Vintage Turkish Hand-Knotted Rug | Oriental Wool Yastik Rug in Oxblood Red / Burnished Ochre / Nightfall Blue circa 1930s-1950s

Age: 1930s-1950s

Condition: Excellent

Dimensions: 1' 8" W x 3' 1" L

Floor Heating Safe: Yes

Material: Wool on wool

Origin: Turkey

Primary Color: Red

Product Care: Vacuum clean gently or professional cleaning

Shape: Rectangle

Style: Oriental style

Hand-knotted in Anatolia in the early to mid-20th century, this rare yastik-size Turkish rug is a deeply personal example of village knotting at its most intimate scale. The term 'yastik boy'—literally meaning pillow-size—refers to rugs knotted for everyday domestic life rather than formal reception rooms. These compact rugs were traditionally placed behind the back while seated on the floor, along divans, or at the foot of bedding, making them some of the most tactile and lived-with textiles in the Anatolian home.

Knotted entirely by hand from hand-spun wool, this 2x3 rug features a commanding geometric composition anchored by symbolic motifs historically associated with protection, continuity, and balance. A vertically oriented central medallion anchors the field, framed by a subtle floral border that softens the geometry. The palette is both saturated and grounded: oxblood red forms the chromatic core, framed by nightfall blue fields and punctuated with burnished ochre, chalk ivory, and subtle earthen accents. The dyes have mellowed beautifully with time, lending the surface a soft, velvety patina that only decades of age can produce.

Unlike larger workshop carpets, yastik rugs were hand-knotted on a smaller loom, often by a single weaver, allowing for remarkable density, precision, and emotional expression within a compact format. Because of their function—handled daily, leaned against, and closely interacted with—the wool quality was typically exceptional, selected for durability and comfort.

Today, collectors prize yastik rugs for their authentic scale, narrative richness, and versatility. Interior designers favor them as sculptural accents: placed at a bedside, layered in an entryway, used as a small hearth mat, or styled atop a console or bench for an unexpected textural moment. Their proportions make them ideal for refined urban interiors where every element is intentional, yet they remain equally compelling in more rustic or collected spaces.

This piece is a true one-of-one artifact, quietly powerful, historically grounded, and increasingly difficult to find in such preserved condition. A small rug with a large presence—meant not just to decorate, but to be lived with.