Old Chinese - Rug - 190 cm - 160 cm - Baotou

Old Chinese Baotou carpet, late 19th century – 190 x 160 cm – Hand-knotted – Elegant antique Chinese carpet from the late 19th century, featuring a remarkable floral design on a subtly blue background. The central field is adorned with a circular floral medallion, surrounded by rich bouquets in the corner spandrels. The whole is framed by a beautiful border with a Greek key motif, typical of Chinese production of that era. Its refined palette of blues and whites gives it a particularly attractive decorative presence, ideal in a classical, Art Deco, or contemporary interior. Condition: Carpet sold in its discovered state. Extremely dusty, requiring a full cleaning. Contains several old restorations, notably along the border and in the field. Despite these imperfections, it retains a strong decorative power and authentic charm. Dimensions: 190 x 160 cm Origin: China Epoch: Late 19th century Material: Hand-knotted wool History: Baotou carpets (or Pao-tou in the old transcription) are traditional Chinese carpets woven in the city of Baotou, Inner Mongolia. They are among the Chinese carpets most sought after by collectors for their wool quality and pictorial motifs. Origins: The Baotou region is located in the great steppes of Inner Mongolia, an area favorable to sheep herding. Thanks to the abundance of quality wool, the art of carpet weaving developed there from the 19th century. According to local sources, the weaving know-how would have been introduced during the Tongzhi period of the Qing dynasty (around 1862-1874) by artisans from the neighboring Ningxia; Golden Age and decline: The golden age of Baotou carpets is between the late 19th century and the 1930s. Pieces from this period were exported to Europe and America, where they were appreciated for their Art Deco style and originality. After the political upheavals of the mid-20th century and the industrialization of the region, traditional artisanal production greatly declined. Old Baotou carpets are now sought after on the antiquities market.