Though antique rugs are functional, they’re also works of art. In appreciation of this duality, ABC Carpet & Home is organizing an exhibition and sale of rugs with a shared design motif: stars and stripes. On view — and available for purchase — this Friday, the rugs are far from symbols of American patriotism.

Used in disparate nomadic cultures, the stripe designs come in every length and shape. And though stars may be thought of as religious imagery, they are more likely to have been inspired by nature. “Ultimately, a nomadic person in the desert would look up at the stars. It seems to be something that people who have no link with each other have come up with,” the vice chairman of ABC Carpet, Graham Head, said. “Most of the rugs we found are small rugs rather than big carpets. They are of a size that an individual person would weave. This is design out of the weaver’s head; it’s not ordered.”

The idea to show rugs with stars and stripes came up around the fourth of July. “We hadn’t realized how often they are used,” he said. “We ended up going through our inventory, and then going around collecting rugs that have stars and stripes as themes.”

His team assembled a group of about 100 rugs from Turkey, Russia, Iran, and India. But the timing for the American holiday wasn’t quite right. “We couldn’t get it together for July 4. And it was taking beautiful works of art and making it too gimmicky,” he said.

The collection will be on view at ABC Carpet & Home on the sixth floor, as well as at www.abchome.com, between August 8 and November 8. Prices range from about $800 to $9,000, with reductions for the sale.

ABC Carpet & Home, 881 Broadway, between 18th and 19th streets, 212-473-3000.