Featured in this lot is a Mexican Saltillo Polychrome Serape wood frame mounted, circa late 19th century. The Saltillo serapes of northern Mexico were among the most flamboyant textiles woven in North America during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. In their time, the period from 1750 to 1850, they were a prestigious symbol worn by Spanish colonial gentlemen. Saltillos were woven all over “New Spain” but they take their generic name from the town of their supposed birthplace, Saltillo, in the present state of Coahuila. The textile took on nationalist overtones after Mexico’s independence from Spain in 1821. The horse culture and its accoutrements, from fine horse to fine serape, became distinctively Mexican and the epitome of male fashion. The prized outer garment could be worn over one shoulder, wrapped and draped like a shawl during the day, or could serve as a blanket at night. Saltillos were produced by a combination of Spanish and native Indian labor. Woven of cotton and wool in two panels with distinctive design structures, a serape required as much as two years to weave and was an expensive purchase. The unique workmanship of hand-woven serapes preserved their high value past the mechanization of wool weaving. Saltillo serapes generally have three principal design elements. A large central diamond or circular medallion is set against a background field of often contrasting design and a border or frame (frequently similar in design to the central medallion) encloses the serape. Intricate patterns were created with brilliantly colored, naturally dyed wool, woven on a hand-plied cotton foundation. The serape shows six floral design diamonds and shows colors of maroon, black, turquoise blue, cream, white, red, cobalt blue all set to a off orange clay field. The serape shows a beautiful example of Saltillo weaving with an extremely tightly woven weave and high thread count. The border is a border of white black, orange, brown, and red geometric patterns. The central diamond medallion, similar to Navajo Klagetoh weavings, is in turquoise blue, cream and white colors. This Saltillo serape wall art is in amazingly fine condition, no marring noted. The diamond-shaped gold gilt hardwood black matted frame is in very nice condition. The frame face is stained in a mottled turquoise blue color and has gold gilt inner trim and edges. Very slight scuffing exhibited to the frame's edges, but there are no other obvious marring noted. Visible art measures 20"W x 20"L, frame is 27.5"W x 27.5"L .*