Antique French Aubusson Rug BB2797 10'9" × 17'6" $60,000

An early 20th century French Aubusson carpet, the pale mint green spacious field with an allover design of light purple and cream scrolling leafy vinery.

French Aubusson Rugs production was introduced to Europe by the Moors of Spain between the eighth and thirteenth centuries. While Oriental rugs initially had a significant influence on European rugs designs, various regions came to develop their own unique styles and techniques over time. In France, starting in the seventeenth century, factories in Savonnerie and Aubusson began producing some of the most exceptional rugs of the last few centuries. From 1660 until 1743 Savonnerie was a manufacture royal, carrying out commissions for pile rugs and antique European carpets specifically designed for the Royal Palaces. In England, high-quality rug production in the town of Axminster in the late 18th century gradually paved the way for the Arts and Crafts rugs in the late nineteenth century when William Morris designed a pattern for an Axminster antique rug.