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Kilim Tapestries

KILIM STYLE

Known for their wealth of rich colors and unique weaving tradition, antique and vintage kilim rugs are one of the most distinguishable types of rugs. The term “kilim” is Turkish in origin, but many variations of this type of textile share a common heritage and are practiced all across the Balkans, throughout the Arab world and elsewhere. There are Persian kilim rugs, kilim rugs from Central Asia and more. 

It is difficult to definitively pin down the origins of kilim weaving, which is known as a “flatweave” or “slit-weave,” but historians believe that skilled artisans may have practiced versions of it as early as the eighth and ninth centuries A.D. in the Anatolia region of Turkey. Many of the Turkish iterations of these flat-woven rugs are recognizable for their arrangements of dazzling, flowing forms, but a range of motifs can appear in kilim rugs — abstract figures that reference rams’ horns, snakes or running water or motifs that are intended to symbolize concepts such as the tree of life or fertility. In Anatolia, women have used kilims to share narratives about their lives. 

The difference between a kilim rug and most other kinds of carpets or pile rugs is in the aforementioned weave. They are made by interweaving variously colored, individual strands of wool (pure soft cotton, silk and goat’s hair are also used with the wool, albeit rarely) versus, say, the Tabriz rugs of Iran, which are hand-knotted rugs. This results in a smooth, frequently reversible surface. It’s a slit-weave because of the gap left between two blocks of color. Kilims are created on a loom, a typically uncomplicated structure mostly made of wood. Owing to the creative freedom that a slit-weave can afford its weaver, they tend to feature a range of bright, contrasting hues like reds, oranges and pinks that appear in bold combinations with deep blues and greens that are brought to life with natural dyes.

Handwoven kilim rugs are less expensive to produce and more durable than other rugs. They were traditionally used as floor coverings in mosques and yurts, as prayer rugs and saddle coverings. And these textiles are pileless: Whereas the Beni Ourain rugs of Morocco can be described as dense with a thick surface or pile, an authentic kilim rug is thin and flat. Because the resulting weave is lightweight, kilim rugs are well adapted for use in the hot summer months, and they are happily embraced by tribal weavers of Morocco, a part of the world that is home to many styles of rugs

With their striking geometric patterns and provocative color pairings, kilim rugs and wall tapestries are loved by design enthusiasts and can bring charm and interest into any dining room, living room or other interior space.

Find kilim rugs and textiles and other vintage rugs on 1stDibs.

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Style: Kilim
Bobyrug’s pretty vintage Egyptian tapestry
Bobyrug’s pretty vintage Egyptian tapestry

Bobyrug’s pretty vintage Egyptian tapestry

Located in Saint Ouen, FR

Pretty vintage Egyptian woven tapestry, in style of Wissa Wassef school tapestries with beautiful childish design and nice colours, entirely hand woven with wool on cotton foundation.

Category

Mid-20th Century Egyptian Kilim Tapestries

Materials

Wool, Cotton

Antique Uzbekistan Tashkent All Over Silk Suzani Embroidered Rare Wall Hanging
Antique Uzbekistan Tashkent All Over Silk Suzani Embroidered Rare Wall Hanging

Antique Uzbekistan Tashkent All Over Silk Suzani Embroidered Rare Wall Hanging

Located in Tokyo, JP

This wall hanging is all over hand-embroidered Suzani design, silk & cotton ground and the embroidery thread is 100% silk. Suzani, which means "embroidery" in Uzbek, began aro...

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Early 20th Century Uzbek Kilim Tapestries

Materials

Silk, Natural Fiber, Organic Material

1947 Turkish Kilim Rug, Flatweave Design, Wool, Private Collection
1947 Turkish Kilim Rug, Flatweave Design, Wool, Private Collection

1947 Turkish Kilim Rug, Flatweave Design, Wool, Private Collection

Located in Alessandria, Piemonte

My carpets are not affected by fashions. After a year the new modern carpets are no longer worth the price paid because the trend has changed, it has already gone further: that desi...

Category

1940s Turkish Vintage Kilim Tapestries

Materials

Wool

Superb Antique East Anatolian Kilim Rug
Superb Antique East Anatolian Kilim Rug

Superb Antique East Anatolian Kilim Rug

Located in New York, NY

Antique East Anatolian Kilim rug. A fantastic antique Kilim rug of large size from Northeast Turkey. Such large kilims were ordered for wealthy local patrons from villages where skil...

Category

19th Century Turkish Antique Kilim Tapestries

Materials

Wool

Nice Vintage Turkish Embroidered Panel
Nice Vintage Turkish Embroidered Panel

Nice Vintage Turkish Embroidered Panel

Located in Saint Ouen, FR

Beautiful colourful Turkish panel, with geometrical tribal design and nice colors, entirely hand woven and embroidered with wool on wool foundation

Category

Mid-20th Century Turkish Kilim Tapestries

Materials

Wool

Beautiful Vintage Tribal Turkish Kilim
Beautiful Vintage Tribal Turkish Kilim

Beautiful Vintage Tribal Turkish Kilim

Located in Saint Ouen, FR

Nice vintage Kilim with beautiful geometrical design and nice colors, entirely hand woven with wool on cotton foundation.

Category

Mid-20th Century Asian Kilim Tapestries

Materials

Wool

Nice Vintage Jajim Kilim Rug
Nice Vintage Jajim Kilim Rug

Nice Vintage Jajim Kilim Rug

Located in Saint Ouen, FR

Nice vintage Kilim rug with a geometrical design and pretty colors, entirely hand woven with wool on wool foundation composed of bands of Kilims of Jajim, quite thick and consistent.

Category

Mid-20th Century Asian Kilim Tapestries

Materials

Wool

Beautiful Vintage Tribal Turkish Kilim
Beautiful Vintage Tribal Turkish Kilim

Beautiful Vintage Tribal Turkish Kilim

Located in Saint Ouen, FR

Nice vintage Kilim with beautiful geometrical design and nice colors, entirely hand woven with wool on cotton foundation.

Category

Mid-20th Century Asian Kilim Tapestries

Materials

Wool

Fine Antique Azeri Shadda Rug
Fine Antique Azeri Shadda Rug

Fine Antique Azeri Shadda Rug

Located in Milan, IT

A finely woven wool flat-weave from the Azeri tribe in the southern Caucasus, distinguished by a tartan-like composition of polychrome vertical bands alternated to lozenges. This typ...

Category

Early 20th Century Russian Kilim Tapestries

Materials

Wool

Midcentury Vintage Striped Kilim Beige Brown Bag Rug by Rug & Kilim
Midcentury Vintage Striped Kilim Beige Brown Bag Rug by Rug & Kilim

Midcentury Vintage Striped Kilim Beige Brown Bag Rug by Rug & Kilim

Located in Long Island City, NY

Handwoven in a wool flat-weave originating from Turkey circa 1950-1960, this vintage Kilim rug vintage Kilim rug was originally part of a woven bag-an item both available as a Kilim ...

Category

1950s Turkish Vintage Kilim Tapestries

Materials

Wool

Indian Flat Durhie Kilim Gabbeh Design
Indian Flat Durhie Kilim Gabbeh Design

Indian Flat Durhie Kilim Gabbeh Design

Located in Saint Ouen, FR

Very beautiful late 20th century Indian durhie Kilim with a geometrical tribal design and nice colors, entirely hand woven with cotton on cotton foundation.

Category

Late 20th Century Indian Kilim Tapestries

Materials

Cotton

Beautiful Vintage Senneh Kilim
Beautiful Vintage Senneh Kilim

Beautiful Vintage Senneh Kilim

Located in Saint Ouen, FR

Nice vintage Kilim with beautiful geometrical design and nice colors, entirely hand woven with wool on cotton foundation.

Category

Late 20th Century Asian Kilim Tapestries

Materials

Wool

Nice Vintage Azerbaïdjan Soumak Kilim Rug
Nice Vintage Azerbaïdjan Soumak Kilim Rug

Nice Vintage Azerbaïdjan Soumak Kilim Rug

Located in Saint Ouen, FR

Beautiful vintage Azerbaïdjan Kilim Soumak, with nice tribal and geometrical design with stylized animals, and beautiful colors, entirely and finely hand woven and embroidered with w...

Category

Late 20th Century Asian Kilim Tapestries

Materials

Wool

Afghan Kilim Rug, Hand-Knotted Wool, Vintage Style, 1960s, 270x150 CM
Afghan Kilim Rug, Hand-Knotted Wool, Vintage Style, 1960s, 270x150 CM

Afghan Kilim Rug, Hand-Knotted Wool, Vintage Style, 1960s, 270x150 CM

Located in Alessandria, Piemonte

Very fine original Afghan kilim, before Russian occupation - from my private collection - It's perfect ! nr. 778

Category

1960s Afghan Vintage Kilim Tapestries

Materials

Wool

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Previously Available Items
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Vintage Turkish Kilim

Vintage Turkish Kilim

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W 38.59 in L 56.3 in

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Located in Saint Ouen, FR

Vintage Turkish Kilim with decorative design and light colors, entirely hand woven with wool on cotton foundation.

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W 47.25 in L 74.81 in

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Located in Saint Ouen, FR

Beautiful Kilim from turkey with geometrical design and light colors, entirely hand woven with wool on wool foundation.

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Late 20th Century Turkish Kilim Tapestries

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Kilim tapestries for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Kilim tapestries for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Late 20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage tapestries created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include rugs and carpets, wall decorations and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with fabric, wool and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Kilim tapestries made in a specific country, there are Asia, Caucasus, and West Asia pieces for sale on 1stDibs. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for tapestries differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $377 and tops out at $19,500 while the average work can sell for $1,203.