Early 20th Century Savonerie Rug Decorated with Flower Garlands, 1890s

The French manufacture of the Savonnerie was the most prestigious European manufacturer of pile-knotted carpets. The manufacture originated in a rug factory created in a disused soap (in French savon) factory on the Quai de Chaillot in Paris in 1615 by Pierre DuPont who had returned from Constantinople. The name of the manufactory, by commercial custom, is applied to knotted rugs from other European manufactures, the most famous being undoubtedly the Spanish manufactory, which made even huge rugs for the Royal House. The decorations were greatly inspired by French production; the symmetrical knot tying technique was the same. The decor traced the predominant style in the furnishings of the various historical periods. The Savonnerie we present has a Louis XV style, and the dark brown color of the background accentuates its sumptuousness. A showy rug, but also very elegant, capable of making any room important.