This is a yurt ornament made by Lakai Uzbeks living in the northern region of Afghanistan. It is estimated to date to the mid to late 20th century and is in excellent condition. The embroidery is satin stitch in silk thread forming traditional geometric designs with a cotton paisley lining on the reverse. The textile measures 11.8 x 86.5 cm including the elaborate tassels and crown knots.

Embroidered in long and short stitch in rayon thread, this prayer cloth is from central Afghanistan where the minority Shi'a Hazara people live, comprising about 19% of the total population of Afghanistan. The textile depicts the domed tomb ("Mashhad Hussein") of Hussein, the grandson of the prophet Muhammad, in Kerbala, Iraq, the holiest shrine of the the Twelve-Imam Shi'ite Muslims...

Uzbek hats such as this one are commonly worn in the northern areas of Afghanistan, particularly in and around Balkh and Mazar-i-Sharif. This child's hat is a quilted cotton with hand-embroidered silk thread in soft pink, rust, turquoise, salmon and teal. Areas of wear consistent with its age (mid-late 20th century). Circumference: 20 inches; diameter: 7 inches. Height: 2 1/4 inches.

This is a child's cap made by Uzbeks living in northern Afghanistan, probably in Sar-i-pul province. It is in excellent condition and dates to the mid 20th century. Diameter is 7" (17.8 cm) and the circumference is 20 1/4" (51.4 cm). Silk thread and metallic braid on cotton.

This small pouch from Hazara district in Pakistan measures 12 x 15.5 cm and is hand-embroidered in extremely fine satin stitch in silk thread. Its age is approximately early to mid 20th century. Condition is near excellent, two light stains on one face. As the Hazara district is situated between Punjab and Swat, the embroidery of this area is stylistically very similar to that of the Swat Valley.

A Labijar kilim in slitweave from northern Afghanistan. It measures 70 x 96 cm and is hand knotted from sheep's wool. Late 20th century.

Due to its strategic location on the ancient Silk Road, the area of Indus Kohistan on the Indus River has absorbed many influences from East and West. This young child's helmet ("khohl") from Indus Kohistan is topped with a beaded tassel, reminiscent of the Phrygian caps of antiquity. Such hats are everyday wear for the small children of the region, one of the most impoverished in all of Pakistan. This child's cap measures 17 inches in circumference and 6 1/2 inches in diameter...

This woven textile is from Tibet. Measuring 21.8 x 376 cm, it is in excellent condition. The high lustre of the wool is attributed to the high lanolin content of the goat wool in the high altitude regions of the Tibetan plateau. Enlargement #12 shows the use of these sashes in traditional Tibetan nomadic culture (© 1995 East of Lo Manthang by Peter Matthiessen and Thomas Laird)...

An Uzbek ikat-dyed silk ceremonial robe (chapan) from northern Afghanistan, quilted with cotton interlining. Condition is overall good, albeit with some minor staining. It is hand-sewn and densely embroidered along the front collar, bottom hem and wrist cuffs. The inside of the collar is lined with traditional Russian printed fabric. Estimated age: mid to late 20th century...

A man's shawl from Waziristan which is part of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, considered to be outside Pakistan's four provinces. Circa 1920s. The Mangal tribe who inhabit Waziristan actually straddle the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. This textile is very complex, composed of a black woven cotton field and silk ends, with silk embroidery in between. The combination of black cotton ground and silk is used to vivid effect...

In mostly satin stitch and cross stitch in silk thread, this piece measures 45½ x 36½ inches (115.6 x 92.7 cm). Saye goshe are an Uzbek V-shaped fringed hanging used to decorate piles of quilts when they are stored during the day. The blazing colors on this textile depict traditional Uzbek motifs with stylized pomegranate flowers. Still living in yurts, the Lakai Uzbek have perfected the interior decoration of their homes...

Measuring 22.6 cm x 23.3 (22.6 x 51.3 including the belt), this child's waistcoat panel was hand-embroidered by Pashtun Mangal women in silk thread on a green silk and red cotton background, in a delicate combination of satin stitch, herringbone stitch and long and short stitch. Its estimated age is mid to late 20th century. Condition is excellent...

An antique Lakai Uzbek V-shaped panel (saye gosha/segusha) from northern Afghanistan, early to mid 20th century. The surface is embroidered in polychrome solar and volute motifs in silk thread on a faded red cotton ground, with a star medallion at the apex, edged with metallic couching and crocheted wool fringe. Each side measures 162.6 x 61 cm including the fringe. In very good condition, appropriate for its age and origin.

Measuring 8 x 36.5 cm, this embroidered band from northern Afghanistan was hand-embroidered by Uzbek women in an exceptionally fine cross stitch on a pumpkin linen background. Condition is excellent. Estimated age early to mid 20th century.

This dazzling child's dress front was made by Pashtuns and is probably dated to the 1950s or 60s. The embroidery technique on this textile features couched metallic threads forming an intricate combination of linear and circular designs, so densely arranged as to almost completely obscure the dark purple silk ground...

This is a woman's shawl from Waziristan in deep magenta, yellow and black, with a woven cotton field on the edges and silk thread throughout. It measures 123 cm in width and 249.9 cm in length. Estimated age early to mid 20th century. Waziristan is entirely populated by ethnic Pashtuns and is named after the Wazir tribe. Condition is good, some staining to be expected from normal wear.

This vintage Turkmen Tekke child's bib or collar is hand-embroidered in silk thread with cotton tassels. Shoulder to shoulder measures 19" and the front is 9 1/2" with a 3" fringe. The reverse is a printed cotton fabric and the embroidery technique features the traditional gul-i-badam ("almond flower") motif which is generally found only on Turkmen embroideries from Afghanistan. Condition is excellent and its estimated age is late 20th century.

This is a textile piece from Afghanistan, probably from Bamiyan province. It is a child's vest which features very intricate embroidered patterns in bright colors and in cotton floss, in cross stitch. The top is embellished with silver metallic threads and the vest is trimmed with green glass beads on the sides, center and bottom. The back is a purple cotton fabric. The lining on the inside is a blue cotton fabric with diamond motifs...

This boy's coat resembles the famous green chapan worn by Hamid Karzai, the current President of Afghanistan. These coats are worn in Central Asia including Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, etc...

This is a dowry purse from Afghanistan, measuring 19.5 cm x 29 when open, 16 x 19.5 when closed. The embroidery technique is silk thread in button stitch with herringbone stitch and long and short stitch. Embroidered on a silk background with mica mirrors, a few of them missing, the purse is otherwise in good condition for its age (mid to late 20th century).

An exceptionally fine embroidered purse from Katawaz (Ghazni province), Afghanistan, circa early to mid 20th century. The embroidery on this piece is basically metallic embroidery on both sides, with mirror stitching and fine metallic couching. The front side is comprised of Bokhara couching, where the thread is taken across the surface for the desired length, then, bringing the needle back to the beginning, it is caught down at regular intervals by small stitches. The process is repeated unti...

Measuring 29.2 x 33.6 cm, this textile is from central Afghanistan, home of the minority Hazara people who are Shi'ite Muslims, inhabiting at least three or four provinces (Jaghori, Bamiyan, Orugzan, Wardak). The embroidery on this textile is exclusively silk herringbone stitch on an ivory cotton linen ground. The textile is in good condition overall with some mild staining. Estimated age: early to mid 20th century.

A child's cap embroidered in acrylic thread, tent stitch and satin stitch, it is embellished with pompoms, buttons, metal trinkets and white beads which are traditional decorative elements of Kohistani embroidery. Diameter is 16.5 cm, circumference 43 cm. Mid to late 20th century. Some fraying.

The painstaking embroidery technique on this vintage Pashtun purse from Afghanistan is called "pokhtaduzi", or Romanian couching, where the thread is taken across the surface for the desired length, then, bringing the needle back to the beginning, it is caught down at regular intervals by tiny stitches. The process is repeated until the entire surface area is covered, the small holding stitches being staggered from one thread to the next, giving a characteristic relief to the pattern. The metall...

A silk and cotton ikat-dyed chapan with padded and quilted cotton lining from northern Afghanistan. It is in excellent condition, measuring 137 cm across from one sleeve end to the other; arm opening: 26 cm; bust: 49 cm; gusset to sleeve opening: 47.5 cm; shoulder hem to bottom hem: 113 cm. Estimated age late 20th century.

This is a vintage textile from Paktya province. It measures 28 x 29.5 cm and is estimated to date between early to mid 20th century. Silk thread is embroidered in extremely fine brick stitch and satin stitch on a tan linen background, depicting interlocking chevron and bricked lozenge motifs. Condition: Excellent.

This is an old prayer cloth from central Afghanistan measuring 35.7 x 35.7 cm. The embroidery technique is satin stitch in silk thread intricately worked on a fine cotton linen ground. These cloths are unique to the Hazara and used to protect the prayer stone from Kerbala, Iraq, which is a holy city of pilgrimmage to the Hazara and other Shi'ite Muslims. The terra cotta prayer stones depict the mosque and minarets of Kerbala and are traditionally brought back by pilgrims to be used during praye...

This is a woman's shift ("kurta") from Swat Valley, Pakistan. It measures 125 cm from one sleeve extended to the other; the gusset measures 24 cm; the bust 57 cm. From top shoulder to bottom hem it measures 91 cm. The sleeve opening is 17 cm. The embroidery technique is pink and red floss silk on indigo-dyed and black cotton depicting geometric shapes typical of the embroidery of the Swat Valley. Condition of this textile is excellent. Estimated age: mid to late 20th century.

Mongolian embroidered and Hand stitched Fabric Wall Hanging, used in the Mongolian Ger, Ca. early 1900's, 28" by 19" wide, the condition is as used old look.

This dress yoke from Bamiyan province measures 34.5 x 41 cm and is embroidered in fine cross stitch in pink, yellow, green and purple silk thread. Traditional Afghan dresses have a yoke under the neckline from which long panels of fabric flow. Sleeves are typically wide, and they wear matching cuffed pants underneath. The garments are decorated with embroidery at the yoke, the bottom of the sleeves, and the cuff of the pants. When a garment wears out they remove the embroidered areas and re-use ...

This vintage purse from Afghanistan is worked in a variation of ladder stitch and Bukhara couching to form repeating whorl and volute motifs. Silk and metallic thread are embroidered on a green polyester ground. The purse feature two inside pockets lined with red printed cotton, with the outer edges fringed with blue glass seed beads to protect against the evil eye. It measures 10.5 x 14 cm when closed, 13.8 x 25 cm when opened and dates to the mid or late 20th century.

A pair of puttees from northern Afghanistan, hand-embroidered by Uzbek women. Each puttee measures 8.4 cm x 48 cm (3 1/4 x 19 inches)and is hand-embroidered in silk thread on a red cotton ground. The embroidery technique is long and short stitch, typical of Uzbek embroidery. Condition: excellent, no stains, no flaws of any kind. The puttee with the braided thread measures 48 cm x 47 cm.

The Hazara embroidery of central Afghanistan is extremely fine, worked typically in brick stitch in diamond motifs surrounded by hooked diamonds. This purse was probably used to store a precious object such as the soil or holy stone brought from the holy city of Kerbala. This purse measures 13 x 22.5 cm when open, 9.6 x 13 cm when closed. Silk thread embroidered in brick stitch on cotton. Condition is excellent, and its estimated age is mid to late 20th century.

Measuring 63 x 88 inches (160 x 224 cm), this hand-embroidered wedding shawl from the remote region of Indus Kohistan in northeast Pakistan is estimated to date to the mid or late 20th century. Worked in extremely fine cross stitch and satin stitch in silk thread in interlocking geometric motifs and embellished with beaded edges, a textile such as this may take up to six months to produce. This shawl is embroidered on a black cotton ground and is in excellent condition.

Nice antique bags from Afghanistan with exquisite silk embroidery. Bought these in Peshawar in the mid 90s. There is red satin on the larger bag is new and can be removed the smaller bag has a stain but may wash out (never tried so no guarantees). Small bag 10.7cm/4.2in x 10.cm/4.2in, larger bag is 14cm/5,5in x 16cm/6.3in.

The fabric on this small purse from Bamiyan is cotton, solidly worked in brick stitch in silk thread, the colors alternating between celadon, pink, orange and red. Circa early to mid 20th century. The interlocking rhomboid design and hooked diamonds are typical of Hazara embroidery. This purse measures 10.5 x 18.5 cm when opened, 8 x 10.5 cm when closed. Condition: Excellent (e.g., no stains, no flaws, no damage)