Relevant categories: Curios,Dining Chairs,Objet d Art
Antique tapestry is collectible and highly valuable. However, not all tapestry created before the 1920s is valuable. The most significant determinant of value in the tapestry is whether or not it tells a unique story of a historical event.
Like any other art form, knowing how to identify an antique tapestry is the first step toward deriving significant value from it. Here is how to tell the age of any piece of tapestry you might come across:
( Above Photo: XL Flemish Tapestry Wall Hanging Musical Instrument Idyll )
You should examine the tapestry’s stitching with a magnifying glass. Look out for uneven hem, which indicates work by the human hand. So, it is more likely to be an antique tapestry.
In the case of the machine-made tapestry, the stitching would be perfect even as compared to antique tapestry, which has slightly irregular stitch sizes. Besides, the yarn used in the handmade tapestry was processed using an older method that made the thread inconsistent.
( Above Photo: Regency Chinoiserie Lacquer Screen Tapestry Guard 1840 )
Before the 1920s, people could only access fewer color dyes. The existing hues mainly feature natural materials with nearly 20 colors. Thus, the colors were fewer, and there was no perfect match between any single colors used to make a tapestry.
The dying process was naturally uneven, so the colors were uneven. When creating a tapestry, artists left rich hues on the front and back sides of the patterns. So, tapestries with a clear back are likely machine-made.
( Above Photo: Antique French Tapestry Screen Hand Woven Courtly 1880 )
The types of thread used to make tapestry can give you a clue about who made or owned it. Antique tapestry featured linen, cotton, or woolen thread. Any tapestry pieces with these fabrics were made before the 15th century.
It was most likely created using modern machines if you find anything with polyester and nylon threads. To, that isn’t a genuine antique.
Artists from the 15th century usually incorporated their signatures into the weave on the border or bottom corner of the tapestry.
On the other hand, modern tapestry pieces have a tag indicating the artist’s information. Therefore, a signature with the artist’s information in the weave suggests it’s an antique.
What is the story behind the tapestry? If it tells a great story, it’s likely to be a valuable antique. Makers of antique tapestry often used them to tell a story related to the era in which they lived.
For example, palace tapestries feature royalty involved in decisive battles or other important events. Also, church tapestry had saintly or biblical figures.
You might find modern tapestry with similar designs, so you should check it for the other features discussed in this paper.
Conclusion
If you can’t analyze the aspects above on your own, ask a professional to explore all the essential elements. That way, you can accurately determine the value of a given tapestry piece. Once you find an excellent antique tapestry piece, buy it. You can use it as decoration in any room around your home.
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