STUNNING HAND WOVEN EMBROIDERED HOMESPUN SILK/LINEN RUNNER 1800s VERY BEST!

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Welcome to the Connecticut River Valley of Western Massachusetts! Enjoy our textile selections from the heart of New England, created long ago in the mill towns of the Valley or brought here by families from around the world. Here you will find these and other beautiful and useful things they couldn't do without.... Spectacular homespun runner made of linen & silk with hand embroidery! Here is a runner like none we have ever seen, absolutely gorgeous and authentically old, certainly 1800s at the very least, perhaps earlier. Very likely American origin and very likely Civil War era. It is without doubt hand woven but it is unusual in that the warp is linen and the woof silk, which allows the interesting raised overshot design to be enhanced by that fiber's luster. The embroidery at each end is also made with silk and the thread used throughout is the same type that Chinese handwoven Pongee is made of, which is a natural fiber that comes directly from silk worms, cleaned but not dyed or stripped of its coating so it can last for centuries protected from deterioration. Whoever made this runner knew what he or she was doing, one of the most striking homespun pieces you will ever see and a thrill to find. Do not hesitate because it is doubtful you will ever see another. MEASURES 20" wide by 48" long. CONDITION is very fine for an antique of this age, 99% excellent. At each end in the very corners on one side it does have two specks, pictured, and it may have been used as a wall hanging, which may have caused the two holes. We are skilled enough to mend them if the buyer wishes. The third speck, which can be seen in the same picture, is gray and will not harm the fibers, likely removable with a bit of a soak, but left as is. The runner is not soiled otherwise, very clean and fresh. Vintage textiles help save the planet!Fabrics newly made from natural substances like plants and animals are renewable, biodegradable and kind to the Earth, but vintage fabrics are even kinder since they have the same natural beginnings and in addition require no new manufacturing process. They generally can be cleaned at home in your washing machine or by hand, are softer and usually contain more actual fiber than new fabrics, and many have never even been used so they are like new, only better. Besides they are often made by hand -- and absolutely beautiful! Congratulate yourself on making such a great choice for your home!With so many wonderful things to choose from on ebay, we try to make it as easy as possible for you to get to know River Valley Textiles and what we have to offer, so if you have a moment, please Textiles were never meant to be seen and not touched, their very name implying a tactile connection. We try to meet the challenge of picturing and describing them well enough so that what we have at our fingertips comes as close as possible to yours . If you need more information, let us know, but keep in mind that all judgements about age and origin are only that, based on experience and research. Bidding suggestion: Many bidders wait until an auction is nearly over to bid, but they don't have to. Once you decide to go ahead, you can simply enter the highest amount you are willing to pay and the ebay computer will do your bidding for you. No one will know what that amount is but you and only the lowest amount will show on the listing. If a higher bid comes in, this automatic bidding on your behalf will go up to and just exceed that bid and you will pay only a little more to win the auction, but never more than the highest bid you entered. Try it once and you will see how it works. And as long as the auction is still going, you can always go back and bid more if you like -- with no limits except your good judgement! READ BEFORE YOU BID! Please wait for our invoice before paying, you might save on ship cost. The automatic mail cost calculator will show the highest amount for our protection although adjustment downward is often possible. Reduction in mail cost is at our discreti... read more

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