Do you know what country this ornament is from?

Donna Hagen
by Donna Hagen
I recently bought a box of old ornaments. Many of them are from Germany, Russia, and Brazil. I recently learned from a member I even have one from Slovakia. This one has me stumped.Can you help me Identify the country and what this represents? Is it cat a unicorn?
  5 answers
  • Chris G Chris G on Nov 22, 2014
    This a reproduction of the original tapestry, the Virgin and the Unicorn. The tapestry was made in the middle ages, but I think it would be from current geography, made in France. What I can't tell is if your piece is a painted reproduction on burlap or what the material is exactly. It is probably from China, Taiwan or the Phillipines - it just looks mass produced.
    • Donna Hagen Donna Hagen on Nov 22, 2014
      @Chris G I am thinking the mass production if right, it is like the unicorn is applied to the background, the background appears to painted, and nicked with a knife,its on a thin piece of wood with a corrugated back
  • Susie McPherson Susie McPherson on Nov 22, 2014
    There is a series called the unicorn tapesties. I think it is from Cluny Clan Castle.
  • Chris G Chris G on Nov 23, 2014
    the way you describe the back makes me think "cottage craft", which is several productions but not mass production. Lots of foreign 3rd world countries help women with children but no husbands to make money by creating functional art pieces or jewelry in their native style of art to help them with income, there are even websites that post these art pieces and prevent the natives from giving their work away for pennies. Either way it sounds like a very unique piece of art. Have you check with a museum?
    • Donna Hagen Donna Hagen on Nov 24, 2014
      @Chris G Thanks for the new direction to look at this. I really do love the old ornaments. So often these just end up being tossed I really bought these so I could up cycle these items with the grand kids but then decided the were to unique to deconstruct them
  • Carol S. Carol S. on Nov 24, 2014
    Looks like it's painted on Masonite (see wikipedia). Many artists use this because of it's perfectly smooth face. The rough back is the giveaway. Chris G above is probably right about who might be the artists - especially from Guatamala, India, Portugal, Peru, etc.
  • Chris G Chris G on Nov 24, 2014
    This is a really unique piece and I think you got a great deal for the originality of the art work alone. There are lots of romantic stories about the unicorn tapestry that make this a special piece. It is very lovely.
    • Donna Hagen Donna Hagen on Nov 24, 2014
      @Chris G Thanks Chris I think you like this one more than I do I just think its a bit odd and wanted to know more about it. Not sure but I do not think I will keep it