Mid-20th century Swedish Flat-Weave Wool Rug “Bjorkhult” by Judith Johansson BB6157 7'3" × 9'5" $12,000

This circa-1930 vintage Swedish flat weave rug by Judith Johansson, titled “Bjorkhult,” features a striking open space of neutral gray in the center. The central design is surrounded by geometric abstractions in autumnal shades of orange, brown and yellow, suggesting leaves and forests. Fringe at both ends completes the look of the vintage carpet. In Sweden, carpets and Scandinavian area 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 antique oriental rugs for sale that had a broad international appeal. Scandinavian vintage 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 area rug world.