Aubusson Rugs & Tapestries
Aubusson is France's great flatweaving tradition — pastel floral carpets woven for salons rather than tents, and wall tapestries of pastoral scenes, verdure landscapes, and classical history. It is one of Austin Auction Gallery's strongest textile categories: we have sold roughly 60 Aubusson lots, topped by an $11,000 Louis XIV historical tapestry.
What it's worth
Aubusson tapestries at our sales bring $2,000–$11,000 for period and large examples: the Louis XIV 'Triumph of Alexander' (9'4" x 23'10") sold for $11,000 in September 2025, a chinoiserie pastoral tapestry brought $9,500, and verdure panels regularly bring $3,000–$6,000. Flatwoven Aubusson rugs bring $1,000–$4,250 for French examples, while 20th-century Aubusson-style rugs (mostly Chinese) bring $300–$1,000. Condition, color freshness, and size drive everything.
Our sold results
Auction results for Aubusson Rugs & Tapestries
LOUIS XIV AUBUSSON HISTORICAL TAPESTRY 'TRIUMPH OF ALEXANDER,' 9'4" X 23'10"$11,000Sep 2025
FRENCH AUBUSSON CHINOISERIE PASTORAL TAPESTRY, 105" X 192"$9,500May 2025
MONUMENTAL AUBUSSON WOVEN VERDURE TAPESTRY, 15'10" X 10'$6,000Mar 2025No results sold in this period—try a wider range.
Overview & history
The workshops of Aubusson and neighboring Felletin, granted royal manufactory status in 1665, supplied the French aristocracy with what Gobelins and Savonnerie made for the crown: tapestry-woven carpets and wall hangings at a (slightly) more attainable price. Aubusson carpets are flatwoven like a tapestry — no pile — with romantic floral medallions, garlands, and architectural borders in rose, cream, celadon, and gold. The wall tapestries range from verdure (lush woodland and foliage scenes) through pastoral chinoiserie to grand historical subjects. Both traditions continued into the 19th and 20th centuries, and both surface regularly in Texas estates — along with later 'Aubusson-style' weavings from China and India that copy the look. Large tapestries in good color are the stars: they sell as major decorative statements.
Identifying & marks
Genuine Aubusson work is slit-tapestry woven — flat, with the design identical on both faces and small slits at color joins (often sewn closed on tapestries). Period tapestries show natural-dye palettes that mellow rather than fade, hand-sewn linings, and sometimes a woven 'MRD' or workshop mark in the outer galloon. Chinese Aubusson-style rugs are the common confusion: pastel and flatwoven, but with cruder drawing, brighter synthetic color, and machine-regular structure. Old restorations and reduced sizes matter to value — bring photographs of the back if you can.
Frequently asked
What is my Aubusson worth?
Period Aubusson tapestries bring $2,000–$11,000+ at our sales — the Louis XIV 'Triumph of Alexander' brought $11,000 in 2025 — while French flatwoven Aubusson rugs bring $1,000–$4,250. Twentieth-century Aubusson-style rugs (mostly Chinese) bring $300–$1,000. Size, color freshness, and condition drive value.
Is my rug a real French Aubusson or Aubusson-style?
Genuine Aubusson work is slit-tapestry woven with the design identical on both faces, mellow natural-dye color, and refined drawing. Chinese and Indian Aubusson-style pieces copy the pastel look with cruder drawing, brighter synthetic color, and machine-regular structure. Photos of both faces usually settle it.
Should I have my Aubusson tapestry cleaned or relined before selling?
No — consult us first. Old linings, hand-sewn repairs, and even reduced sizes are part of a tapestry's history, and improper cleaning can bleed dyes catastrophically. We will advise what, if anything, is worth doing; usually the answer is to sell it as it is.
What could your Aubusson Rugs & Tapestries bring at auction?
Our specialists provide free, no-obligation auction estimates. Send a few photos and we'll tell you what it could bring.