Vintage Tibetan Monastic Runner BB5716 2'9" × 7'4" $4,000

This circa-1920 antique Tibetan monastic runner features an all-over design of geometric motifs in earthy shades of red and green, with a pile border in black. The richly saturated colors make the antique runner carpet an intriguing piece of home decor. Tibetan vintage rug making is an ancient, culturally specific craft that can be traced back to roughly the 17th century.

Typically made from Tibetan highland sheep wool called ‘changpel,’ Tibetan carpets are used for a variety of purposes, including for flooring, wall-hangings and horse saddles. While the introduction of modern technology has relegated some aspects of rug making to machines in workshops, the finest Tibetan carpets and Chinese Art Deco rugs are still created the old-fashioned way – by hand. Designs of Tibetan antique rugs have largely been influenced by Chinese designs and sometime incorporated traditional folk motifs.