Inquire About this Volume

Learn more about this volume
by calling an expert on our team.

African Textiles

NO. B114

John Gillow.

$35

Available: Shipping As Soon As Tomorrow

Thames and Hudson, 2016

This book comprehensively surveys and celebrates in over 570 spectacular colour photographs the traditional, handcrafted, indigenous textiles of the entire continent of Africa. Covering, region by region, the handmade textiles of West, North, East, Central and Southern Africa, African Textiles outlines the vast array of techniques used as well as the different types of loom, materials and dyes that help to create these sumptuous textiles. In addition, the important influences on textile production - religion, culture, trade, tradition, fashion and the changing role of women - are assessed in each of the different regions of Africa. With a useful glossary and map, a guide to collections open to the public, and suggestions for further reading, this book provides a wealth of information on the rich art of African textiles.

"Rug & Kilim is my go to resource for rugs. Their selection is wide and deep, and Josh’s eye for antique pieces is extraordinary. I always walk away with great pieces, and they are a pleasure to collaborate with. They’ve been my trusted partner on projects for years."

— Ann Wolf, Wolf Holden Design Studio

View Similar

Specifications:

Measurements: 0'8" x 0'11" ( 0.22 m x 0.28 m )
Categories: Textile, Volumes
Classification: African, Tapestry & Textile
SKU: B114

From The Journal

Stories from the Volumes Collection

Essays, artist dialogues, and provenance notes drawn from Rug & Kilim’s editorial desk.

August 19, 2026

Christian Bérard, Jean-Michel Frank, and the Making of Nelson Rockefeller’s Most Personal Room

In April 1939, the SS Normandie docked in New York Harbor carrying, somewhere in her hold, a rolled carpet. The Normandie was herself the most extravagant object afloat; an emblem of French luxury and design, her marble lounges dressed with Aubusson carpets, signed furniture, and exceptional lighting, a vessel so audaciously beautiful that the New York Times had described her maiden crossing as "the greatest mass of steel and machinery ever to sail the sea." She was also, in April 1939, five months from her last voyage. Germany would invade Poland in September. The Normandie would be seized by the United States Navy, catch fire during conversion to a troopship, and capsize into the Hudson River, taking with her the full weight of the civilization she had been built to represent.

Read the Feature

December 16, 2025

Color, Craft, and the New Language of Joyful Luxury in Rug & Textile Design: The Dopamine Décor Trend

As “dopamine décor” sweeps across contemporary interiors, color is no longer merely an accent — it is a strategy, a psychology, and a revival of age-old textile traditions. From Anatolian kilims to Bauhaus tapestries and modern hand-woven artworks, color has always carried emotional intelligence. Today, as designers embrace vibrant palettes with renewed literacy, Rug & Kilim reflects on the historical, artisanal, and cultural roots of this chromatic renaissance. Dopamine décor simply reminds us why humans have always woven joy into cloth. The Global Rise of Dopamine Décor—And Why It Matters to the Textile World Dopamine décor, the design philosophy centered on colour-driven emotional uplift, has dominated recent discussions in luxury interiors. Unlike fleeting microtrends, its foundation lies in behavioural psychology: the understanding that saturated hues and expressive materials can elevate a room, energize mood, and create a sense of personal freedom.

Read the Feature

August 7, 2025

What Makes Qashqai Kilims Unique? Inside the World of Persian Tribal Rugs and Flatweaves

As seen in Domino Magazine, featuring our Kilim rug, designed by Los Angeles design firm A1000XBetter, founded by Kirsten Blazek. Over the last four decades of collecting, studying, and preserving Kilims and Flatweaves, we have come to understand them not simply as tribal textiles, especially Qashqai kilims, which are documents authored by women whose names we will never know, yet whose design decisions resonate across centuries. Every kilim in a collection is a fragment of a larger ethnographic narrative of movement, negotiation, and encoded survival. What begins as a study in tribal design inevitably becomes a reflection on how memory operates in material form. As collectors and custodians, we have come to understand these pieces less as possessions and more as conversations—between past and present, utility and abstraction, territory and transcendence. They speak to the same values that define the most forward-thinking design philosophies: sustainability, material honesty, visual intelligence, and narrative depth.

Read the Feature

May 1, 2025

100 Years of Art Deco: The Enduring Desire of Ornament, Opulence, and Order

Modernity was never a rupture—it was a rehearsal. A hundred years on, Art Deco remains the world’s most disciplined dream—a global love affair between ornament and order, industry and intimacy. Paris, 1925: Where the Future Was Draped in Lacquer In 1925, on the banks of the Seine, Paris hosted a spectacle that would recalibrate the compass of modern aesthetics. The Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes—from which Art Deco would draw its name—was less a mere exhibition, more a manifesto in marble, lacquer, and light. A century on, 100 years of Art Deco is not a look back. It is a reckoning—with desire, empire, and the poetics of precision.

Read the Feature

June 14, 2024

Rug & Kilim’s Art Deco Rugs as Inspired by Romain de Tirtoff “Erte’s” Artworks

Art Deco, often referred to as Streamline Moderne or Style Paquebot ('ocean liner style'), amalgamates a variety of emerging styles from the early 20th century, including Cubism, Expressionism, Futurism, and Vorticism. Rug & Kilim's Art Deco Collection - View More The period saw artists drawing heavily from African art and ancient cultural motifs, especially Egyptian influences, which surged in popularity after the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922. The Ballets Russes also played a significant role in shaping the imaginative aesthetic of the Art Deco movement. Born into a distinguished family in St. Petersburg, Romain de Tirtoff “Father of Art Deco” chose a different path from his aristocratic relatives who pursued military careers. At the age of 18, he left Russia for Paris and began a long, illustrious career as an illustrator and costume and set designer under the name Erté, derived from the French pronunciation of his initials, "RT." Erté is particularly renowned for the stunning covers he created for Harper’s Bazaar between 1915 and 1936. Shortly after his first cover design, he secured an exclusive 10-year contract with the magazine. Over the years, he contributed more than 240 covers, each featuring his signature Art Deco style.

Read the Feature

June 12, 2024

A Profile on Jules Leleu and Paule Leleu and their Contributions to the Art Deco Movement

“The story of Art Deco is incomplete without the contributions of Paule Leleu.” Paule Leleu's Art Deco Style This particular rug as inspired by Paule Leleu’s designs enjoys a bold take on mid-century French Deco inspirations unseen in this high-low, texturally engaging approach. The subtlety of the pile variation complements both the colorway and the inviting grid with a smart, sophisticated distinction. Paule Leleu (1906–1987) masterfully infused the Art Deco style into her hand-knotted rugs, characterized by elegant linear motifs and tasteful decorative elements. As the 1940s unfolded, she expanded her design repertoire to include captivating floral patterns. A notable aspect of Leleu's approach was her consideration for her family company's furniture, ensuring that her rug designs harmonized seamlessly with the overall aesthetic. Aligning with the evolving trends of the mid-century modern style, her later rugs often leaned towards a refined minimalism.

Read the Feature

African Textiles

NO. B114

John Gillow.

$35

Available: Shipping as Soon as Tomorrow

Thames and Hudson, 2016

"Rug & Kilim has been a pleasure to work with from the very start of our relationship. Not only is their service outstanding, their inventory of one of a kind vintage rugs is unparalleled."

— Alan Eckstein and Margaret Goddard, Somerset House

View in Image StudioNEW

View Similar

Specifications:

Measurements: 0'8" x 0'11" ( 0.22 m x 0.28 m )
Categories: Textile, Volumes
Classification: African, Tapestry & Textile
SKU: B114

Inquire About this Volume

African Textiles

45+ Year Old Institution

Favorable Return Policy

Product Warranty

Trusted Global Delivery

Exceptional Support

Long Term Care

Specifications:

Stories from the Volumes Collection

Christian Bérard, Jean-Michel Frank, and the Making of Nelson Rockefeller’s Most Personal Room

Color, Craft, and the New Language of Joyful Luxury in Rug & Textile Design: The Dopamine Décor Trend

What Makes Qashqai Kilims Unique? Inside the World of Persian Tribal Rugs and Flatweaves

100 Years of Art Deco: The Enduring Desire of Ornament, Opulence, and Order

Rug & Kilim’s Art Deco Rugs as Inspired by Romain de Tirtoff “Erte’s” Artworks

A Profile on Jules Leleu and Paule Leleu and their Contributions to the Art Deco Movement

African Textiles

Specifications:

Visit Our Showroom

Trade Program

Personal Account

Create a Project Folder