Sean Russell asked:


Tapestries of early times were often patterned on current events or heroes of the day. Wall tapestries with knights and castles often adorned the very castles they displayed. Tapestries were important in castles to reduce the draft and cold in the large stone buildings. They were hung on the inside of exterior walls in the rooms where people congregated. Tapestries with knights and castles were often created to preserve the history of the occupants of the castle and the weavings often remained in the castle for many centuries and generations. With each new generation adding their piece of work to the visual history on the walls.

Tapestries from the middle ages can sometimes be very helpful in providing social information of the time period. They depict the armor that was worn and the accessories such as banners and horse decoration used during battle. They also showed the original construction of buildings that may no longer exist but still hold historical relevance. Such things as food and drink and household customs were depicted with pride and preserved as an indication of the families position. They were often very busy tapestries in that they may depict many people and horses and activities all one the same piece of work.

Medieval tapestries also depict art forms of, hunting scenes, gallantry of nobles and knights, the unicorn, and dining and feasting of the nobles. Unicorn tapestries are one of the marvels of the world. Unicorn tapestries reflect Incarnation, the Passion, the Resurrection, and the five senses.

By the early Renaissance period or fifteenth century, artists were anxious to leave the Black Middle Ages behind and express their feelings of individual freedom in the bright colors of huge paintings and tapestries with heraldic, pastoral, romantic or exotic themes.

Online tapestry retailers have become a very good source for purchasing tapestries with medieval themes and tapestries of all subjects. Designer Wall Tapestries offers very detailed pictures of each tapestry and provide you with the dimensions and features such as rod pockets and types of fabric used.



EMMITT

Mitch Endick asked:


Southeast Ohio was once the home of many famous pottery makers. Even today, names like Hull, McCoy and Robinson Ransbottom still echo through the Muskingum River Valley. Pottery bookends are among some of the most collectible pieces from these well known pottery makers.

The area around the Muskingum River Valley provided the perfect combination of natural resources that included a ready source of fine grade clay. Often found along the seams of coal that dotted the subterranean landscape, the clay gave birth to over fifty pottery manufacturers. The abundance of coal provided a great source of energy to fuel the kilns that were needed to fire the clay.

The fine quality of the clay found in and around towns like Zanesville, Crooksville and Roseville produced porcelain like quality. A combination of artistry and quality has made pottery from this area some of the most collectable in the country if not the world. Pottery bookends from southeast Ohio stand as a testament to the century of fine pottery making that continues today. Annual events are held to celebrate and commemorate the rich traditional of pottery making, drawing thousands of collectors and pottery enthusiasts.

Some pieces were created strictly for the sake of art while others, like bookends, had a functional purpose as well. In the early days of pottery making, form most definitely followed function. From bowls, pitchers and other useful pieces, scarce resources were not ordinarily expended on purely decorative pieces. This was especially true in ancient times. This is not to say that a flower vase or ewer could not be useful and decorative at the same time. During the heyday of pottery making in Ohio, decorative and commemorative pottery pieces gained in popularity.

Companies like McCoy and Hull are famous for vases and planters that doubled as bookends. How beautiful it was to have fresh cit flowers adorning the bookshelf. Many of the pottery bookends produced during the early to mid twentieth century closely followed the arts and craft movement and eventually the art deco form. McCoy pottery was also well known for producing many different themes that included various plant and leaf patterns. In addition to bookends and such, popular forms of McCoy and Hull included distinct fluted vases and deep color glazing patterns.

The lovely McCoy White Horse bookends were first produced during the nineteen forties. Porcelain white in shade, the figures depict two draft horses rearing up on their back legs. The colorful birddog bookends, also from McCoy, feature beautifully detailed depictions of hunting dogs having just retrieved some game birds.

The Roseville bush berry pattern is a very collectible bookend that, if found in perfect condition, can fetch hundreds of dollars. The Roseville Zephyr Lily bookend is a beautifully unique pattern and is highly prized among some collectors. This distinctive pattern features a yellow lily, shown on full bloom, placed in the middle of an open book. The Roseville magnolia blue is another highly prized and collectible set of pottery bookends. Set in a simple green L shape, the flowering magnolia is placed in the center with a subtle accent of sunburst surrounding the flower.

Most of the kilns that produced some of the worlds most recognizable pottery are cold, or have disappeared forever. The dozens of pottery and stoneware producers that once dotted the landscape of southeast Ohio have dwindled to a handful.

The internet has provided collectors from all over the world with the opportunity to gain an appreciation for these pieces of Americana. As with any collectible pottery bookend, the buyer must always be wary of fakes and knockoffs.



ALONZO