In over 40 years of dealing in fine rugs, few pieces have stopped us in our tracks like this early 20th-century Chinese Art Deco masterpiece. Woven in the 1920s, it depicts a lush garden of peonies and chrysanthemums, enclosed by a delicate fence and shaded beneath a lattice pergola. In the lower right corner, a potted bamboo plant stretches skyward, its branches adorned with floating paper lanterns—an ethereal, dreamlike touch. The border is truly otherworldly, with a dazzling bat-and-chrysanthemum motif alternating with radiant peonies. An inner stripe carries a stylized dragon pattern, adding movement and mythic energy. The palette is pure Art Deco fantasy: gold, indigo, violet, purple, and turquoise woven in rich, saturated hues. This rug is not only an exceptional example of Chinese craftsmanship, but also a definitive expression of 1920s Art Deco design—elegant, whimsical, and entirely unforgettable. A true standout, even among the best.
