Object Description
A beautiful antique Donegal carpet with a wonderful all over floral design with lattice work. The dyes used to weave this carpet over 130 years ago are quite remarkable, using vivid pale blues, stunning greens and varying shades of pink, red tones. Reminiscent of William Morris designs, this all over open pattern with stylised flowers and lattice work is subtle and elegant. In good condition in general with a soft wool pile height over the main field area.
The first Donegal carpets were made in the late 1890s when the Scottish industrialist, Alexander Morton, opened a factory in Killybegs. Morton was head of a textile manufacturing firm in Ayrshire. Although his factories already made machine-woven rugs, he wanted to make handmade carpets like those popular from Turkey and Persia. A chance meeting with a member of Ireland’s Congested Districts Board pointed him towards Donegal. The county had two things to offer: a ready supply of willing workers and an almost infinite number of sheep.
Please request a home visit to choose a suitable time and day to view this antique Donegal carpet in-situ. We offer the service of viewing any of our carpets & rugs anywhere in the UK, having travelled nationwide since 1990.