Mid-20th century Yellow-Green and Blue Striped Indian Dhurrie Runner BB5891 3'10" × 27'4" $20,000

This circa-1940 antique Indian Dhurrie runner area rug features an all-over design of repeating rectangular geometric abstractions in shades of yellow-green against a field of multicolored stripes. The striking linear character of the antique runner carpet speaks to its value as a hand-woven textile from a rich antique rug-making tradition.

A Dhurrie is a flat-woven cotton vintage carpet bag from India. In the twentieth century, these antique flat-woven indinan dhurrie carpets began to be recognized and lauded as a significant art form from the Indian subcontinent. Transcending social boundaries, the Dhurrie carpet was used by both commoner and royalty; at its simplest it was a multi-purpose textile used as a floor covering, bedding or packaging, while at its most elaborate it was woven with the finest fibers and enhanced by gold-wrapped thread when gracing royal palaces.