet Sweden, circa 1950s Swedish Flat-weave Technique Initialed: 'SCE'

Sweden ca. 1940 Signed 'AB MMF' (Märta Måås-Fjetterström Workshop ) Handwoven with pile technique Featuring a cream background, with yellow, pink and green pile motifs and a striped ...

One of a kind Persian Deco rug in various shades in brown Measures: 4'1” x 6'3”.    

The technique for creating needlepoint rugs and other objects made from needlepoint has remained unchanged since its beginnings in the 17th century. It all begins with a canvas with ...

Vintage Swedish Rya Rug Doris Leslie Blau Size: 10'0" × 14'10" (304 × 452 cm) This exceptional vintage Swedish Rya rug, signed "K.S. 1929," is a true testament to the rich Scandinavi...

Finnish flat-weave rug, 1930 Finland, circa 1930 "Funkis" style Handwoven.  

Embrace the simplicity and elegance of Scandinavian design with this flat-weave Turkish kilim rug, crafted from 100% wool. This unique piece beautifully blends Nordic minimalism with...

30936 New Scandinavian Modern Swedish Inspired Kilim Rug, 09'02 x 12'00. Wrapped in the soothing whispers of Scandinavian Modern design, this handwoven wool Swedish-inspired kilim ru...

Nine foot long 100% wool runner by Ege Axminster. This is part of the Ege Country series and titled Mountain Life. This whimsical rug depicts elements o...

Antique Kazak Rug 4'2'' x 6'4''. This boldly simple SW Caucasian Armenian scatter shows a uniform patter of octagons enclosing hooked diamonds in both the madder rust-red field and i...

79207 Antique Caucasian Karabagh Kilim Rug Runner, 03'01 x 10'00. Like a woven bouquet from the mountains of the southern Caucasus, this handwoven wool antique Karabagh kilim runner ...

Handwoven in wool and other undyed natural yarns, this 9x12 Scandinavian flatweave rug features geometric patterns inspired by the Swedish ...

Mid-20th century finnish flat-weave carpet.

Mid-20th century Swedish flat weave carpet.

Initialed: MMF (Märta Måås-Fjetterström)

Handmade antique Caucasian Kazak rug in red color. The rug is from the end of 19th century in distressed condition. -condition: original, distressed, -circa: 1880s, -size: 3...

A smart 9x12 Swedish style kilim from our award-winning Scandinavian flat weave collection. Handwoven in wool. On the Design: This rug enjoys geometric patterns in enticing t...

This 5x7 custom rug design represents the Scandinavian rug collection by Rug & Kilim—inspired by Swedish minimalist designs and mid-century modern rugs of the Rollakan and Rya aesthe...

Originating from India, this geometric rug is hand knotted in quality, textural wool pile with a distinctly asymmetric geometric design. The field design employs both full and finely...

Rug “Ursula” designed by Märta Måås-Fjetterström for MMF AB, Sweden, 1935. Handwoven wool. Measurements: L 270 cm/ 8' 10 ¾” W 164 cm/ 5' 5”. Märta Måås-Fjet...

Vintage Pablo Picasso Rug by Ege, Scandinavia, Mid-Twentieth Century. Size: 8 ft 2 in x 11 ft 2 in (2.49 m x 3.4 m). The rug is lacking its original label ...

Beautiful modern oversize Swedish style wool rug with a solid beige field. This Swedish rug has accents of brown in a gorgeous all-over geometric frame design. This rug measures:...

An antique Caucasian Kazak accent rug handmade during the Early 20th century. Measures: 3' 8" x 6' 8"

Handwoven in fine quality wool, a custom design from our award-winning Scandinavian flat weave texture. Exemplified in this 9x12 scale, this kilim rug features a sharp geometric patt...

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...

Nice vintage Scandinavian rug with beautiful modern design and nice yellow field color, entirely hand knotted with wool velvet on cotton foundation. ✨✨✨ "Experience the epitome of l...

Pillow made from a Russian Karabagh rug. Measures: 16" x 20".

This contemporary 10x14 rug is an exciting new addition to the award-winning Scandinavian Collection by Rug & Kilim. Hand knotted in a proprietary blend of wool and silk, its constru...

A smart 9x12 Swedish style kilim from our award-winning Scandinavian flat weave collection. Handwoven in wool. On the Design: This rug enjoys geometric patterns in enticing t...

An early 20th-century high-quality Russian Karabagh pictorial rug depicting a happy go luck deer Measures: 4'5'' x 6'9''.

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 ...