Mid-20th Century Handwoven Moroccan Shaggy Wool Rug BB5270 5'0" × 6'5" $3,000

This modernist vintage Moroccan carpet is an abstract geometric piece with blocks of color in pink, yellow, white and black composing its shaggy surface. Comfortable, visually stunning and part of a rich carpet-weaving tradition, this antique rug is a unique piece of quality home decor. Vintage rugs have been woven by the indigenous people of Morocco since the Paleolithic Era.

Traditionally, Moroccan rugs have been woven by tribal peoples for their utility rather than for decorative purposes. Moroccan rugs experienced a growth in popularity in the West with mid-century modern designers – such as Le Corbusier – who paired the thick piled Berber Moroccan style rugs with their sleek furniture. Many of these Berber carpets are woven by the Beni Ourain peoples from the Rif Mountains near Taza. Colors vary from neutral shades to bright, eye-catching hues, with designs ranging from ordered geometric shapes to a more free-form pattern. Part of the appeal to the modernists is the primitivism in the carpets, making it fit wonderfully with modernist themes.

From versatile flatweaves to shaggy hand-knotted area rugs or runners, Moroccan rugs are both decorative and functional. They are valued for their technical qualities, expert use of fibers, great tensile strength, and abrasion resistance. Without a doubt, the original tribal Moroccan rugs from the Doris Leslie Blau collection bring character and a touch of worldliness to an interior.