Catalog: Vintage Arts: Regional Art (266)

This is a museum quality embroidered wallet from Katawaz in Ghazni province, Afghanistan. The embroidery technique is called couching, where the gold metallic threads are meticulously laid down in neat parallel rows, and then fastened down at regular intervals with tiny orange threads...a very labor-intensive embroidery technique that cannot be accomplished with a sewing machine. Mirrors are strategically placed to ward off the evil eye ("djinn") and embellished with blue seed beads. The interior features two pockets and is lined with a printed cotton cloth from Russia. Blue seed beads frame the outer edges. The condition is very good with some minor wear to be expected of a textile this age. The piece measures 14 cm x 27 cm when fully elongated, 11.5 x 14 cm when closed. Estimated age: mid 20th century.

Dated to the mid 20th century, this cushion cover (thakia) measures 15¼ inches x 30 inches (38.7 cm x 76.2 cm). 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. However, these pieces are generally more complex in design and construction. This piece is embroidered on both sides with silk on a cotton background in a predominantly geometric pattern. On one side, the space is stabilized by two center diamonds and an elaborate grid of squares and diagonals with the borders in perfect symmetry. These embroidery patterns are very dense and tightly constructed, with strategic touches of color and the utilization of negative space to maximum effect. The other side is embroidered in varous shades of pink, purple and sage green silk threads in a predominantly fine satin stitch counted-thread work on a mustard yellow background. These pillow covers are traditionally made for weddings. The condition of the textile is very good with no stains but some slight discoloration on the yellow side.

A finely embroidered textile from Afghanistan made by Hazara women, measuring 12 inches by 13 inches. Embroidered in silk thread in mostly filling stich and satin stitch on a white cotton linen background. Although the embroidery designs are geometric and simple, it is the constant change of color on each of the embroidered panels that animates this prayer cloth ("mohr posh"). Late 20th century.

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.

This is a woman's shift known as a "jumlo" from the remote Indus Kohistan area of northern Pakistan. Jumlos are among the most lavishly embroidered textiles in all of Asia and are usually worn with an embroidered shawl known as a "chuprai". This tunic is embroidered in silk floss thread on black cotton in extremely fine half cross-stitch ("petit point") and the surface darning stitch for which Swati embroidery is famous. It is further embellished with assorted metal trinkets, amulets and buttons, which are used extensively in the embroidery from this district. In addition to providing decoration, they act as charms to avert evil from the wearer. The gored and flounced skirt features no less than 350 inserted triangular panels. The textile measures 149 cm when measured across the shoulders and back from sleeve end to sleeve end. Measured from neck to flounce hem the length is 85.5 cm. Condition: Excellent, there are a few small moth holes in the skirt, the largest measuring 3 x 4.5 cm (under repair). Estimated age: mid 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.

This lady's shawl from the Hazara region in Pakistan measures 105 x 224 cm including the fringes. The geometric patterns are hand-embroidered in straight stitching in vivid pink floss-silk with touches of light pink, outlined in yellow double running stitch on a black wool ground. The shawl is dated to the late 20th century and is in perfect condition.

A woman's cap from Bamiyan province, circa mid 20th century. Satin stitch in pink, white and yellow silk thread embroidered on green cotton, depicting stylized flowers resembling chrysanthemums. Diameter: 20 cm. Circumference: 52.5 cm. Condition: Excellent.

Measuring 25.2 x 30 cm, this embroidered cloth from Jaghori in Ghazni province was made by Hazara women. It depicts in vibrant colors four eight-pointed stars and triangular hooked motifs down the center. The stitching is a combination of satin, herringbone and cross stitch, in silk thread. Embroidery is an important winter activity for the women of central Afghanistan, a mountainous region where villages can be isolated by snow for months. This textile is in perfect condition, and its estimated age is early to mid 20th century.

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 them in a new piece so that their progeny may share some of the original outfit. Condition: Excellent. Estimated age: mid to late 20th century.

Traditional geometric designs embroidered on a plain weave cotton animate this Hazara cloth from Afghanistan measuring 33 x 39 cm. Cross stitch in multicolored silk thread form an interlocking star pattern. Condition of the textile is excellent. Estimated age: late 20th century. The Hazara are the third largest ethnic group in Afghanistan, inhabiting mostly Bamiyan province but also Orugzan and Ghazni provinces.

This is a Hazara woman's hat from Bamiyan province in central Afghanistan. Circumference: 51.5 cm; Diameter: 18 cm. The embroidery technique is satin stitch in pink and yellow silk thread on a green polyester ground. Its condition is excellent given its age (mid 20th century). No spots, bleeding, etc.

A Hazara prayer cloth from Wardak or Bamiyan province, Afghanistan, circa early 20th century. Satin stitch in multicolored silk thread on fine white linen. Squares and triangles are embroidered in complex symmetrical arrangements to form a very balanced, unified composition. Measures 32 x 32 cm. Condition: Very good, a small mend on the perimeter.

A hand-embroidered Hazara prayer cloth, made to protect the prayer stone, with a stylized depiction of the prayer niche, probably from Ghazni or Bamiyan province, circa mid 20th century. This exquisite embroidery on a white linen background depicts the severed hands of Hazrat Abbas, alluding to the battle of Kerbala. Silk thread in bright colors executed in a fine satin stitch and tassles on each of the four corners. These cloths are used in prayer to place the forehead. Condition of this textile is near excellent except for the slight brown staining in the upper right hand corner. This textile measures 38.1 x 39.4 cm.

This vintage textile is from Bamiyan province, Afghanistan and measures 25.5 x 26 cm. Embroidered in pastel-colored silk thread on a fine white linen, it depicts in satin stitch the triangular shapes that are typical of Hazara embroidery. The continuous supplementary-weft technique makes this textile reversible and either face may be used as the front. Condition: Excellent (e.g., no tears, holes, stains). Estimated age: probably 1950-1960.

Measuring 39 x 40.5 cm, this textile from Afghanistan astounds in its meticulous satin stitch in vibrant, multicolored silk thread. Condition is excellent. No stains, no odors, no flaws of any kind. Estimated age: mid 20th century. The continuous supplementary-weft technique makes this textile reversible and either face may be used as the front. "Consisting of, or generated from, such simple forms as the circle and the square, geometric patterns were combined, duplicated, interlaced, and arranged in intricate combinations, thus becoming one of the most distinguishing features of Islamic art. However, these complex patterns seem to embody a refusal to adhere strictly to the rules of geometry. As a matter of fact, geometric ornamentation in Islamic art suggests a remarkable amount of freedom; in its repetition and complexity, it offers the possibility of infinite growth and can accommodate the incorporation of other types of ornamentation as well..." see http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/geom/hd_geom.htm

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. The background is a polyester cloth embroidered in vibrant primary colors, alluding to the mosque and minarets of Kerbala. The image is tersely framed by embroidered rosettes and leaves. This textile is in excellent condition and dates to the late 20th century.

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 prayer, where the stone is placed on a small square on the cloth which the man touches with his forehead. The textile is in good condition but has some fading due to its age (early to mid 20th century).

This small Afghanistan textile is embroidered in extremely fine satin stitch with repetitive triangular motifs in silk thread on a silk background. The Hazara are the third largest ethnic group in Afghanistan, inhabiting mostly central Afghanistan (Ghazni and Bamiyan provinces). This piece was probably made during the winter months where the women are commonly cut off from the world for six months out of the year due to the extreme climate. The continuous supplementary-weft technique makes this textile reversible and either face may be used as the front. Condition is excellent. No stains, no flaws of any kind. Estimated age mid to late 20th century. It measures 20.3 x 20.8 cm.

Measuring 27 x 29 cm, this embroidery from Afghanistan is composed of mostly satin stitch in silk thread. The continuous supplementary-weft technique makes this textile reversible and either face may be used as the front. Condition: Excellent, no stains, no flaws of any kind.

An old prayer napkin from Afghanistan, measuring 10 x 11 inches. It features very fine stitching characteristic of Hazara embroideries - satin stitch on a white linen background, in silk threads (yellow, blue, orange, green and red). The embroidery on the reverse side of this textile is exactly identical to the front side. Estimated age: early to mid 20th century. Condition is excellent except for some minor stain on the reverse side, displayed in the last photo.

This lovely embroidery from Afghanistan measures 27 x 36 cm and depicts eight pointed stars in very fine cross stitch on a purple linen background, arranged in four quadrants. Circa mid to late 20th century. Condition: Excellent.

This textile from central Afghanistan was made by Hazara women and depicts the severed hands and shrine of Hazrat Abbas, the half-brother of Hussein ibn Ali, during the battle of Kerbala in Iraq. The scene is embroidered in very fine cross stitch in rayon thread on a polyester background and measures 47 x 59 cm. Condition: Excellent. Estimated age: late 20th century. The inscription at the top reads "Turbah-i-Kerbala" in Dari ("soil of Kerbala"), referring to the holy and curative properties of the clay from Kerbala.

Embroidered in satin stitch in silk thread on a fine cotton linen ground, this napkin measures 37.2 x 37.8 cm and is estimated to date from the mid to late 20th century. Such textiles are unique to the Hazara, Shi'ite Muslims who comprise the third largest ethnic group of Afghanistan, forming about 19% of the total population and inhabiting mostly the central provinces of central Afghanistan. This textile is in excellent condition overall with only one small stain.

Living in the mountainous terrain of central Afghanistan where the cold and snow isolate entire villages for months, the minority Hazara women have developed a terse embroidery style of cross stitch and interlocking eight-pointed star motifs to produce their dowries. This textile from central Afghanistan is embroidered in silk thread on a plain weave cotton linen background. The top right corner is left unfinished, part of this textile's understated appeal. It measures 14 inches by 14 1/2 inches. It is being sold in a glass frame (black metal frame). Condition is perfect. Estimated age: late 20th century.

This is a hinggi from east Sumba, probably dated to the mid to late 20th century. The weave technique is warp ikat, plain woven and hand spun cotton. It measures 132.08 x 274.32 cm and is in immaculate condition. Ikat is a resist-dye method of patterning textiles. Prior to weaving, the maker ties the warp and/or weft threads tightly and immerses them in a dye bath. The tied sections resist the dye. When applied to several sections of threads in a sequence of dye baths, the method creates unique, vibrant and colorful patterns. This textile showcases the horse, which plays a huge role in the life of Sumbanese. Horses are their wealth and centuries ago the Sumbanese were trading their horses to the Chinese for ceramics (see The World of Indonesian Textiles by W. Warming and M. Gaworski, copyright 1981 Kodansha Int'l). The hinggi completes the attire of the Sumbanese horseman by functioning as a wrapper around his waist, which is held up by a wide leather belt, letting the fringed ends dangle between his legs. The textile is dyed with the traditional indigo blue from the young leaves of the indigo plant (indigofera tinctoria) and the prized kombu red from the roots of the mengkudu tree (morinda citrifolia). Both ends are fringed, though one end band at the top is turned over the rod in the catalog photo.

A woman's dress bodice from Afghanistan, hand-embroidered by the Kakarh tribe. The Kakarh are primarily found in Baluchistan, where they still make up the majority of indigenous Pashtuns, but they also reside in the southern districts of Zabul province in Afghanistan as well as eastern Iran. This piece measures 18 x 56 inches (45.7 x 142.2 cm). Black, yellow and red pompoms accentuate the front of the bodice which is embroidered in satin and herringbone stitch. The vibrant colors also feature areas of metallic couching.

Pompoms adorn the edges of this densely embroidered textile made by the Kakarh tribe of Afghanistan. Metallic couching combined with Holbein, herringone and satin stitching characterize this piece. The reverse side is lined in plainweave striped cotton. The Kakarh have descendants in western provinces of Pakistan but are mostly found in Afghanistan and eastern Iran. This textile is in perfect condition and measures 20 x 31 1/2 inches (50.8 x 80 cm). Estimated age: mid 20th century.

A kilim from Maimana in subdued tones, typical of the kilims from this area. Excellent condition, estimated age mid to late 20th century. Woven from sheep's wool. Measures 110 cm by 196 cm.

The kilims from around Almar, a village near Maimana, are tightly woven and feature large central medallions with hooked motifs. This hand knotted kilim measures 96.5 x 124.5 cm and is in excellent condition. It dates to the late 20th century and is made of sheep's wool. The palette is subdued as is typical of the kilims from this area of Afghanistan. This kilim was made of vegetable dyes.

This handmade kilim from Maimana shows the medallion design and double interlock designs typical of the kilims from this area, inhabited by Uzbeks, Ersari Turkomen, and other tribal groups. It measures 87 x 127 cm. In excellent condition. Late 20th century. It is made of 100% sheep's wool.

A king-sized cotton duvet cover from Nepal, measuring 111 x 74½" inches (43.7 x 29.3 cm) in purple, red and green. The viúvavajra ("crossed vajra") and chevron motifs are depicted in wool thread in chain stitch. Condition: Excellent. The vajra (meaning diamond or thunderbolt) is believed to represent firmness of spirit and spiritual power and is displayed in the national emblem of Bhutan.

This is a dress panel made by Kuchi nomads from Afghanistan, with mirrorwork (shisha) and extensive beadwork. This textile represents the most common form of the amulet, the triangle. Decorative embroideries such as these are used as a protective element in central Asian cultures. The mirrors as shiny objects are incorporated into the embroidery and are believed to avert the evil eye, or reflect and hold its image thus absorbing the destructive powers. The beads trimming this textile also serve this purpose. Estimated age mid to late 20th century. 25 x 27 cm. Condition is good.

A Kuchi dress from Afghanistan from the second half of 20th century. The dress bodice has a front slit with button closure, and dense silk embroidery adorns the bodice, sleeve ends, and bottom hem. The embroidery is mostly satin stitch, with ladder stitch and herringbone stitch on black cotton. The embroidered sleeve bands and bottom embroidered band are 2 inches in width. The printed fabric is cotton, with small turquoise, yellow and red motifs on a black background. Condition of the dress is overall excellent, except for small sections where the embroidery has worn thin, mostly around the neckline, sleeve bands, and bottom hem band. Bodice: 11 3/4 x 15 1/2". Bust: 20" (armpit to armpit). Waist: 17". Hips: 32". Sleeve length (armpit to sleeve hem): 23". Shoulder to sleeve hem: 28 1/4". Shoulders: 4 1/4". Bodice front slit: 4". Sleeve opening: 19". Total length of dress: 53". Bottom hem of dress: 98".

A Labijar kilim from Afghanistan, made of sheep's wool and from the late 20th century. It measures 72 x 108 cm. This little rug shows the medallion design and double interlock designs typical of the kilims from this area, inhabited by Uzbeks, Ersari Turkomen, and other tribal groups.

Measuring 15 x 16.5 this embroidered purse from Afghanistan is in excellent condition and dates to the mid to late 20th century. Silk thread on cotton, in satin stich and brick stitch. White beads on corded tassels surround the edges. Condition is excellent. Estimated age late 20th century.

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 metallic thread is framed by metallic braiding and blue and white seed beads, intended to protect the wearer from the jinn. Condition is overall good, showing wear consistent with its age (estimated mid 20th century). 12.5 x 25 cm when opened, 11 x 12.5 cm when closed.

A vibrant Lakai embroidered textile ("ilgitsh") from northern Afghanistan, measuring 56.9 cm x 58.4 cm including fringes. Romanian couching in silk thread on a deep red cotton ground, with bordering in cross stitch. Approximate age mid 20th century. The Lakai are an Uzbek tribe of horse breeders who came to Afghanistan from the steppes after the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia to settle around the northern towns of Balkh and Kunduz.

Embroidered on a brown plainweave cotton linen, this wedding food cover (lali posh) was made by the Lakai Uzbek residing near Kunduz in northern Afghanistan. Six suns edged with waves (symbolizing power) are worked in blanket stitch and chain stitch in bright, multicolored silk thread, surrounded by free-flowing, stylized floral motifs. The rasberry silk fringe border on all sides is crocheted and the reverse side of the textile is lined with two separate panels of printed fabric from Russia. Condition: Excellent. Measures 68 x 69 cm (including fringe). Circa mid to late 20th century. There is some fraying on the back lining, but the the textile is in otherwise perfect condition.

Measuring 56 x 88 cm, this horse headcover was hand-embroidered by Uzbeks of the Lakai tribe, well-known for their horsemanship. Each of the embroidered panels feature solar and horned designs, executed in Bukhara couching on red wool flannel, fringed with beaded silk tassels ending in small white beads, a typical feature in Central Asian embroidery. Condition is good but with a few small holes. Estimated age: mid 20th century.

This saye gosha (or segusha) shows the dynamic use of line and vivid color for which Uzbek Lakai embroidery is famous. Saye gosha are V-shaped hangings used to decorate piles of quilts while in storage during the day in the yurt. The Lakai are an Uzbek tribe who currently live around Kunduz in northern Afghanistan. Originally more widespread, they were also once found in what is now Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Silk thread in a combination of fine slanting blanket stitch and double chain stitch on a red plainweave cotton. The two panels are animated by whirling solar images edged with curvilinear and rounded wave-like motifs, densely arranged and tightly composed, but not overcrowded. The borders are embellished with twisted cotton fringes with beaded ends, a typical feature in Central Asian embroideries. This textile measures 9 1/2 inches x 28 inches on the right panel, 9 1/2 inches x 38 inches on the left panel. The back is lined in black cotton. Condition is excellent but for one inconspicuous stain on the right panel (on the magenta oval motif). Estimated age: early to mid 20th century.

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.

A man's woolen coat from the Pashtun Mangal tribe. Made from a locally handwoven patti cloth, these coats are decorated with woolen embroidery, in branching patterns. The archaic, stylized designs are reminiscent of the woolen garments and felts from Central Asia, which is not surprising given the continuous trade linking Afghanistan with Central Asia. The Mangal tribe straddle both sides of the Pakistan/Afghanistan border and live mostly in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Khost and Paktya. This coat is ornamented with gold couching, braided embroidery in long and short stitch, chain stitch, and herringbone stitch. Circa mid 20th century. Condition of this textile is very good, with some wear on the sleeves. This textile measures 36" x 64 5/8" (91.44 x 164.15 cm) including the sleeves.

Straddling both sides of the Durand Line, the Mangal tribe are one of the more influential Pashtun tribes. This Mangal textile measures 24.6 x 28 cm and is in excellent condition. Curvilinear and geometric motifs are excecuted in straight stitch, Holbein stitch, and a tightly worked ladder stitch on a plum polyester ground. Estimated age: mid 20th century. The Mangal reside primarily in southeastern Paktia and adjacent Khost provinces of Afghanistan. The name "Mangal" is derived from the Sanskrit name for the planet Mars. The Mangal are known for their independent nature and have a long history of resisting British forces, central and provincial governments, Soviet army, and even fellow Pashtun Taliban militia.

This textile from Afghanistan measures 24 x 27 cm and is dated to the mid 20th century. The highlights of this textile are the four mirrors ("shisha") which are made of mirror glass and used as an amulet to ward off the evil eye. The embroidery is silk thread on a plum cotton ground, in straight stitch, ladder stitch and Holbein stitch, all combined in an effective way to make the overall composition. The Mangal are one of the largest and perhaps the most powerful and influential Pashtun tribes, residing in southeastern Paktia and adjacent Khost provinces of Afghanistan. The name Mangal is derived from the Sanskrit name for the planet Mars. The Mangal are known for their independent nature, and have a long history of resisting British forces, central and provincial governments, Soviet army, and even fellow Pashtun Taliban militia. Condition of this textile is excellent. The embroidery is all made by hand, not by machine.

Measuring 15.5 x 16 inches (39.4 x 40.6 cm), this textile from Kandahar, Afghanistan is embroidered in silk thread embroidery on a fine silk ground which is stitched onto a fine cotton linen panel. Depicting eight pointed star and rosette motifs in exquisitely fine satin stitching in counted-thread technique, the sheen of the silk is worked so that the light catches it in different settings, a characteristic feature of the embroidery ("khamak") of Kandahar. This textile is dated to the early to mid 20th century. Condition is almost perfect with only two stains on one side.

A man's wrist band from Afghanistan, hand-embroidered by Lakai Uzbek women, probably from Kunduz province. Circa 1970. Solid embroidery in cross stitch with hooked motifs. These motifs, their colors and repetition, are common in the embroideries of Tajikistan and Sukhanderia in southern Uzbekistan. The embroidery features buttons and beaded tassles on both ends. The tassles are bound together by metallic thread. The Lakai Uzbek cross stitch is rather larger than in the Hazara embroideries. In this piece a hooked motif is embroidered in different colors and repeated in five separate panels to highlight the contrast in color. It is in excellent condition and measures 2¾ x 34 inches when measured from end to end with the braided string and tassles; without the tassles and string it measures 18½ inches in length.

This embroidered shirt panel is typical of the traditional embroidery of Kandahar ("khamak") in its limited range of colors and its depiction of geometric motifs of traditional Islamic art. Silk thread in extremely delicate satin stitch in counted-thread technique on a fine silk background which has been stitched to a cotton linen. It measures 38 x 43.5 cm and is dated to the early 20th century. Condition excellent, only two inconspicuous stains on one side.

This man's wedding shawl (known as "malir", or "doshalo") is from Tharparker district in Sindh province and would be a gift from a bride and her family to the groom for his wedding day attire. It is basically an embroidered "ajrak", meaning a red handspun, mordant-dyed, resist-printed cotton, embroidered in the four corners with stylized peacocks symbolizing fertility, and randomly placed mirrors ("shisha") as accents. The embroidery is a combination of ladder stitch, satin stitch and chain stitch in silk thread, with some couching. These wedding shawls were originally produced in the village of Malir in the Tharparker district and are still being made in other villages of Tharparker. Estimated age: mid to late 20th century. The textile measures 59.5 x 93 inches (151.1 x 236.2 cm) and is in pristine condition.

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.

The Kuchi are the nomadic and semi-nomadic people of Afghanistan. This cushion was made from a traditional Kuchi textile and has burgundy velvet on the reverse with cording along the edges. The embroidery is intricate ladder stitch and button hole stitch, with cotton thread and metallic braiding throughout. Condition is great. It measures 44 x 64 cm. Estimated age mid to late 20th century.

Measuring 15 x 26 cm this charming purse is completely hand-embroidered in silk thread on a polyester ground. The embroidery is a very finely worked ladder stitch combined with Romanian couching ("pokhtaduzi") so densely worked as to almost completely obscure the background fabric. The metal thread around the mirrors is fastened down at regular intervals with small holding stitches, producing a characteristic relief to the pattern. Blue seed beads on all the edges are intended to ward off the jinn from the wearer. Three inside pockets. The wallet is estimated age mid 20th century and is in excellent condition. Silk tassels on a braided silk cord forms the closure.

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.

A hand-embroidered Hazara cloth from Afghanistan, circa mid 20th century. Silk thread on a white linen background executed in satin stitch. Condition is excellent. No flaws nor stains. Measures 31.3 cm x 31.8 cm.

Strong geometric shapes densely embroidered in satin stich in vibrant colors animate this Hazara textile from central Afghanistan which is estimated to date to the mid 20th century. Silk thread embroidered on a fine cotton linen ground, the patterns are artfully joined into a robust and dynamic unity. Embroidery is an important winter activity for Hazara women who inhabit mountainous central Afghanistan, including Bamiyan, Oruzgan and Ghazni provinces. The Hazara are Shi'ite Muslims who comprise about 19% of the total population of Afghanistan. This textile is in perfect condition and measures 35 x 38.3 cm. The continuous supplementary-weft technique makes this textile reversible and either face may be used as the front.

This beautiful textile was made by Pashtun nomadic tribeswomen of Hazarajat. It measures 52 x 65 cm without the fringes (57 x 71 cm including the fringes). Shisha (mirrors) illuminate the textile and are fastened by buttonhole stitches, surrounded by volute designs worked in a very fine ladder stitch in silk thread on a dark purple silk background. The design composition is framed throughout with woven metal-thread braid with blue and white beads edging the textile. Condition: Excellent. Circa: mid 20th century.

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.

In central Afghanistan where villages are commonly cut off from the rest of the world during the winter months, the time spent by Hazara women in embroidering textiles such as this one is considerable. Depicting eight-pointed stars and triangles densely embroidered in silk thread on a fine cotton linen cloth, this napkin measures 38 x 40.5 cm and is in excellent condition. Estimated age: mid to late 20th century.

A small beaded purse made for storing kohl. Silk thread embroidered on cotton, worked in extremely fine satin stitch and filling stitch. Indus Kohistan is located in the province of Pakistan formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), recently re-named Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In Persian, Kohistan means Land of Mountains. In Persian "koh" means "peak" and "istaan" means "land of". This textile measures 8.5x10 cm when closed, when opened, 10x16 cm. Condition: Excellent. Estimated age: mid 20th century.

An envelope-shaped purse from Jaghori area of Ghazni province, Afghanistan, circa 1930. The silk embroidery is very dense, combining satin stitches with brick stitches into an alternating geometric pattern of zigzags and diamonds. The borders of the purse echo with similar triangular designs. The bag is lined in fine green cotton. Pompoms and buttons are used as highlights, with a card-woven braid serving as a closure. The edging is overstitched in alternating green and brown. These purses are used to hold treasures, with smaller versions made for kohl. 6 1/2 x 10 1/2 inches when opened, 5 1/2 x 6 1/2 inches when closed.