Antique Tapa Bark Cloth Runner XXXL (175” x 31”)

-- This item is not for sale yet. We are consulting an auction house. -
 
This treasure rolled out and never stopped rolling out until we were outside! It’s longer than our living room! 
 
Our mother included  a note suggesting it was either a gift of the Allyne sisters to her parents or possibly collected by her parents. Her mother Winona did accompany the Burr sisters and Allyne cousins on a world tour in 1934-35. 
 
This black and white tapa cloth features multiple geometric patterns. 
 
Bark cloth is made by hand from tree bark from mulberry, nettle, or fig trees. It is beaten to soften and fuse the fibers, resulting in a soft textile like piece. 
 
Decoration was traditionally done using natural plant dyes and earth pigments. 
 
* Bark cloth or paper is called kapa in Hawaii, tapa in Tonga and the Cook Islands, siapo in Samoa, olubugo in Uganda and by other names elsewhere in the world. It predates weaving, the bark cloth one of the earliest textiles.
 
 
As shown in photos, this piece has some wear, including a few holes and a few tears at the end but is otherwise in impressive vintage condition.
 
Approx H 175” x L 31”
 
Disclaimer: We have tried to make sure colors shown in photos are representative of the real colors of each item. We have tried to identify all imperfections in descriptions, but we may have missed some. If you are unhappy with your purchase, let us know.