Catalog: Vintage Arts: Regional Art (266)

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.

This child's cap from Indus Kohistan, Pakistan is dated to the mid 20th century and measures 7 cm in diameter, 42 cm in circumference. Kohistan in Persian means "land of mountains" and has two distinct meanings in Pakistan. In Persian "koh" means "peak" and "istaan" means "land of". Kohistan is one of the most isolated and the most deprived districts, not only in Hazara Division but in the entire Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. This child's cap shows the typical decorative amulets of Indus Kohistan embroidery, with coiled zippers, buttons, plastic poppers and beads. The embroidery work is exceptionally fine cross stitch (petit point) and satin stitch in silk thread and acrylic thread on black cotton. Condition of the cap is excellent.

A hand-embroidered Turkman Yomut nomad's skullcap from Herat dated to the early to mid 20th century. Exceptionally fine ladder stitch combined with satin stitch and couching in silk thread. Condition is very good, just some tiny stains. Diameter: 18 cm, circumference 48.5 (approx. 19 inches).

A pair of old Uzbek sleeve embroideries dated to the mid to late 20th century. They measure 14.5 x 36 cm combined together. Cross stitch in silk thread depicting geometric motifs on a cotton ground. Condition: Excellent.

A child's helmet (khohl) from Pakistan which is daily attire for both girls and boys of the villages in Kohistan. It measures 34 cm from the beaded tassel on the peaked crown to the forehead hem, and 102.5 cm from the tassle to the V-shaped bottom hem. The diameter of the cap is 27.5 cm. Satin stitch and petit point (half cross stitch) in silk thread on a black cotton ground, the helmet is embellished all over with white and red glass beads and buttons. Its condition is excellent with no flaws. The high peaked crown is supported from the interior by sticks of wood. Kohistan means "Land of Mountains" and has two distinct meanings in Pakistan. In Persian "koh" means "peak" and "istaan" means "land of". In its usual modern sense, Kohistan District is an administrative district within Pakistan's Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province covering an area of 7,492 square kilometres. In a broader historic and geographic sense, Kohistan refers to the region that stretches from the border with Azad Kashmir in the east to Afghanistan's Nuristan province in the west.

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.

This lovely cap made by Uzbek women residing in northern Afghanistan measures 21 cm in diameter and 59.5 in circumference. Silk thread in satin stitch on a cotton muslin ground with silk and cotton ikat strips on the dome. Condition is excellent. Estimated age: mid 20th century.

This is a wedding shawl from Indus Kohistan in the province of Pakistan formerly known as NWFP (North-West Frontier Province). Comprised of two large rectangular panels which are densely embroidered in floss silk thread, it is embellished with colored sequins, brass mirrors and decorative metal trinkets, with corded and beaded tassels on the outer edges. The bottom panel is fringed with white and red glass beads. Diamond and chevron patterns adorn the top band, which is executed in minute cross stitch (petit point) and satin stitch in bright pink silk thread. The shawl measures 150 x 224.5 cm and is in good condition, with only a few brass mirrors missing here and there. The reverse is lined with a printed cotton cloth. Estimated age: mid to late 20th century.

An old Uzbek textile from northern Afghanistan, traditionally used in the yurt. Each side measures 26 x 40 cm including the wool fringe. It is in very good condition, appropriate for its age and origin. The embroidery is very fine cross stitch ("petit point") in silk thread. The reverse is lined in white cotton. Estimated age: mid to late 20th century. Condition is overall very good, just one minor stain (see first two photos).

A child's hat from Indus Kohistan, measuring 18 cm in diameter, 44 cm in circumference. The embroidery is extremely fine satin stitch and cross stitch. Kohistan means "Land of Mountains" and has two distinct meanings in Pakistan. In Persian "koh" means "peak" and "istaan" means "land of". In its usual modern sense, Kohistan District is an administrative district within Pakistan's Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province covering an area of 7,492 square kilometres. In a broader historic and geographic sense, Kohistan refers to the region that stretches from the border with Azad Kashmir in the east to Afghanistan's Nuristan province in the west. This child's cap is dated to the mid 20th century.

A hand-embroidered Uzbek curtain from northern Afghanistan, mid to late 20th century. Silk floss thread on green cotton in long and short stitch, this textile is fully reversible and either side may be used as the face. It measures 84 x 105 cm including the silk fringe. The central rosette is enclosed by borders and surrounded by curved and sinuous patterns in vivid contrasting color. Condition is very good but with some slight fading and a few small dark stains in one corner.

Measuring 33 x 39 cm, this vintage Hazara child's vest from Afghanistan is from the 1960s. The embroidery is extremely fine straight stitch and long and short stitch in wool thread on a light brown linen ground, depicting geometric motifs in vibrant color. Condition: Excellent, no stains, no holes, no odors. The Hazara are the third largest ethnic group of Afghanistan. They are a Persian-speaking people who live mostly in central Afghanistan (Bamiyan and Ghazni provinces) and are overwhelmingly Shia Muslims, forming about 19% of the total population of Afghanistan.

This Uzbek textile measures 8.2 cm x 52 cm, 8.2 cm x 89 cm with the string. Depicting rosettes in long and short stitch and cross stitch in silk thread on a black cotton ground, this Uzbek puttee dates from the mid 20th century and is in excellent condition. Puttees are a strip of cloth wound spirally around the leg from ankle to knee.

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.

An old Uzbek puttee dating from the 1950s or 1960s. Silk embroidery on an ivory linen ground, embroidered in long and short stitch, the trademark of Uzbek embroidery. Condition is very good, some staining on one side. It measures 8.3 cm x 58 cm (w/o string). The string measures 31 cm. Puttees are a strip of cloth wound spirally around the leg from the ankle to the knee.

The embroidery of Baluchistan is called "doch" and is unique in its intricate repetitive geometric patterns and colors. This woman's dress yoke from Baluchistan ("pashk kurta") features a repertoire of densely embroidered patterns in silk thread on a dark blue silk background. Extremely fine satin stitch combined with herringbone stitch in silk thread, some metallic, along with buttonhole stitching, depicting geometric motifs. The most intricate pushks are produced in Makran and other coastal areas of Baluchistan. This one measures 42 x 62 cm and is in excellent condition. Estimated age: mid 20th century.

A child's cap from Indus Kohistan which is part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly known as NWFP). Some of the finest embroidery of this region comes from the area between Patan and Komila, where small settlements beside tributaries of the Indus produce embroidered costume and small bags worked in minute cross stitch and tent stitch. This cap with its beaded tassle is very typical of the region in its use of pompoms, buttons, white beading, and incredibly fine petit point stitch in silk thread. Condition: overall very good, albeit with some fraying which is to be expected from a cap of this age. Diameter 15.2 cm, circumference 43 cm. Some portion of the cap lining from inside is a printed cotton fabric.

In the high valleys of Indus Kohistan the children still wear hats such as this one, made of tent stitch, fine cross stitch and metallic amulets to ward off the evil eye. Silk thread on cotton ground, accented with beading, sea shells, pompoms, and metal trinkets. Estimated age mid 20th century. Condition of this hat is excellent. No holes, no fraying, no stains. Diameter is 7 inches, circumference 18 inches.