Encanto Tapestries

Encanto Tapestries© are now available at and shipped by:
Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA)

Encanto Tapestries©, unique, beautiful and collectible, have been archivally stored for over 50 years.

This collection of never-before sold Encanto Tapestries© is a legacy that my parents passed down to me. We add to the inventory of these tapestries for sale in Amazon, as we continue to process and catalog them. They are as brilliant and fresh as they day they were created.

What are Encanto Tapestries?

Encanto Tapestries© are made from Spanish virgin wool felt from a palette of over 60 colors. Each tapestry is made up of individual felt pieces, like an inlay or puzzle, and every piece follows the flow of the design. The assembled pieces are then bonded to a thermosetting adhesive backing and the tapestry is complete. Most of the designs are specific to only one of the five size formats., from under one square foot to almost six square feet. Encanto Tapestries© are available:

1. As a finished, ready-to-display tapestry.
2. As a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Tapestry Puzzle Package, which you assemble, then iron onto the adhesive backing. Flip it over and that’s it! Display your Encanto as a banner or framed.

If you are a fan of Mid-Century Modern aesthetic (also known as “Sixties art,” think OP Art, Vasarely, Marimekko, Milton Glaser, HBO’s “Madmen” decor) these will complement any interior. They will brighten up any home interior or enhance any interior design work, restaurants, cafés, B&Bs and Airbnbs. Please visit us often to see more Encanto Tapestries as we continue to explore and post the remaining inventory backlog.

The Story of Encanto

In 1963, my parents, David and Léa, and I, left New York for Madrid, Spain. We loved it there. David became fascinated with the fine Spanish wool used in making the traditional cloaks “capas.” From 1300 on, wool had become central to the Spanish economy.

David developed Encanto Tapestries©, incorporating the brilliantly colored Spanish wool felt textiles. The designs reflect Spanish themes, as well as flora, fauna and astrological images. The tapestries recall the unique mix of artistic traditions and colors of Spain. Overarching all the designs is the added a twist of Mid-century Modern design. When it came to determining the color palette, that was part of Léa's contribution. She was a charmer, and became also the driving sales force at their own gallery in coastal Marbella, Spain.

In the 1960s and 1970s, Encanto Tapestries© were sold at Brentano’s, Neiman-Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Lord & Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue, various Spanish art galleries, their own gallery in Marbella, Spain, and other stores and art galleries throughout Europe and the USA.

David and Léa stayed on in Madrid until the 1990s, moving to the Bay Area in California, and moving to my hometown, Portland, Oregon, in 2000. They brought with them the remaining Encanto inventory. My parents passed away in the late 2000s, in their nineties.

Léa, Frank and David Poliat, Oakland, California, C.1990

Medium size Encanto Tapestry in floating frame.

Small Encanto Tapestry in floating frame

Medium size Encanto Tapestry, unframed

Please note that all images in www.encantotapestries.com are for illustration only.
Please click on the Amazon link below to visit our for-sales items. Thanks!

How it all began...

I remember the day that David and I went for a walk along the marvelous, ancient streets of Madrid, the old walls still pockmarked by the large caliber bullets fired during Spain's bloody Civil War in the mid-1930s. This was soon after we arrived in Spain.

This photo was taken in Barcelona, however, when we lived in Madrid, I would encounter bullet pocked buildings everywhere.

About Merino Wool

"The Merino is one of the most historically relevant and economically influential breeds of sheep, much prized for its wool. The breed was originated and improved in Extremadura, in southwestern Spain, around the 12th century; it was instrumental in the economic development of 15th and 16th century Spain, which held a monopoly on its trade, and since the end of the 18th century it was further refined in New Zealand and Australia, giving rise to the modern Merino."
- Thank you, Wikipedia

Historically and still today, sheep have the right of way in Spain. They were "the king's sheep." Livestock have the right of way in many countries. There's a lovely British movie about that..

Suddenly, his eyes were drawn to a little shop selling the traditional capes ("Capas") that Spanish men have favored for centuries. They are made of Spanish (of course) Merino wool, in vibrant colors, maroon, black, dark blue. That's when he fell in love with Spanish textiles. The felt used in making Encanto Tapestries© are made from virgin Merino wool as well. Sometimes I think that perhaps Dad created Encanto Tapestries© more for the opportunity to play with the material, than to create a new enterprise.

A "Sastreria de capas," this one is the most venerable and notable bespoke taylor shops in Madrid, specializing in capes for men, women and children. See https://www.sesena.com/en/casa-sesena/history

Spanish capes, "capas"

The Story of Encanto Tapestries