Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Purple, Blue Handmade Wool Rug by Paule Leleu BB5009 8'0" × 9'8" $31,000

A French Deco antique rug attributed to Paule Leleu. An allover grid pattern is rendered in a red, white, and blue color palette. Rectangles are the dominant motif, and each incorporates a floral design.

Vintage rugs – they are essential objects of desire of not only vintage trend followers but all aficionados of beauty and sublime design. There is a good reason for such vast recognition, as vintage carpets constitute the core of taste and artistry of 20th-century progressive thought. They are clearly defined by the past century’s celebration of new ideas, modern lifestyle, and the Renaissance of all arts, which happened about that time. The category of European Art Deco rugs has many faces – there are numerous aspects, such as historical period, style, fashion, culture, symbolism, and philosophy, which add up to form the dazzling array of vintage carpets. Among this sensational collection, one will find pieces from Scandinavia, Morocco, China, England, and Continental Europe – in brief, from all over the world.

Art Deco is a style of visual arts, architecture, and design that first appeared in France just before World War I. The Art Deco movement led to a fast evolution of rug and textile design, among other art forms. Rug design evolved from traditional floral and highly ornamental to a style of angular elegance with geometric, abstract, and modern figurative motifs. The design is frequently spare, geometric, and architectural. The rugs created during this period remain elegant and refined to this day.