Mid-20th Century Mongolian Geometric Ivory, Brown, Grey Flat-Weave Wool Rug BB5746 5'6" × 7'4" $8,000

This circa-1940 vintage Mongolian rug features a design of geometric abstractions in colors of brown, gray and blue. The stark simplicity and minimalism of the vintage carpet make for a bold over-all statement. Most pile antique rugs from Mongolia, which likely began to be produced in the 19th century reflect the influence of antique Chinese carpet designs and frequently have geometrical motifs.

Generally smaller in size, they tend to have cotton foundations and are woven with asymmetrical knots. Stylistically, Mongolian vintage rugs often feature a variety of Chinese patterns and Buddhist symbols drawn in a simplified manner. Weavers in Mongolia used more restricted color schemes than Chinese counterparts, but they also used colors differently to produce decorative variegation and textural patterns. In general, Mongolian carpets depict Chinese-influenced patterns, such as fretwork spandrels, endless knots, shou symbols, tigers and Buddhist motifs. They also have a preference for eastern design principles that use negative space effectively.