Shop by Theme

Shop by Type

Things You Need to Know About Tapestries

While tapestries were traditionally used as ways to keep a home warm or to tell stories, they are also used as aesthetic accessories. If you are looking for tapestries for sale, then you might want to know a few things about them. Read on to find out things you need to know about tapestries before you make a purchase.

Reasons to buy tapestries

Cheap tapestries have many uses. While some may choose to hang them on the wall or even on the floor like a rug to insulate the home, others use them as pieces of art. They are hung on the walls for themselves and guests to admire. Some even use tapestries as a way to depict certain things. For example, a family might add to a tapestry every year to showcase their family tree. Others might hand a tapestry down from family to family because it is an heirloom. Essentially, you can use a tapestry either to help keep a room warm during colder temperatures or use it for decor.

What are tapestries made of?

The most common kind of material that is used in a tapestry is wool. This is the traditional material for vintage tapestries from Europe as well. Higher-end tapestries may be made from silk, particularly those from Asia. Some of them may be made from cotton, however. One benefit of a cotton tapestry is that it is easy for you to clean. Other tapestries on eBay might be made from linen. There are some tapestries that may even have gold or silver used in the thread to weave it together. Though that was a practice primarily done during medieval times.

What content can a tapestry for sale depict?

The content for tapestries often varies. Yet there are sometimes common themes. Here are a few of those themes.

  • Animals: It is not uncommon for a tapestry to depict an animal. It may be one or several animals. They may also feature a backdrop that depicts a landscape or the sky.
  • Colors: Sometimes a tapestry is just a color. For example, a yellow tapestry on eBay is not uncommon. Nor is a tapestry that is simply red or purple. There may be additional colors that are weaved in along the sides and through the overall shade to add dimension.
  • Bohemian Themes: It is not uncommon for tapestries to also depict Bohemian themes.