Rugs and Carpets

These type of Russian prints that are also called 'trade cloth' since they were made for Central Asian markets. They were used to make blankets and dresses, and also used for the lin...

These type of Russian prints that are also called 'trade cloth' since they were made for Central Asian markets. They were used to make blankets and dresses, and also used for the lin...

The Rumi collection master weavers artfully re-spin and hand knot the finest remnants of sustainable sari-silk to create the breakthrough Rumi Silk collection. These remarkable patte...

Ersari Long Rug, 19th Century Woven along the banks of the Oxus River in Central Asia, this long and narrow Bashir carpet represents a distinctive form of Turkmen weaving. The town ...

A handsome dark blue runner hand woven in north western Iran.Featuring elegantly curved boteh that are simply drawn; complexities are ruled out by the difficult ikat technique. The p...

This Central Asian tent bag was most likely woven in the Middle Amu Darya area of what is now Uzbekistan. Structurally, it uses white cotton, hand-spun weft w...

Uzbek Suzani, a captivating textile art form originating from Central Asia, embodies a rich tapestry of culture and craftsmanship. The word "suzani" translates to "needlework" in Per...

Vintage Indian Dhurrie rug Size: 10'0" × 15'4" (304 × 467 cm). This vintage Indian Dhurrie rug exemplifies quiet elegance through a refined and earthy color palette. The expansive fl...

Red Bashir Ersari Long Rug with Tiled Octagons, 19th Century Woven along the banks of the Oxus River in Central Asia, this long and narrow Bashir carpet represents a distinctive for...

A vintage Turkish flat-weave Kilim accent carpet in gallery format handmade during the mid-20th century. Measures: 5' 3" x 9' 10" Knotted pile rugs are just one small part of a vast universe of textile techniques suitable for heavy use. If you can imagine it, some weaver has tried it out. Pieces can be roughly divided into those reversible from the start and those never, or at least not initially, reversible. Thus kilims are considered reversible, while everything else is not. Kilims are tapestry woven rugs with both sides the same, in either slit technique where colors change, or with various methods of avoiding slits. Slit tapestry weave goes back to ancient times and Coptic Egyptian...

A modern Turkish flat-weave Kilim large room size carpet handmade during the 21st century. Measures: 13' 9" x 16' 8" Flat-weave rugs carpets: Knotted pile rugs are just one small part of a vast universe of textile techniques suitable for heavy use. If you can imagine it, some weaver has tried it out. Pieces can be roughly divided into those reversible from the start and those never, or at least not initially, reversible. Thus, kilims are considered reversible, while everything else is not. Kilims are tapestry woven rugs with both sides the same, in either slit technique where colors change, or with various methods of avoiding slits. Slit tapestry weave goes back to ancient times and Coptic...

A modern Persian flat-weave Kilim accent rug handmade during the 21st century. Measures: 3' 5" x 6' 8" Flat-weave rugs carpets: Knotted pile rugs are just one small part of a vast universe of textile techniques suitable for heavy use. If you can imagine it, some weaver has tried it out. Pieces can be roughly divided into those reversible from the start and those never, or at least not initially, reversible. Thus, kilims are considered reversible, while everything else is not. Kilims are tapestry woven rugs with both sides the same, in either slit technique where colors change, or with various methods of avoiding slits. Slit tapestry weave goes back to ancient times and Coptic Egyptian...

A modern Turkish flatweave Kilim room size carpet handmade during the 21st century with a geometric design in colorful tones perfect for a children's playroom. Measures: 12' 2" x 15' 1" Knotted pile rugs are just one small part of a vast universe of textile techniques suitable for heavy use. If you can imagine it, some weaver has tried it out. Pieces can be roughly divided into those reversible from the start and those never, or at least not initially, reversible. Thus kilims are considered reversible, while everything else is not. Kilims are tapestry woven rugs with both sides the same, in either slit technique where colors change, or with various methods of avoiding slits. Slit tapestry weave goes back to ancient times and Coptic Egyptian...

An antique East Turkestan Saph Khotan rug in runner format handmade during the early 20th century. Measures: 2' 2" x 9' 3" Central Asian Rugs Carpets: Central Asia is a vast area stretching from Northeastern Persia to western China, and from northern Afghanistan to the southern edge of Russia. The carpets can be usefully divided into three groups: the nomadic Turkmen rugs of Turkmenistan, northern Afghanistan, and northeastern Persia; the non-Turkmen tribal pieces from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kirghizstan; and the urban creations of Khotan, Yarkand, and Kashgar, oasis cities of Western China (Xinjiang Province). Commercially, the most important group is from Khotan, the easternmost of the Chinese Turkestan cities. The craft of rug weaving is primarily in the hands of Muslim Uighurs. Khotan carpets mix purely Central Asian design themes with Chinese elements. Native Khotan devices include pomegranate trees, upright flowers, round medallions, and yellow or red grounds. Chinese motives include triangular fretwork corners, swastika fretwork, and Yun-Tsao Tou (clouds and rain) diagonally striped polychrome borders. Cotton foundations, asymmetrical (Persian) knots, and medium weaves are standard. Some vintage Khotan are in horizontal, pictorial layouts with multiple various vases and plants. Saphs (multiple prayer niche panel carpets) are also a Khotan specialty. Others employ stepped and layered lozenge medallions, singly or in pairs. Still others, almost all antique, feature a stylized version of the allover Persian Herati design. Many of the oldest pieces employ brown wool wefts. Antique and vintage Khotans are almost always in the k’ang (double square) layout, conforming to the local household plans. Only relatively recently has the 6’ by 12’ or 7’ by 16’ format been replaced by the 9’ by 12’ size. As a result, an antique room size Khotan carpet is very uncommon. Reds are cinnamon, tomato and rust, never wine reds, crimson, or scarlet. Yarkand, farther west on the old Silk Road specializes in multi-medallion long carpets while Kashgar, farthest west and most under Persian influence, has traditionally knotted allover pattern pieces with finer weaves, often with silk piles, and enriched with medal thread, on cotton foundations. Extant Kashgars go back to the 17th century, but the carpet craft in Chinese Turkestan must be much older as fragments have been recovered from local tombs of the early C.E. period. Kashgars are the rarest of all East Turkestan rugs. Most available vintage East Turkestan carpets are interwar Khotans, many with pleasingly soft decorative palettes. The non-Turkmen nomads include the Kazakh, Kirghiz, Uzbek, and Karakalpak groups. Like the Turkmen, they were once all seasonally migratory, dwelling in round felt tents (yurts), but have been settled, at least partially, in the villages, and have taken up crafts and agriculture instead of sheep herding. As a result, carpet production has transitioned from domestic tent use to commercial sale, but the roots of long traditions are still evident. The Uzbeks weave...

A vintage Persian tribal Turkoman rug in runner format handmade during the mid-20th century. Although this rug is of Persian origin, the roots of Turkoman rugs originated in the Central Asian region. Measures: 1' 6" x 10' 4" Central Asian Rugs Carpets: Central Asia is a vast area stretching from Northeastern Persia to western China, and from northern Afghanistan to the southern edge of Russia. The carpets can be usefully divided into three groups: the nomadic Turkmen rugs of Turkmenistan, northern Afghanistan, and northeastern Persia; the non-Turkmen tribal pieces from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kirghizstan; and the urban creations of Khotan, Yarkand, and Kashgar, oasis cities of Western China (Xinjiang Province). Commercially, the most important group is from Khotan, the easternmost of the Chinese Turkestan cities. The craft of rug weaving is primarily in the hands of Muslim Uighurs. Khotan carpets mix purely Central Asian design themes with Chinese elements. Native Khotan devices include pomegranate trees, upright flowers, round medallions, and yellow or red grounds. Chinese motives include triangular fretwork corners, swastika fretwork, and Yun-Tsao Tou (clouds and rain) diagonally striped polychrome borders. Cotton foundations, asymmetrical (Persian) knots, and medium weaves are standard. Some vintage Khotan are in horizontal, pictorial layouts with multiple various vases and plants. Saphs (multiple prayer niche panel carpets) are also a Khotan specialty. Others employ stepped and layered lozenge medallions, singly or in pairs. Still others, almost all antique, feature a stylized version of the allover Persian Herati design. Many of the oldest pieces employ brown wool wefts. Antique and vintage Khotans are almost always in the k’ang (double square) layout, conforming to the local household plans. Only relatively recently has the 6’ by 12’ or 7’ by 16’ format been replaced by the 9’ by 12’ size. As a result, an antique room size Khotan carpet is very uncommon. Reds are cinnamon, tomato and rust, never wine reds, crimson, or scarlet. Yarkand, farther west on the old Silk Road specializes in multi-medallion long carpets while Kashgar, farthest west and most under Persian influence, has traditionally knotted allover pattern pieces with finer weaves, often with silk piles, and enriched with medal thread, on cotton foundations. Extant Kashgars go back to the 17th century, but the carpet craft in Chinese Turkestan must be much older as fragments have been recovered from local tombs of the early C.E. period. Kashgars are the rarest of all East Turkestan rugs. Most available vintage East Turkestan carpets are interwar Khotans, many with pleasingly soft decorative palettes. The non-Turkmen nomads include the Kazakh, Kirghiz, Uzbek, and Karakalpak groups. Like the Turkmen, they were once all seasonally migratory, dwelling in round felt tents (yurts), but have been settled, at least partially, in the villages, and have taken up crafts and agriculture instead of sheep herding. As a result, carpet production has transitioned from domestic tent use to commercial sale, but the roots of long traditions are still evident. The Uzbeks weave...

An antique East Turkestan Khotan rug in runner format with a pomegranate design handmade during the mid-20th century. Measures: 2' 2" x 7' 6" Central Asian Rugs Carpets: Central Asia is a vast area stretching from Northeastern Persia to western China, and from northern Afghanistan to the southern edge of Russia. The carpets can be usefully divided into three groups: the nomadic Turkmen rugs of Turkmenistan, northern Afghanistan, and northeastern Persia; the non-Turkmen tribal pieces from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kirghizstan; and the urban creations of Khotan, Yarkand, and Kashgar, oasis cities of Western China (Xinjiang Province). Commercially, the most important group is from Khotan, the easternmost of the Chinese Turkestan cities. The craft of rug weaving is primarily in the hands of Muslim Uighurs. Khotan carpets mix purely Central Asian design themes with Chinese elements. Native Khotan devices include pomegranate trees, upright flowers, round medallions, and yellow or red grounds. Chinese motives include triangular fretwork corners, swastika fretwork, and Yun-Tsao Tou (clouds and rain) diagonally striped polychrome borders. Cotton foundations, asymmetrical (Persian) knots, and medium weaves are standard. Some vintage Khotan are in horizontal, pictorial layouts with multiple various vases and plants. Saphs (multiple prayer niche panel carpets) are also a Khotan specialty. Others employ stepped and layered lozenge medallions, singly or in pairs. Still others, almost all antique, feature a stylized version of the allover Persian Herati design. Many of the oldest pieces employ brown wool wefts. Antique and vintage Khotans are almost always in the k’ang (double square) layout, conforming to the local household plans. Only relatively recently has the 6’ by 12’ or 7’ by 16’ format been replaced by the 9’ by 12’ size. As a result, an antique room size Khotan carpet is very uncommon. Reds are cinnamon, tomato and rust, never wine reds, crimson, or scarlet. Yarkand, farther west on the old Silk Road specializes in multi-medallion long carpets while Kashgar, farthest west and most under Persian influence, has traditionally knotted allover pattern pieces with finer weaves, often with silk piles, and enriched with medal thread, on cotton foundations. Extant Kashgars go back to the 17th century, but the carpet craft in Chinese Turkestan must be much older as fragments have been recovered from local tombs of the early C.E. period. Kashgars are the rarest of all East Turkestan rugs. Most available vintage East Turkestan carpets are interwar Khotans, many with pleasingly soft decorative palettes. The non-Turkmen nomads include the Kazakh, Kirghiz, Uzbek, and Karakalpak groups. Like the Turkmen, they were once all seasonally migratory, dwelling in round felt tents (yurts), but have been settled, at least partially, in the villages, and have taken up crafts and agriculture instead of sheep herding. As a result, carpet production has transitioned from domestic tent use to commercial sale, but the roots of long traditions are still evident. The Uzbeks weave...

A modern Turkish flat-weave Kilim large room size carpet handmade during the 21st century. Measures: 13' 2" x 16' 6" Flat-weave rugs carpets: Knotted pile rugs are just one small part of a vast universe of textile techniques suitable for heavy use. If you can imagine it, some weaver has tried it out. Pieces can be roughly divided into those reversible from the start and those never, or at least not initially, reversible. Thus, kilims are considered reversible, while everything else is not. Kilims are tapestry woven rugs with both sides the same, in either slit technique where colors change, or with various methods of avoiding slits. Slit tapestry weave goes back to ancient times and Coptic...

A modern Patchwork style accent carpet handmade using vintage Turkish flat-weave Kilim rugs from the mid-20th century that have been overdyed red and stitched together. Measures: 5' 2" x 7' 2" Flat-weave rugs carpets: Knotted pile rugs are just one small part of a vast universe of textile techniques suitable for heavy use. If you can imagine it, some weaver has tried it out. Pieces can be roughly divided into those reversible from the start and those never, or at least not initially, reversible. Thus, kilims are considered reversible, while everything else is not. Kilims are tapestry woven rugs with both sides the same, in either slit technique where colors change, or with various methods of avoiding slits. Slit tapestry weave goes back to ancient times and Coptic Egyptian...

A vintage Turkish flat-weave Kilim room size carpet handmade during the mid-20th century. Measures: 10' 1" x 14' 0" Flat-weave rugs carpets: Knotted pile rugs are just one small part of a vast universe of textile techniques suitable for heavy use. If you can imagine it, some weaver has tried it out. Pieces can be roughly divided into those reversible from the start and those never, or at least not initially, reversible. Thus, kilims are considered reversible, while everything else is not. Kilims are tapestry woven rugs with both sides the same, in either slit technique where colors change, or with various methods of avoiding slits. Slit tapestry weave goes back to ancient times and Coptic Egyptian weavers used it for ornaments on garments and larger wall hangings. Slits can be avoided by dovetailing of colors (warp sharing) or by interlocking the wefts. The Navajo weavers of the Southwest practice the first while the fine shawl weavers of Kashmir and Kerman employed the second. Interlocking produces a one-faced fabric, with smooth and rough, ridged faces. The typical Turkish, Caucasian, or Persian rustic kilim shows slits, but never long ones. Aubusson French carpets are also slit tapestries and the long color transitions are sewn up as part of the regular maintenance. Some kilims are very fine. The best antique urban Sehna (Senna) kilims on wool, cotton or silk warps approximate the comparable rugs in refinement and are the most desirable of all Persian kilims. Although the various flatweave techniques are usually expressed in geometric, simple, often repeating, patterns, Sehna kilims demonstrate that even the most intricate designs can be effectively rendered in flat-stich. The term ‘kilim’ has been extended to cover any pileless, weft-faced heavy textile. Thus, the sectioned and joined northeastern Persian horizontally striped wool rugs are called ‘kilims’. So are the plain-weave end finishes of pile rugs. All these are weft-faced, weft patterned flatweaves. These sectioned pieces are woven not on a frame loom, but one steadied by the weaver at one end and with the warps fastened down at the other. Only relatively recent have these tribal pieces become available. They are used as floorcoverings, hangings, room dividers, furniture covers. They are mostly bitonal in shades of natural dark brown and beige. Some more recent pieces show weaver innovations with ikat and moire effects. Work proceeds quickly and a skilled weaver can complete a thirty foot strip in almost no time. Wefts, the elements added as weaving progresses, play an essential part in what is a flatweave. The best-known example of an extra-weft, wrapping technique is on Caucasian and tribal Persian Soumaks, where a pattern weft wraps around the fixed warp, changing as weaving progresses. Soumaks can be large carpets, Kuba in the Caucasus, small bag faces (Caucasian and Persian Shah Savan saddle bags), or cover scatter rugs (Persian Afshars). The Soumak technique is fast, and a weaver can work much more quickly than tying knots. The left-over wefts are cut off on the back, so the front and back are initially different. As a Soumak on the floor gets used, these weft yarns wear away and the two sides converge although the exact texture remains distinct. There are other ways of pattern by weft. Often on smaller tribal pieces, the pattern weft(s) is (are) part of the weft structure, moving in an out, and holding the whole thing together. These wefts can be complementary or added (supplementary), continuous across the flatweave or cut off as they travel unneeded across the verso. Supplementary weft flatweaves are often very compact and substantial. The nomadic Turkmen and Balouch tribes employ both supplementary and complementary weft techniques on their pieces. Supplementary wefts are often raised on the recto (front) while complementary wefts are flat to the surface. Tribal Kurds employ this extra-wefting technique. The Balouch of Pakistan use complementary wefts almost exclusively on their small woven paraphernalia like salt bags. Flatweave techniques may be combined on a single piece. Afshar rugs employ plain-weave end strips, preceded by Soumak bands, with pile sections between. The large Bakhtiari saddlebags feature Soumak work, pile “islands” an areas of plain-weave. Qashqai rugs and kilims frequently displays checkerboard end strips in continuous, complementary wefting. Another distinct flatweave type is the jajim (jijim, cecim) in which a pattern is added with colored wefts as the weaving of the plain-weave ground progresses. Here the wefts are discontinuous and the pattern stands proud from the voided ground. Often made in two pieces on narrow looms and edge-sewn together, these may have geometric patterns. The term ‘jajim’ also refers to the assembled warp-faced strip and stripe covers from the Shah Savan of northwest Persia, the pattern is defined by warps alone, usually in plain stripes, but sometimes in designs of ladders, snakes, human figures and various animals. Here the color changing warps are continuous. Most are wool, a few are silk. Better to call these something else. Indian ‘Dhurries’ are all cotton kilims and ‘shatrangis’ employ wool wefts on cotton warps. Dhurries are slitless. The cotton texture is more appropriate to the humid and warm climate of the Indian subcontinent. Modern Dhurries...

A vintage Turkish flat-weave Kilim room size carpet handmade during the mid-20th century. Measures: 10' 7" x 13' 7" Flat-weave rugs carpets: Knotted pile rugs are just one small part of a vast universe of textile techniques suitable for heavy use. If you can imagine it, some weaver has tried it out. Pieces can be roughly divided into those reversible from the start and those never, or at least not initially, reversible. Thus, kilims are considered reversible, while everything else is not. Kilims are tapestry woven rugs with both sides the same, in either slit technique where colors change, or with various methods of avoiding slits. Slit tapestry weave goes back to ancient times and Coptic Egyptian weavers used it for ornaments on garments and larger wall hangings. Slits can be avoided by dovetailing of colors (warp sharing) or by interlocking the wefts. The Navajo weavers of the Southwest practice the first while the fine shawl weavers of Kashmir and Kerman employed the second. Interlocking produces a one-faced fabric, with smooth and rough, ridged faces. The typical Turkish, Caucasian, or Persian rustic kilim shows slits, but never long ones. Aubusson French carpets are also slit tapestries and the long color transitions are sewn up as part of the regular maintenance. Some kilims are very fine. The best antique urban Sehna (Senna) kilims on wool, cotton or silk warps approximate the comparable rugs in refinement and are the most desirable of all Persian kilims. Although the various flatweave techniques are usually expressed in geometric, simple, often repeating, patterns, Sehna kilims demonstrate that even the most intricate designs can be effectively rendered in flat-stich. The term ‘kilim’ has been extended to cover any pileless, weft-faced heavy textile. Thus, the sectioned and joined northeastern Persian horizontally striped wool rugs are called ‘kilims’. So are the plain-weave end finishes of pile rugs. All these are weft-faced, weft patterned flatweaves. These sectioned pieces are woven not on a frame loom, but one steadied by the weaver at one end and with the warps fastened down at the other. Only relatively recent have these tribal pieces become available. They are used as floorcoverings, hangings, room dividers, furniture covers. They are mostly bitonal in shades of natural dark brown and beige. Some more recent pieces show weaver innovations with ikat and moire effects. Work proceeds quickly and a skilled weaver can complete a thirty foot strip in almost no time. Wefts, the elements added as weaving progresses, play an essential part in what is a flatweave. The best-known example of an extra-weft, wrapping technique is on Caucasian and tribal Persian Soumaks, where a pattern weft wraps around the fixed warp, changing as weaving progresses. Soumaks can be large carpets, Kuba in the Caucasus, small bag faces (Caucasian and Persian Shah Savan saddle bags), or cover scatter rugs (Persian Afshars). The Soumak technique is fast, and a weaver can work much more quickly than tying knots. The left-over wefts are cut off on the back, so the front and back are initially different. As a Soumak on the floor gets used, these weft yarns wear away and the two sides converge although the exact texture remains distinct. There are other ways of pattern by weft. Often on smaller tribal pieces, the pattern weft(s) is (are) part of the weft structure, moving in an out, and holding the whole thing together. These wefts can be complementary or added (supplementary), continuous across the flatweave or cut off as they travel unneeded across the verso. Supplementary weft flatweaves are often very compact and substantial. The nomadic Turkmen and Balouch tribes employ both supplementary and complementary weft techniques on their pieces. Supplementary wefts are often raised on the recto (front) while complementary wefts are flat to the surface. Tribal Kurds employ this extra-wefting technique. The Balouch of Pakistan use complementary wefts almost exclusively on their small woven paraphernalia like salt bags. Flatweave techniques may be combined on a single piece. Afshar rugs employ plain-weave end strips, preceded by Soumak bands, with pile sections between. The large Bakhtiari saddlebags feature Soumak work, pile “islands” an areas of plain-weave. Qashqai rugs and kilims frequently displays checkerboard end strips in continuous, complementary wefting. Another distinct flatweave type is the jajim (jijim, cecim) in which a pattern is added with colored wefts as the weaving of the plain-weave ground progresses. Here the wefts are discontinuous and the pattern stands proud from the voided ground. Often made in two pieces on narrow looms and edge-sewn together, these may have geometric patterns. The term ‘jajim’ also refers to the assembled warp-faced strip and stripe covers from the Shah Savan of northwest Persia, the pattern is defined by warps alone, usually in plain stripes, but sometimes in designs of ladders, snakes, human figures and various animals. Here the color changing warps are continuous. Most are wool, a few are silk. Better to call these something else. Indian ‘Dhurries’ are all cotton kilims and ‘shatrangis’ employ wool wefts on cotton warps. Dhurries are slitless. The cotton texture is more appropriate to the humid and warm climate of the Indian subcontinent. Modern Dhurries...

A vintage Turkish flat-weave Kilim room size carpet handmade during the mid-20th century. Measures: 10' 7" x 12' 9" Flat-weave rugs carpets: Knotted pile rugs are just one small part of a vast universe of textile techniques suitable for heavy use. If you can imagine it, some weaver has tried it out. Pieces can be roughly divided into those reversible from the start and those never, or at least not initially, reversible. Thus, kilims are considered reversible, while everything else is not. Kilims are tapestry woven rugs with both sides the same, in either slit technique where colors change, or with various methods of avoiding slits. Slit tapestry weave goes back to ancient times and Coptic...

A vintage Turkish flat-weave Kilim room size carpet handmade during the mid-20th century. Measures: 10' 5" x 13' 5" Flat-weave rugs carpets: Knotted pile rugs are just one small part of a vast universe of textile techniques suitable for heavy use. If you can imagine it, some weaver has tried it out. Pieces can be roughly divided into those reversible from the start and those never, or at least not initially, reversible. Thus, kilims are considered reversible, while everything else is not. Kilims are tapestry woven rugs with both sides the same, in either slit technique where colors change, or with various methods of avoiding slits. Slit tapestry weave goes back to ancient times and Coptic Egyptian weavers used it for ornaments on garments and larger wall hangings. Slits can be avoided by dovetailing of colors (warp sharing) or by interlocking the wefts. The Navajo weavers of the Southwest practice the first while the fine shawl weavers of Kashmir and Kerman employed the second. Interlocking produces a one-faced fabric, with smooth and rough, ridged faces. The typical Turkish, Caucasian, or Persian rustic kilim shows slits, but never long ones. Aubusson French carpets are also slit tapestries and the long color transitions are sewn up as part of the regular maintenance. Some kilims are very fine. The best antique urban Sehna (Senna) kilims on wool, cotton or silk warps approximate the comparable rugs in refinement and are the most desirable of all Persian kilims. Although the various flatweave techniques are usually expressed in geometric, simple, often repeating, patterns, Sehna kilims demonstrate that even the most intricate designs can be effectively rendered in flat-stich. The term ‘kilim’ has been extended to cover any pileless, weft-faced heavy textile. Thus, the sectioned and joined northeastern Persian horizontally striped wool rugs are called ‘kilims’. So are the plain-weave end finishes of pile rugs. All these are weft-faced, weft patterned flatweaves. These sectioned pieces are woven not on a frame loom, but one steadied by the weaver at one end and with the warps fastened down at the other. Only relatively recent have these tribal pieces become available. They are used as floorcoverings, hangings, room dividers, furniture covers. They are mostly bitonal in shades of natural dark brown and beige. Some more recent pieces show weaver innovations with ikat and moire effects. Work proceeds quickly and a skilled weaver can complete a thirty foot strip in almost no time. Wefts, the elements added as weaving progresses, play an essential part in what is a flatweave. The best-known example of an extra-weft, wrapping technique is on Caucasian and tribal Persian Soumaks, where a pattern weft wraps around the fixed warp, changing as weaving progresses. Soumaks can be large carpets, Kuba in the Caucasus, small bag faces (Caucasian and Persian Shah Savan saddle bags), or cover scatter rugs (Persian Afshars). The Soumak technique is fast, and a weaver can work much more quickly than tying knots. The left-over wefts are cut off on the back, so the front and back are initially different. As a Soumak on the floor gets used, these weft yarns wear away and the two sides converge although the exact texture remains distinct. There are other ways of pattern by weft. Often on smaller tribal pieces, the pattern weft(s) is (are) part of the weft structure, moving in an out, and holding the whole thing together. These wefts can be complementary or added (supplementary), continuous across the flatweave or cut off as they travel unneeded across the verso. Supplementary weft flatweaves are often very compact and substantial. The nomadic Turkmen and Balouch tribes employ both supplementary and complementary weft techniques on their pieces. Supplementary wefts are often raised on the recto (front) while complementary wefts are flat to the surface. Tribal Kurds employ this extra-wefting technique. The Balouch of Pakistan use complementary wefts almost exclusively on their small woven paraphernalia like salt bags. Flatweave techniques may be combined on a single piece. Afshar rugs employ plain-weave end strips, preceded by Soumak bands, with pile sections between. The large Bakhtiari saddlebags feature Soumak work, pile “islands” an areas of plain-weave. Qashqai rugs and kilims frequently displays checkerboard end strips in continuous, complementary wefting. Another distinct flatweave type is the jajim (jijim, cecim) in which a pattern is added with colored wefts as the weaving of the plain-weave ground progresses. Here the wefts are discontinuous and the pattern stands proud from the voided ground. Often made in two pieces on narrow looms and edge-sewn together, these may have geometric patterns. The term ‘jajim’ also refers to the assembled warp-faced strip and stripe covers from the Shah Savan of northwest Persia, the pattern is defined by warps alone, usually in plain stripes, but sometimes in designs of ladders, snakes, human figures and various animals. Here the color changing warps are continuous. Most are wool, a few are silk. Better to call these something else. Indian ‘Dhurries’ are all cotton kilims and ‘shatrangis’ employ wool wefts on cotton warps. Dhurries are slitless. The cotton texture is more appropriate to the humid and warm climate of the Indian subcontinent. Modern Dhurries...

A vintage Turkish flat-weave Kilim accent carpet handmade during the mid-20th century. Measures: 6' 10" x 9' 7" Flat-weave rugs carpets: Knotted pile rugs are just one small part of a vast universe of textile techniques suitable for heavy use. If you can imagine it, some weaver has tried it out. Pieces can be roughly divided into those reversible from the start and those never, or at least not initially, reversible. Thus, kilims are considered reversible, while everything else is not. Kilims are tapestry woven rugs with both sides the same, in either slit technique where colors change, or with various methods of avoiding slits. Slit tapestry weave goes back to ancient times and Coptic Egyptian weavers used it for ornaments on garments and larger wall hangings. Slits can be avoided by dovetailing of colors (warp sharing) or by interlocking the wefts. The Navajo weavers of the Southwest practice the first while the Fine shawl weavers of Kashmir and Kerman employed the second. Interlocking produces a one-faced fabric, with smooth and rough, ridged faces. The typical Turkish, Caucasian, or Persian rustic Kilim shows slits, but never long ones. Aubusson French carpets are also slit tapestries and the long color transitions are sewn up as part of the regular maintenance. Some kilims are very Fine. The best antique urban Sehna (Senna) kilims on wool, cotton or silk warps approximate the comparable rugs in refinement and are the most desirable of all Persian kilims. Although the various flatweave techniques are usually expressed in geometric, simple, often repeating, patterns, Sehna kilims demonstrate that even the most intricate designs can be effectively rendered in flat-stich. The term ‘Kilim’ has been extended to cover any pileless, weft-faced heavy textile. Thus, the sectioned and joined northeastern Persian horizontally striped wool rugs are called ‘kilims’. So are the plain-weave end finishes of pile rugs. All these are weft-faced, weft patterned flatweaves. These sectioned pieces are woven not on a frame loom, but one steadied by the weaver at one end and with the warps fastened down at the other. Only relatively recent have these tribal pieces become available. They are used as floorcoverings, hangings, room dividers, furniture covers. They are mostly bitonal in shades of natural dark brown and beige. Some more recent pieces show weaver innovations with ikat and moire effects. Work proceeds quickly and a skilled weaver can complete a thirty foot strip in almost no time. Wefts, the elements added as weaving progresses, play an essential part in what is a flatweave. The best-known example of an extra-weft, wrapping technique is on Caucasian and tribal Persian Soumaks, where a pattern weft wraps around the fixed warp, changing as weaving progresses. Soumaks can be large carpets, Kuba in the Caucasus, small bag faces (Caucasian and Persian Shah Savan saddle bags), or cover scatter rugs (Persian Afshars). The Soumak technique is fast, and a weaver can work much more quickly than tying knots. The left-over wefts are cut off on the back, so the front and back are initially different. As a Soumak on the floor gets used, these weft yarns wear away and the two sides converge although the exact texture remains distinct. There are other ways of pattern by weft. Often on smaller tribal pieces, the pattern weft(s) is (are) part of the weft structure, moving in an out, and holding the whole thing together. These wefts can be complementary or added (supplementary), continuous across the flatweave or cut off as they travel unneeded across the verso. Supplementary weft flatweaves are often very compact and substantial. The nomadic Turkmen and Balouch tribes employ both supplementary and complementary weft techniques on their pieces. Supplementary wefts are often raised on the recto (front) while complementary wefts are flat to the surface. Tribal Kurds employ this extra-wefting technique. The Balouch of Pakistan use complementary wefts almost exclusively on their small woven paraphernalia like salt bags. Flatweave techniques may be combined on a single piece. Afshar rugs employ plain-weave end strips, preceded by Soumak bands, with pile sections between. The large Bakhtiari saddlebags feature Soumak work, pile “islands” an areas of plain-weave. Qashqai rugs and kilims frequently displays checkerboard end strips in continuous, complementary wefting. Another distinct flatweave type is the jajim (jijim, cecim) in which a pattern is added with colored wefts as the weaving of the plain-weave ground progresses. Here the wefts are discontinuous and the pattern stands proud from the voided ground. Often made in two pieces on narrow looms and edge-sewn together, these may have geometric patterns. The term ‘jajim’ also refers to the assembled warp-faced strip and stripe covers from the Shah Savan of northwest Persia, the pattern is defined by warps alone, usually in plain stripes, but sometimes in designs of ladders, snakes, human figures and various animals. Here the color changing warps are continuous. Most are wool, a few are silk. Better to call these something else. Indian ‘Dhurries’ are all cotton kilims and ‘shatrangis’ employ wool wefts on cotton warps. Dhurries are slitless. The cotton texture is more appropriate to the humid and warm climate of the Indian subcontinent. Modern Dhurries...

A vintage Turkish flat-weave Kilim room size carpet handmade during the mid-20th century. Measures: 10' 5" x 14' 2" Flat-weave rugs carpets: Knotted pile rugs are just one small part of a vast universe of textile techniques suitable for heavy use. If you can imagine it, some weaver has tried it out. Pieces can be roughly divided into those reversible from the start and those never, or at least not initially, reversible. Thus, kilims are considered reversible, while everything else is not. Kilims are tapestry woven rugs with both sides the same, in either slit technique where colors change, or with various methods of avoiding slits. Slit tapestry weave goes back to ancient times and Coptic...

A vintage Persian flat-weave Kilim room size carpet handmade during the mid-20th century. Measures: 8' 5" x 12' 0" Flat-weave Rugs Carpets: Knotted pile rugs are just on...

A vintage Turkish flat-weave Kilim throw rug handmade during the mid-20th century with a tribal design. Measures: 3' 6" x 5' 0" Flat-weave Rugs Carpets: Knotted pile rug...

A vintage European flat-weave Kilim throw rug handmade in Poland during the mid-20th century. Measures: 3' 5" x 5' 11" Flat-weave rugs carpets: Knotted pile rugs are jus...

A vintage Turkish flat-weave Kilim room-size carpet in square format handmade during the mid-20th century with a colorful contemporary pattern in a tribal manner. The overall effect ...

A modern Turkish flat-weave Kilim large room size carpet handmade during the 21st century inspired by vintage Swedish / Scandinavian Kilims from the mid-20th century period. Measu...

A vintage Turkish flat-weave Kilim accent carpet handmade during the mid-20th century. Measures: 5' 9" x 7' 10" Flat-weave Rugs Carpets: Knotted pile rugs are just one s...

A modern Turkish flat-weave Kilim room size carpet handmade during the 21st century with a contemporary and colorful design. Measures: 10' 9" x 13' 5" Flat-weave Rugs Car...

A vintage Turkish flat-weave Kilim room size carpet handmade during the mid-20th century. Measures: 10' 1" x 13' 6" Flat-weave Rugs Carpets: Knotted pile rugs are just o...

A vintage Turkish flat-weave Kilim room size carpet handmade during the mid-20th century. Measures: 9' 0" x 12' 2" Flat-weave rugs carpets: Knotted pile rugs are just on...

A vintage Turkish flat-weave Kilim room size carpet handmade during the mid-20th century in shades of white. Measures: 9' 1" x 13' 10" Flat-weave Rugs Carpets: Knotted p...

A vintage Turkish flat-weave Kilim room size carpet handmade during the mid-20th century with a salt and pepper pattern in white-beige. Measures: 10' 2" x 13' 3" Flat-weave rug...

A vintage Turkish flat-weave Kilim accent rug handmade during the mid-20th century with an asymmetrical horizontally striped design in shades of red and black. Measures: 5' 9" x 7...

A modern Turkish flat-weave Kilim large room size carpet handmade during the 21st century with a horizontally striped pattern in soft, but colorful tones similar to the style of Amer...

A modern Turkish flat-weave Kilim large room size carpet handmade during the 21st century with a colorful pastel geometric large scale pattern resembling circus tents over a white-be...

A vintage Turkish flat-weave Kilim accent rug handmade during the mid-20th century with an offset horizontally striped pattern in shades of brown, cream, and black. Measures: 6' 2...

A modern Turkish flat-weave Kilim room size rug handmade during the 21st century with a colorful horizontally striped pattern. A statement piece with its bright and whimsical colors....

A modern Turkish flat-weave Kilim large room size carpet handmade during the 21st century with a geometric large scale diamond-shaped pattern in earth tones with an overall khaki gre...

A modern Turkish flat-weave Kilim room size carpet handmade during the 21st century with a large-scale geometric contemporary pattern in jewel tones over a white and beige striated b...

A modern Turkish flat-weave Kilim large room size carpet handmade during the 21st century with a large-scale geometric contemporary pattern in ruby red. Measures: 13' 6" x 16' 5" ...

A vintage Turkish flat-weave Kilim room size carpet handmade during the mid-20th century with a salt and pepper design creating an overall grey tone. Measures: 9' 11" x 13' 3" ...