A Classic Saltillo Sarape

Old Saltillo Road

  This Classic Period Saltillo Sarape, ca: 1775-1810 is an outerwear garment survivor from long ago and is categorized as a "red vertical mosaic field" type.  Of the approximately 875 remaining examples known in the world, this type is the most common, numbering about 300 examples.  With economies of scale being the same 250 years ago compared to today, the cost of this type was the most expensive by far because of the time required to weave the complex composition of all the design elements in all the numerous colors......estimated at about 1 1/2 -2 years to complete it.  It is no wonder that of the minisule number of surviving examples, this type of sarape is the most common. This sarape is handspun wool over 2 ply handspun cotton warps and is dyed with cochineal, indigo, and vegetal colors exclusively....woven decades before the invention of coal tar based analine dyes.

  Only two examples are known which show as "green" when displayed....this is one of them.  We've owned both and they're obviously woven by the same person.  Only their lengths are different, hinting that they were custom ordered by two people who varied in height.  One can conclude that where the sarape broke on the leg of the wearer had a standard......one would have been criticized for example, for having his sarape be too short....like wearing "high water pants" back in our youth!

 There is no damage, no fading, no bleeding of dyes, and no moth nibbling.  

$23,000.00

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