Antique of the Week: Tapestry Décor

This column is all about giving new life to old things and showing off some of the hidden gems around Half Hollow Hills. Someone else's trash is another person's treasure, right? Want to show off your own vintage or antique piece? Email amanda.lindner@patch.com.

This week’s Antique of the Week is a free-standing tapestry with a wooden frame. The frame was constructed around the 1940’s and the tapestry is even older and possibly originated as a section cut from a couch or perhaps it could have even at the time have been sold by the yard.

The entire piece stands 52 inches high and 24.5 inches wide while the tapestry itself measures 32 ½ inches by 20.5 inches across.

The Victorian scene depicts a woman fanning herself while sitting on top of a horse while another woman picks flowers from a basket. The monotone color scheme is balanced nicely with the pop of red accents scattered throughout.

Tapestries, a form of textile art traditionally woven on a loom, have been used dating back to the Hellenistic times (c.323-30BC). Also known as “nomadic murals” because they were so easily transported; kings and noblemen could roll them up and bring them from place to place with ease and churches could hang them up for display and switch them out according to occasion.

While most commonly used for decoration tapestries also served other purposes. As they draped the walls of castles for beauty they also provided insulation during winter months. Tapestries were also synonomous with authority and power as they were typically seen hung behind or over a throne and donned symbolic emblems, mottos, or coats of arms.

As tapestries were associated with the weathly and upper class some were actually even woven with thread spun with gold. In fact during the French Revolution tapestries were burned to recover the gold that was used within them.

Common themes among tapestries include religious and mythological imagary also popular are hunting scenes and elements of nature such as grapes and floral motifs usually though always featuring a humanistic form.

This framed out tapestry is selling at the Antique Market for $150 and would add a touch of elegance to any home.

The Antique Market is located at 700 East Jericho Turnpike; they are open 7 days a week from 11am to 5pm and can be reached at 631-351-9576.