Netherlands - Russian and Scandinavian Rugs

Barbro Nilsson for AB Märta Måås-Fjetterström, carpet, model ‘Tånga, W lätt grön och brun’, wool on linen warp, Sweden, design 1955 Exceptional hand-woven carpet designed by the celebrated Swedish textile designer Barbro Nilsson in 1955. Not only is this carpet beautifully designed, its size of 273 x 211 cm (107.5 x 83.1 in.) makes it even more impressive. Nilsson applied the gobeläng flatweave technique to make this specific carpet. This technique is introduced by the artist herself to the MMF studio in 1942, which allows for more liberated and expressive forms compared to the traditional flatweave techniques. In this process, a full-scale working drawing featuring the pattern contours is placed underneath the warp in the loom. The wefts are then meticulously handpicked and woven to follow the outlined shapes. For every design, Nilsson would make a drawing she would use as a guideline for the carpet’s pattern. Many of her carpets can be categorized into distinct groups based on their underlying motifs and the names associated with their creation. ‘Tånga’, means Seaweed in Swedish, and belongs to the “fish and sea” theme. As with all her designs, Nilsson wove her initials ‘B N’ and AB MMF (meaning AB Märta Måås-Fjetterström) at the edge of the carpet. Barbro Nilsson (1889- 1983), née Lundberg, was a Swedish textile designer from Malmö, Sweden. In 1904 her family moved to Stockholm where her father, Carl T. Lundberg, was the manager of the department store ‘Nordiska Kompaniet’(NK). At the age of fourteen, Nilsson started her education in weaving and textile design at the Brunssons Vävskola that was founded by Johanna Brunsson in 1843. Nilsson continued her education at the ‘Tekniska Skolan’ (technical academy) in Stockholm where she enriched her skills in weaving even further. In 1928 she married to the sculptor Robert Nilsson...

Barbro Nilsson for AB Märta Måås-Fjetterström, carpet, model ‘Salerno’, wool on linen warp, Sweden, design 1948 Exceptional hand-woven, blue-toned carpet designed by the celebrated Swedish textile designer Barbro Nilsson in 1948. The Salerno rug was specially commissioned to honor a tragic incident. In 1947, a cargo plane crashed near Scala, a small town located north of the historic city of Salerno in Italy's Monti Latteri region. The aircraft carried twenty-five Swedish Air Force pilots, and despite the valiant efforts of Italian locals, only four of them managed to survive. The Swedish Government commissioned the MMF workshop to create a commemorative rug, which would be presented as a gift to the chapel of the hospital in Scala, where the survivors received medical care. This particular piece was woven from blue wool, accented by brown sections. Within the vertical pattern details of the rug, one can discern hints of brown, blue, and yellow. These elements symbolize small airplanes, while the triangular sections evoke Italy's mountains. The blue hues in the rug represent the sea. These motifs, coupled with the serene composition and subtle colors of the carpet, transform this national tragedy into something profoundly touching and beautiful. As with all her designs, Nilsson wove her initials ‘B N’ and AB MMF (meaning AB Märta Måås-Fjetterström) at the edge of the carpet. Barbro Nilsson (1889- 1983), née Lundberg, was a Swedish textile designer from Malmö, Sweden. In 1904 her family moved to Stockholm where her father, Carl T. Lundberg, was the manager of the department store ‘Nordiska Kompaniet’(NK). At the age of fourteen, Nilsson started her education in weaving and textile design at the Brunssons Vävskola that was founded by Johanna Brunsson in 1843. Nilsson continued her education at the ‘Tekniska Skolan’ (technical academy) in Stockholm where she enriched her skills in weaving even further. In 1928 she married to the sculptor Robert Nilsson...

Marianne Richter for Märta Måås-Fjetterström AB (MMF AB), rölakan flat weave carpet 'Fläder Röd', wool, Sweden, design 1943 An exceptional rare piece designed by female textile art...

Barbro Nilsson for AB Märta Måås-Fjetterström, carpet, model ‘Snäckorna’, wool on linen warp, Sweden, design 1943, production afterwards Exceptional hand-woven carpet designed by the celebrated Swedish textile designer Barbro Nilsson in 1943. Not only is this carpet beautifully designed, its size of 296 x 200 cm (116.54 x 78.74 inches) makes it even more impressive. Nilsson applied the gobeläng flatweave technique to make this specific carpet. This technique is introduced by the artist herself to the MMF studio in 1942, which allows for more liberated and expressive forms compared to the traditional flatweave techniques. In this process, a full-scale working drawing featuring the pattern contours is placed underneath the warp in the loom. The wefts are then meticulously handpicked and woven to follow the outlined shapes. For every design, Nilsson would make a drawing she would use as a guideline for the carpet’s pattern. Many of her carpets can be categorized into distinct groups based on their underlying motifs and the names associated with their creation. ‘Snäckorna’, means snails in Swedish, and belongs to the “fish and sea” theme. As with all her designs, Nilsson wove her initials ‘B N’ and AB MMF (meaning AB Märta Måås-Fjetterström) at the edge of the carpet. Barbro Nilsson (1889- 1983), née Lundberg, was a Swedish textile designer from Malmö, Sweden. In 1904 her family moved to Stockholm where her father, Carl T. Lundberg, was the manager of the department store ‘Nordiska Kompaniet’(NK). At the age of fourteen, Nilsson started her education in weaving and textile design at the Brunssons Vävskola that was founded by Johanna Brunsson in 1843. Nilsson continued her education at the ‘Tekniska Skolan’ (technical academy) in Stockholm where she enriched her skills in weaving even further. In 1928 she married to the sculptor Robert Nilsson...

Märta Måås Fjetterström for Märta Måås-Fjetterström AB, handwoven 'Blå heden' carpet, wool on linen warp, Sweden, designed in 1931 and woven after 1942 This handwoven carpet is desi...

Märta Måås Fjetterström for Märta Måås-Fjetterström AB, handwoven pile carpet, wool on linen warp, Sweden, designed between 1913-1919 and woven late 1940s, early 1950s. This handwo...

Barbro Nilsson for AB Märta Måås-Fjetterström, carpet, model ‘Kryddnejlikan’, wool on linen warp, Sweden, design 1950 Exceptional hand-woven carpet designed by the celebrated Swedish textile designer Barbro Nilsson in 1950. Not only is this carpet beautifully designed, its size of 393 x 401 cm (154.7 x 157.9 in.) makes it even more impressive. Nilsson applied the gobeläng flat weave technique to make this specific carpet. This technique is introduced by the artist herself to the MMF studio in 1942, which allows for more liberated and expressive forms compared to the traditional flatweave techniques. In this process, a full-scale working drawing featuring the pattern contours is placed underneath the warp in the loom. The wefts are then meticulously handpicked and woven to follow the outlined shapes. For every design, Nilsson would make a drawing she would use as a guideline for the carpet’s pattern. As with all her designs, Nilsson wove her initials ‘B N’ and AB MMF (meaning AB Märta Måås-Fjetterström) at the edge of the carpet. Barbro Nilsson (1889- 1983), née Lundberg, was a Swedish textile designer from Malmö, Sweden. In 1904 her family moved to Stockholm where her father, Carl T. Lundberg, was the manager of the department store ‘Nordiska Kompaniet’(NK). At the age of fourteen, Nilsson started her education in weaving and textile design at the Brunssons Vävskola that was founded by Johanna Brunsson in 1843. Nilsson continued her education at the ‘Tekniska Skolan’ (technical academy) in Stockholm where she enriched her skills in weaving even further. In 1928 she married to the sculptor Robert Nilsson...

This vintage Swedish rug, hand woven wool, flatweave ‘rolläkan’ was designed by Margareta Lundahl, master weaver in the Mid-20th Century in Sweden. This rug dates to around 1950s. Ge...

Midcentury Swedish rug, hand woven wool, flatweave ‘röllakan’ by Birgitta Södergren. Pattern in grey, blue center field and edges, decorated square ...