This is a wonderful faded antique Ushak carpet from the late 19th century with a gentle palette, ancient motifs and a very subtle design with the best muted colours.  The light pinkish tone background sits beautifully with the off white tones surrounding the centre, and faded greens and hints of gold too. The design is delicate vines, leaves and the floating cloud-band motif or often known as the ribbon design can be seen in two places down the centre of the carpet in a pale greenish to grey tones.This ancient ribbon design has been used on Chinese and Persian rugs for centuries as well as Turkish pieces.  Woven in the late 19th Century in Anatolia, western Turkey, these exquisite hand-woven carpets have been produced since the start of the Ottoman period (1300-1922).  The mid to late 19th century examples such as this became more open and decorative in design and were commissioned more for the Western market in the US and Europe and have since rivalled the look of the famous Ziegl...