Turkish Hereke Antique Floral Red, Green, Blue and Yellow Handwoven Rug BB6044 11'5" × 16'5" $80,000

This circa-1920 antique Turkish Hereke rug features an ornate, elaborate all-over design of floral abstractions and arabesques in shades of green, blue and yellow against a field of rich red. Common staples of antique oriental rugs weaving, such as the boteh – the paisley shape representing a leaf or a pinecone – as well as the herati pattern (typically a flower centered in a diamond and framed by diagonal leaves) can be spotted throughout the intricate early 20th century antique Turkish rug. In the early nineteenth century, on the outskirts of Istanbul, the Hereke carpet workshop was established, becoming famous for producing exceptional, finely woven carpets of outstanding technical ability. These antique Hereke rugs often feature luxurious materials such as silk and metal-thread worked into designs emulating the antique Persian carpets of the Ottoman and Safavid Court workshops.