Chinese Vintage Floral Light Gray Hand-Knotted Silk Runner (Fragment) BB8943 1'10" × 10'8" $8,000

This rare 19th-century Chinese silk runner fragment is a poetic remnant of imperial textile artistry. Woven circa 1850, it showcases the exquisite finesse of hand-knotted silk—a medium historically reserved for China’s nobility and elite. With its narrow and elongated proportions, this piece was likely part of a palace corridor runner or intended for ceremonial use in a grand interior.

The runner presents an ethereal palette dominated by silvery celadon and misty blue hues that shimmer subtly across its surface. The tone-on-tone pattern reveals scrolling vine motifs with stylized lotus leaves and tendrils—emblems of harmony, beauty, and transcendence in classical Chinese art. The composition is rendered with painterly delicacy, and the interplay between high and low silk pile gives the surface a subtle, tactile dimension, enriching the rug’s visual and textural depth.

Though fragmentary, the piece retains a strong aesthetic impact. Its restrained elegance and faded grandeur speak of its storied past while offering timeless sophistication. It can serve today as a refined wall hanging, a narrow corridor accent, or even be integrated into a contemporary decorative installation.

Rich in heritage and artistry, this handmade rug exemplifies the high standards of Doris Leslie Blau’s curated pieces. With a wide range of prices, Doris Leslie Blau makes exceptional rugs accessible to collectors and designers alike.