Samantha Taylor Needlepoint - Trades of Talavera - Needlepoint Tapestry Rug. Talavera is an Exclusive Collection of Eight Needlepoint Rug Kits

Four Different Heraldic Borders - 10 mesh - 37.2 x 6 inches ( 94.5 x 15 cm. ) - each design.

Availability: Usually ships in 2-3 days

THE TRADES OF TALAVERA - EIGHT NEEDLEPOINT TAPESTRY RUG KITS - ST8T ..... $1,200

THE TRADES OF TALAVERA - EIGHT NEEDLEPOINT TAPESTRY CANVASES - ST8TC ..... $880

European Customers may use PayPal above or the following link - Eight > Rug Kits

If you do not feel comfortable with online purchasing - Email us - and we will process your purchase by phone.

Needlepoint Tapestry Rug

Trades of Talavera - needlepoint rug by Samantha Taylor Needlepoint - is an Exclusive Collection of eight needlepoint tapestry designs based on Historical Spanish tiles from Talavera de la Reina. The different Designs may be joined to make Rugs or Wallhangings.

*This Needlepoint Tapestry - based on 17th century tiles - are historical designs and very suitable for rustic decorations - informal - modern and ( especially ) Spanish style-homes. They are unusual as human figures are not typical in needlepoint. I own the set of tiles and enjoy them every morning as I have my coffee - I never tire of looking at them. They do not make them any more. The artisans are disappearing in modern Spain. Art experts praise their excellence in design - color and composition.*

*The Frets ( Heraldic Borders Needlepoint ) are my creation. This Fret is a classical design dating back to the Greeks - it does not form a continuous meander - creating a more stationary effect for a frame than the raking or meandering frets ( which the Moors carried to such perfection in the Alhambra ) yet which would have competed with the movement of the figures themselves. The small Heraldic motifs represent the small tiles inserted into larger - plain floor tiles - so typical in Spain and Mexico.*

*I stitched the Hunter four times before the colors had the effect of the true Talavera Ware Colors - the minerals ( producing the paint ) of Talavera de la Reina have different colors than any other provinces and countries. They have passed the test of European acceptance in authenticity and interpretation ( which is extremely strict )* - Samantha Taylor

We do encourage purchasing these eight Kits at the same time to guarantee that your needlepoint tapestry rug will have matching dye lots. If this is a problem - we suggest you purchase the canvases only - and we recommend the wool colors.

Talavera Ceramics - From Spain to Puebla Mexico

Talavera is a type of majolica earthenware - a white and glazed type of ceramic. Although the Spaniards introduced this type of ceramics - ironically the term Talavera is used almost more often in Mexico than in Talavera de la Reina - Spain.

Actually - Talavera is the oldest tin-glazed ceramic in America and it is still being manufactured with the same techniques as in the 16^th Century.

The production of tiles and ceramic ware in Puebla - Mexico began almost immediately when the city was established in 1531.

Thanks to the abundance of quality clay in the region and to the splendor of the arts at that time in Puebla - in a short time the Talavera Poblana achieved such quality and beauty that it was soon exported to the rest of the continent.

There are different theories about its origin in Mexico - but the most accepted explanation is that Spanish monks from the Santo Domingo monastery in Puebla sent for craftsmen from Talavera de la Reina to teach the indigenous people of the region how to work the clay so they could create pieces similar to the ones produced in Spain. They wanted to decorate their monastery and church with tiles and religious sculptures.

About the Mexican Potters Guild

A potters guild was formed and Ordinances were laid down that all potters who wished to produce Talavera had to follow. This was done so that the quality of ceramics called Talavera was uniform - and that this earthenware had a distinctive style and excellence.

Some of the rules established by the Ordinances were:

The color blue was to be used on the finest ceramic - because the mineral pigments needed to produce this color were very expensive. The customer could then easily distinguish the quality of fine ceramic from one of lesser quality.

To avoid falsifications each master potter had to sign or mark his products.

Three types of earthenware were to be produced - depending on the quality of the pieces: Fine - Semi fine - and for Daily use.

Yearly there were to be exams that craftsmen had to pass in order to be considered master potters.

When we look at the plates - jars - vases and tiles - we can detect the confluence of several extraordinary cultures in this type of art. We can easily observe distinctive characteristics of Spanish - Arabic - Italian and Chinese origin - and of course the magnificent creativity of the Mestizos and Indigenous people of Mexico.

Each individual needlepoint tapestry is available - select the Four Motifs Link above.

Samantha Taylor Needlepoint - Trades of Talavera - Needlepoint Tapestry Rug. Talavera is an Exclusive Collection of Eight Needlepoint Rug Kits - Joined Together

Trades of Talavera - needlepoint rug by Samantha Taylor Needlepoint - is an Exclusive Collection of eight needlepoint tapestry designs based on Historical Spanish tiles from Talavera de la Reina. The different Designs may be joined to make Rugs or Wallhangings.