Stupid purchase: Green embroidery curtain c. 1900?

I lost my mind at least for a few minutes at the flea market today and bought something that I neither need or adore. Colours are dangerous, that's why I bought it, because of the colours.

It's hand-stitched and the main fabric is assumingly dark green wool. Not sure what the lining is. In the back there is a less-faded stripe at the edge of the lining. Not sure why.

It's long and narrow and resembles stylistically some art-nouveau era embroidered wool pillows I've seen.

It was sold as a "door curtain"

I paid 40$ instant regret.

Please tell me something about this. What sort of households had these things back in the day?

 

I know what you mean about colours, I have bought things simply because they are Red.....My favourite colour.

 

Id say its a runner for a table or a mantle.Its very pretty,but I think thats machine stitching so I wouldnt say its terribly old.Im no textile expert though.

 

It's not and every other seam in it is hand-stitched too.

I also don't think it's a runner for anything, the pattern is too asymmetrical to be placed horizontally.

 

The cloth measures 86,5 x 25,5 inches.

 

I'm with Johnny, a mantel or piano runner (for the top of an upright).

 

Well, then please explain to me why one of the sides has much more decoration, in a different form (see the first picture) as if it was intended to be the upper side of a curtain? I'd love to know.

 

If it really was a "door curtain" it seems to me that it was one of a pair because 25 and one-half inches is too narrow for a door opening. That would also explain the fact that it only has one line of embroidery one the longer side and different embroidery on the 2 shorter sides.

Is there any evidence of how it would have hung - like a rod pocket?

 

I think it's been re-sewn into its current shape, because there's a strip of the lining that's clearly much less faded. Maybe someone wanted to make this a tablecloth and decided to cut off the rod pocket, or whatever was there.

 

I always think we collectors are kind of like detectives, Just about every antique you buy tells a story, You just have to sniff it out.

 

Where is this strip?

 

The upper edge

 

Sometimes it's exciting and other times stressful and infuriating. To me at least.

 

It can be very interesting, I find its usually a slow process as the information slowly unfolds.......Some people say if only this or that antique could talk....Well they do, you just have to know how to understand them.

 

On a curtain I would normally expect that kind of arrangement at the bottom (for some reason I can't think of the right word for it at the moment. )

And when you say "upper" are you referring to the short side that's seen at the top of the first picture?

EDIT - the "hem"

 

Yes. As I said that's where the removed rod pocket would've made sense.

 

Could it possibly be one half of a set of portieres? They were used both in pairs and also in fours, with the center / underneath ones one color, and pattern on the outside/top. That would make sense of the narrow width, and the asymmetrical pattern would make a symmetrical design when two were used.

 

Most likely.

Since there is just one and there's wear and tear to the embroidery of the center-area, I'm thinking of making this into a cushion. I would use the area with the most embroidery (top) to form the front of a rectangular pillow and the lowest part to make the back.

That sort of cushions really did exist so I think it would be a respectful update and would make this easier to sell.
What do you think?

The problem is what to fill it with. What were cushions filled with at that time?

Or maybe this could be a piece of wall-art.

 

I have a Table Runner quite old and hand stitched. It is right at 7 feet long. It belonged to my Great Grandmother and was a wedding gift when she married in 1893. I asked why so long and she said people had big families so their tables were quite long.

 

My grandmother was one of 11 kids; the table needed to be big to hold everyone.