Early 20th Century Swedish Flat-Weave Rug by Märta Måås-Fjetterström
About the Item
- Creator:Märta Måås-Fjetterström (Designer)
- Dimensions:Width: 66 in (167.64 cm)Length: 106 in (269.24 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Style:Scandinavian Modern (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:Wool,Hand-Woven
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1914
- Condition:
- Seller Location:New York, NY
- Reference Number:
Märta Måås-Fjetterström
Märta Måås-Fjetterström was the leading figure in Swedish textile design in the early 20th century. Through her rug-weaving studio, MMF AB, Måås-Fjetterström introduced a modern and cosmopolitan spirit to the tradition-bound craft, creating some of the era’s most sublime rugs and carpets — works that are elegant yet have a handmade warmth and honesty.
Måås-Fjetterström was the daughter of a small-town minister, and her creative bent led her to study drawing at the School of Industrial Arts in Stockholm between 1890 and 1895. She became an art teacher after graduating and began drafting textile designs in the late 1890s. At the time, Sweden was experiencing many of the same cultural concerns that fueled the English Arts and Crafts movement: fears that industrialization was causing many traditional handicrafts to wither into extinction. The state supported numerous artisan workshops, and Måås-Fjetterström was hired as director of a weaving studio in the southern city of Mälmo in 1905. She was dismissed six years later for insisting that artisans be allowed to create original patterns rather than merely copy old ones.
She traveled widely in search of design inspirations, and in 1919 — thanks in large part to the patronage of Ludvig Nobel, grand-nephew of Alfred Nobel, who commissioned her to make all the rugs for a new country manor hotel — Måås-Fjetterström opened her own workshop. There she trained many of Sweden’s best modern weavers, including Barbo Nilsson and Marianne Richter (the latter, a widely celebrated mid-century modernist designer, became a leader at Måås-Fjetterström's atelier after its founder's death in 1941).
A major exhibition in Stockholm in 1934 brought public acclaim, a reputation secured worldwide by exhibitions at the British Museum in 1936 and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in 1939. Måås-Fjetterström’s company, MMF AB, is still in operation, and most of her roughly 700 designs are available for fabrication.
A broad range of influences can be seen in Måås-Fjetterström’s designs, among them Art Nouveau and classic Near Eastern and Asian styles. Her rug patterns fall roughly into two groups: The first includes stylized floral and other naturalistic motifs as well as modernized folkloric themes. The second comprises those employing geometric “tiles” in a formal composition based on that of Persian rugs, with an intricate border surrounding a central medallion.
Måås-Fjetterström generally used a subtle color palette: Soft pastels predominate, punctuated by the odd vibrant note. Her rugs are remarkable for their flexibility of use in decor schemes. They are a perfect complement to simple modern furniture in both blond and darker finishes; at the same time, the rugs can act as a perfect calming foil to more ornate historical styles. Måås-Fjetterström's creations, particularly signed vintage pieces, are highly collectible. Her designs are found in the world's leading museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm.
Find a collection of vintage Märta Måås-Fjetterström rugs and carpets on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: New York, NY
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 14 days of delivery.
- 20th Century Swedish Flat-Weave Carpet by Marta Maas-FjetterströmBy Märta Måås-FjetterströmLocated in New York, NY20th century Swedish flat-weave carpet by Marta Maas-Fjetterström.Category
20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Russian and Scandinavian Rugs
MaterialsWool
- 20th Century Swedish Flat-Weave Carpet by Märta Måås-FjetterströmBy Märta Måås-FjetterströmLocated in New York, NY20th Century Swedish Flat-Weave Carpet by Märta Måås-Fjetterström Sweden, circa 1941 'Porcelain Carpet' (Porslinmattan) Initialed 'MMF' (Märta Måås-Fjetterström) Swedish flat-weave t...Category
Vintage 1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Russian and Scandinavian Rugs
MaterialsWool
- Mid-20th Century Swedish Pile Rug by Märta Måås-fjetterströmBy Märta Måås-FjetterströmLocated in New York, NYMid-20th century Swedish pile rug by Märta Måås-Fjetterström, Sweden, circa 1935 Initialed: MMF (Märta Måås-Fjetterström ) Handwoven.Category
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Russian and Scandinavian Rugs
MaterialsWool
- Swedish Flat-Weave Rug by Märta Måås-fjetterströmLocated in New York, NYSwedish flat-weave rug by Märta Måås-Fjetterström, Sweden, circa 1918. Handwoven.Category
Early 20th Century Swedish Russian and Scandinavian Rugs
MaterialsWool
- Swedish Flat-Weave Rug by AB Märta Måås-FjetterströmLocated in New York, NYSwedish flat-weave Rug by AB Märta Måås-Fjetterström Sweden, circa 1942 Handwoven. Initialed "AB MMF" (AB Märta Måås-Fjetterström).Category
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Russian and Scandinavian Rugs
MaterialsWool
- Swedish Flat Weave Rug by AB Märta Måås-FjetterströmBy Märta Måås-Fjetterström AB 1, Barbro Lundberg NilssonLocated in New York, NY'Rosengång' Swedish flat-weave rug by AB Märta Måås-Fjetterström Sweden, circa 1943 Initialed: AB MMF, BN (AB Märta Måås-Fjetterström, Barbro Nilsson) Handwoven.Category
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Russian and Scandinavian Rugs
MaterialsWool
- Flat-Weave Rug by Marta Maas-FjetterströmBy Märta Måås-FjetterströmLocated in Long Island City, NYVintage Swedish flat-weave, "VITA Rutmattan" rug, designed by Marta Maas-Fjetterström (1873-1941). Dimensions: 210 x 138 cm. (84" x 54.3"). Marked AB MMF. Designed in 1933. Woven a...Category
Vintage 1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Russian and Scandinavian Rugs
MaterialsWool
- Early 20th Century Märta Måås-Fjetterström AB Swedish RugBy Märta Måås-FjetterströmLocated in West Hollywood, CAThis traditional handwoven Swedish rug has a shaded chocolate brown field of stylized rosette pendants and bold stalks issuing further floral motif, in a shaded coral-red meandering ...Category
Early 20th Century Swedish Art Deco Russian and Scandinavian Rugs
MaterialsWool
- Early 20th Century Marta Maas-Fjetterström Swedish Deco RugBy Märta Måås-FjetterströmLocated in West Hollywood, CAThis vintage hand-woven Swedish Deco rug has a polychrome field of concentric whimsical complementary geometric panels separated by buoyant geometric stripes. Signed by the original ...Category
Early 20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Russian and Scandinavian Rugs
MaterialsWool
- Early 20th Century Marta Maas-fjetterström Ab Swedish Rug by Barbro NilssonBy Barbro Lundberg Nilsson, Märta Måås-FjetterströmLocated in West Hollywood, CAThis traditional handwoven Swedish flat-weave has an overall field of blue, grey and beige striae with alternating rows of waving diagonal lozenges, in an unusual playful striped bor...Category
Early 20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Russian and Scandinavian Rugs
MaterialsWool
- Mid-20th Century Marta Maas-Fjetterström AB, Swedish, RugBy Märta Måås-FjetterströmLocated in West Hollywood, CACreated by Swedish textile designer Märta Måås-Fjetterström in 1933, this traditional hand-woven Swedish flatweave has an ivory striated field with overall polychrome serrated panel ...Category
Early 20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Russian and Scandinavian Rugs
MaterialsWool
- Early 20th Century Marta Maas-fjetterström Ab Swedish Rug by Barbro NilssonBy Barbro Lundberg Nilsson, Märta Måås-FjetterströmLocated in West Hollywood, CAThis vintage handwoven Swedish rug has a tonal blue field with overall design of linked shaded color bands forming whimsical concentric paneled matrix. This is an exceptional example...Category
Early 20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Russian and Scandinavian Rugs
MaterialsWool