Mid-Century “Ratmattan” Swedish Rug by Marta Maas-Fjetterstrom. Woven signature to edge “MMF” BB6017 8'2" × 9'3" $9,000

This circa-1940 vintage Swedish flat weave rug by Märta Måås-Fjetterström, titled “Ratmattan,” features a checkered pattern of squares in light, spring-like hues of green, pink and blue, with interspersed geometric abstractions. Maas-Fjetterstrom (1873-1941) was a leading figure in Swedish textile design, with a workshop known for producing well-composed rugs incorporating traditional Swedish and modern motifs. In Sweden, carpets and rugs have been hand-knotted in wool for centuries, taking on many different forms and functions over the course of time. By the beginning of the twentieth century, the craft was seen as being an important artistic and cultural practice throughout Sweden, and designers began to make rugs that had a broad international appeal. Scandinavian rugs from the mid-twentieth century, endorsed by such fixtures of modernism as Le Corbusier, Ray Eames and Frank Lloyd Wright, remain among the most desirable and sought after in the rug world.