Antique textiles: Throw pillows

September 1988
Interior Design

Beautiful accessories are the hallmark of a fine decorating job. One of
the most successful ways to complete a room with style is with the
judicious use of throw pillows. A profusion of exquisite cushions made
from a variety of antique textiles and heaped on a classic sofa
instantly sets the tone of an elegant drawing room.

Throw pillows have always been popular with designers. They soften t he
look of a room, period or modern. They also add, or should add, to the
comfort of the people who use it. But the primary purpose of pillows is
to beautify.

The pillows in the accompanying illustration are made of Aubusson,
Beauvais and chintz, antique fabrics that are rare and highly prized.
Here is a brief history of each, along with two other textiles,
needlepoint and beadwork, which are also available in pillows for
discerning collectors.

Aubusson

This name refers to the flat, or tapestry weave of French rugs as
Savonnerie relates to pile or tufted weaves. Both terms describe only
the construction, not the place of manufacture, the age of the rug or
the period of design. The low-warp weaving began in the French town of
Aubusson as early as the 13th century, and during the next two hundred
years the art of tapestry spread throughout the country. Rugs and wall
hangings were made in graceful flower patterns for all the fine chateaus
throughout France. Aubusson weaves are still being made and valued by
the French as well as the rest of the world.

Beadwork

For many centuries beads have been used to adorn clothes, to decorate
articles for the home and as currency for trading. During the Victorian
era, there was a dramatic revival of various aspects of the beadwork,
alone or in combination with needlework, that survives in firescreens,
tea cozies, pin cushions, purses and pictures. Beads were made of iron,
pearl, garnet, amber, crystal and later glass, and they were worked into
flower and animal compositions with great delicacy. Faceted beads
created pictures with even more subtle shadings and details.

Beauvais

This is the name of a city in northern France where Colbert founded the
Royal Tapestry Manufactory in the year 1664. Beauvais tapestries in silk
and wool were made during the reign of Louis XIV, Louis XV, Louis XVI
and through the Second Empire. Following wartime destruction between
1939-45, the Manufactory was amalgamated with the National Gobelin
Manufactory in Paris.

Chintz

Chintz was originally the name of painted or stained calico imported
from India. Indian chintz was very popular for bed coverings and
dresses, especially in the 18th cenWry. Now chintz is the name of a
cotton cloth fast printed with designs of flowers in a number of colors
(usually five or more) and usually glazed. In many applied patchwork
quilts of the late 18th and early 19th century the pieces applied were
motifs cut from chintz.

Needlepoint

In America, this term refers to all types of embroidery on canvas. The
term is confusing because needlepoint also applies to lace made with a
needle. Needlepoint can be fine embroidery like petitpoint, large scale
like grospoint or the popular Berlin Woolwork. This is embroidery using
the soft untwisted Berlin zephy on charts where one square equals one
stitch.

Pillows made of these antique texfiles are in great demand, and they are
not difficult to find. In New York Charlotte Moss, whose cushions are
pictured here, has a wonderful selection of well-made pillows in a
variety of fabrics in her delightful shop on East 70th Street. Kentshire
Galleries on East 12th Street has an abundance of pillows in its third
floor Collectors Gallery. Garvin Mecking, around the corner on 11th
Street, has cushions in old fabrics; he also collects pieces of tapestry
and needlepoint pictures that might inspire some new and original
designs for decorators with special requirements.

There are several good sources for these pillows in the Design and
Decorabon Building at 979 Third Avenue in New York. KM Antiques of
London on the 17th floor has an interesting collection. So does
Antiquities on the 15th floor. Knowledgeable dealers are finding antique
textiles and making them available to the decorating trade.