Tudor tapestry returned to National Trust estate after being lost for decades

A Tudor tapestry featuring the biblical Queen Esther has returned to Oxburgh Hall in Norfolk after more than a century away from its original home.

The artwork, which once hung in The King's Room at the historic property, was identified entirely by accident at an art fair in Maastricht last year.

Jeremy Warren, a research curator and collector working with the National Trust, recognised the piece after noticing its exhibition label referenced "Room of the King, Oxburgh Hall, Norfolk".

He promptly informed the Oxburgh property team, setting in motion the tapestry's return to the estate where the Bedingfeld family has resided for over five centuries.

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The tapestry was sold in 1924 by Sir Henry Bedingfeld, 8th Baronet, as part of a group of seven similar works.

According to the National Trust, this sale was "one of several sales of significant collection items in the early 20th century to pay death duties and to raise funds for the upkeep of the estate".

Shona Johnston, National Trust curator at Oxburgh Hall, noted: "The tapestry is always described as an Oxburgh 'heirloom' passed on from Bedingfeld to Bedingfeld through generations, so its sale could be described as 'reluctant'."

The pieces were acquired by Seligmann & Co, a French dealer operating from Paris and New York, and transported across the Atlantic by ocean liner in 1925.

Following that journey, the whereabouts of the Esther tapestry remained a mystery until Warren's fortuitous discovery at the Dutch fair.

Grant funding from multiple organisations, along with a private donation, enabled the purchase and repatriation of the artwork.

Claire Golbourn, from the National Trust Textile Conservation Studio, was among the specialists tasked with verifying the tapestry's authenticity.

She said: "The Esther tapestry survives in exceptional condition, with a richness of colour that remains striking for its age."

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Golbourn added: "The intricate detail of Esther's cloak and canopy, together with the remarkably realistic tassels, speaks to the extraordinary craftsmanship and artistry of the piece."

The work dates from Henry VII's reign, making it contemporary with the original furnishing of this Tudor courtier's residence.

It is believed to have belonged to the Oxburgh collection since the Tudor era.

Pierre Maes, director of The Royal Manufacturers De Wit, where the tapestry was offered for sale, described the opportunity to return the piece to its original location as "a true honour and every art dealer's dream".

Visitors will be able to view the restored artwork at Oxburgh Hall from June 20 through to December.

However, the fate of the remaining six tapestries sold alongside the Esther piece in 1924 remains unknown.

A National Trust spokesman said all seven were sold by the Bedingfeld family at the same time to art dealers Seligmann & Co, and all were exported to the United States in 1925.

They added: “There was a lucrative market in European artworks in 1920s America, and companies such as Seligmann were at the forefront. As was common at the time, the tapestries were sold individually to separate art collectors. Like the Esther tapestry, they have not been seen since the sale in 1924. They may still be in private American collections or could have been sold privately to international collectors.”

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