Vintage Samarkand Beige and Brown Handwoven Wool Rug BB5803 5'0" × 7'2" $8,000

This circa-1920 vintage Khotan Samarkand rug features a central dusty rose roundel containing stylized pomegranate vinery, and flowering branches and rosette patterns in shades of dark brown and light beige against a light brown field; a polychrome border with rosette designs and an outer key pattern border complete the look of the vintage carpet. An inner border composed of repeating swastika patterns encases the central design. A staple of Samarkand carpet themes, typically ones of Indian origin, the swastika symbol denotes infinity.

The vintage antique oriental rugs from Kashgar, Yarkand and Khotan in the Chinese occupied Autonomous Region of Sikiang are collectively known as Samarkands – lands of arid steppes, deserts and mountain ranges traversed for thousands of years by caravans of merchants and traders from China to Western Europe along the Silk Route. Vintage rugs for sale from this region are typically rendered in a glossy wool, occasionally embellished with richly brocaded silk and metal-thread.