Past treatments of the Textile Laboratory at CCI include two tapestries (Tobias and Sarah Bidding Farewell to Her Parents and Tobit Giving the Note of Hand of Gabael to Tobias and Raphael) from a set of five that depict the Old Testament (Apocrypha) story of Tobit and Tobias.

Dating from the first half of the 16th century, the tapestries were part of Henry VIII's collection and probably hung in Bisham Abbey, Buckinghamshire. They have no markings to identify where they were produced, but the quality of the craftsmanship and stylistic components suggest they were made in one of the major workshops in Brussels, widely recognized as the best in Europe at that time. Their design is attributed to Bernard Van Orly, a Flemish artist who was influenced by Raphael. They were donated to the Winnipeg Art Gallery in 1973 by Lord Gort, a renowned art connoisseur.

The tapestries have been woven in accordance with traditional technique. The weft threads completely cover the warp threads, creating a weft-faced textile in which the design is an integral part of the structure. The warp and most of the weft threads are wool, with silk weft threads used for highlights.

The central images should be bordered on all four sides with a floral and fruit motif, but both tapestries have been cut at some time in the past. The left-hand portion of Tobias and Sarah Bidding Farewell to Her Parents was cut so that the tapestry would fit a small bedchamber, and a large area of the image is now missing; the border of Tobit Giving the Note of Hand of Gabael to Tobias and Raphael is partially gone on three sides. Like most tapestries from their era, they have been previously repaired.

On examination, the tapestries were found to have damage typical for their age: several of the original, naturally dyed colours had faded; many areas of weakened or missing wefts had previously been repaired by embroidering through the lining, which put considerable stress on the tapestries; the silk weft used as highlights had disintegrated; and the iron mordant used to dye the dark brown wool that outlines the images had caused the fibres to weaken, leaving the warp bare.

The tapestries were first mechanically surface-cleaned and, after testing their colourfastness, wet-cleaned. Areas of loss were then rewoven with compatible wool, silk, or cotton yarns; linen was used for re-warping where necessary. In areas where there was insufficient evidence to recreate the original design, reweaving was done in a manner that respected the integrity of the original. This traditional approach, more time-consuming than other repair techniques, is harmonious with the original technique both physically and aesthetically. Finally, the tapestries were fully lined and returned to the Winnipeg Art Gallery.

All five tapestries were recently on exhibit. After endless hours of conservation, they made a stunning display.

Wojciech Jakobiec was a conservator at CCI from 1983 to 1997, during which time he worked in the Textile and the Fine Arts laboratories.