Late 19th or early 20th century handmade rag rugs. Wool and cottons. c. 1890-1920. Good overall condition with nice strong color. 1- Small Oval Braided Rag Rug. 16x24". 2- Taupe Wool Rag Rug with small color strips 28x48". 3- Blue Rag Rug 27x35". 4- Blue White Red Orange Rag Rug 22x34". 5- Greens and Cream Woven Wool Rug 20x34" Total weight 15 pds all. PROVENANCE: The Estate of a Litchfield Connecticut Antique & Art Dealer. The first floor coverings made in the American colonies were rag rugs. The people had no new materials to spare for floors and there was no corner store to go to for supplies. They cautiously saved every scrap of worn-out, used-up textile material from all sources. These scraps were usually wool, very seldom silk and in later years cotton. Remnants were cut into strips, sewn together and rolled into big balls to be made into rugs when time allowed. Old stockings, clothing and bed linens which had outlived their original purposes became valuable all over again. The thrifty folk of Pennsylvania and Maryland, and to a lesser degree New England, were accustomed to operating hand looms in their small houses and wove these old scraps on them. The loom would be strung with strong linen warps, and the long strips of rags were drawn under and over and tightly pressed together to make a narrow carpet, since the looms were narrow and could do no better. To make a wide carpet one sewed together a number of strips.

good, age appropriate wear. small spot 1 side small braides