Catalog: Vintage Arts: Regional Art: Asian (258)

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).

Embroidered on a dark purple silk, this pair of Pashtun tablecloths is from Ghazni province, Afghanistan. Each textile measures 27 x 27 cm and is animated by star motifs and repetitive whorl designs in a closely worked ladder stitch in silk thread, framed by gold-thread braid and gold-thread ribbon appliquéd onto the background. There is also some extremely fine metal thread couching on each piece, and beaded fringes all around the edges. A superb example of Pashtun embroidery. Condition is near perfect, but for some loose couching. Estimated age: mid 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 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.

A pair of decorative table cloths made by Pashtun women, with mirrored, beaded discs ("gul-i-peron") on each corner which serve as protective amulets. The blue bead edging is typical of Pashtun textiles, and is used extensively on purses and clothing as a prophylactic against the evil eye. Silk thread in vibrant colors has been applied in mostly herringbone stitch on a pink cotton background with cording. Each panel measures 26.5 x 26.5 cm. Condition of the pair is excellent. Circa mid to late 20th century.

Measuring 13 1/2 x 19 1/4 inches this textile from Maqur district in Ghazni province is embroidered in silk thread on a fine linen background. The textile was intended to be made into a man or a woman's shirt. There is only one small brown stain, otherwise its condition is nearly perfect. Estimated age: mid 20th century. The embroidery technique is an extremely detailed ladder stitch.

Measuring 18 x 18.5 cm when closed, this embroidered purse from Baluchistan is called a "bushkiri" and would be used for storing or carrying valuables and bridal dowry gifts. Worked in a delicate combination of satin stitch and brick stitch in silk thread, the embroidered patterns are medallion, diamond and chevron combined with continuous zigzag forms. Tassels, braided cord, plastic beads and metal-wrapped thread with the interior lined in red printed cotton. Condition is excellent, estimated age mid to late 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.

Four eight-pointed stars are the central theme of this gorgeous textile made by Hazara women, dated to the mid 20th century. Hand-embroidered in extremely fine cross stitch in silk thread on a tan cotton linen, it is the workmanship that marvels. The cross stitch on this textile can be more properly appreciated under a loupe. Each of the four eight-pointed stars is echoed by more eight-pointed stars and accented by triangular hooked motifs down the middle of the piece. The Hazara are the third largest ethnic group in Afghanistan and are Shi'a Muslims. Inhabiting mostly the central region of Afghanistan, embroidery is an important ritual for Hazara women who are isolated by cold and snow for as long as five months per year. This textile measures 22.5 x 23 cm and is in excellent condition.

Metallic thread is used to optimal effect in this Pashtun nomad's purse from southern Afghanistan. The thread is not taken through the magenta silk background but applied onto it in couched threads, laid parallel to each other and caught down by a small stitch in colored cotton. The small fastening stitches in cotton contribute to form a surface pattern of a neat grid of lines which in themselves create geometric and curvilinear motifs in relief (the technique is called "pokhtaduzi", or Romanian couching). This exquisitely embroidered purse was probably used to store kohl and other intimate personal items. The mirrors are called shisha and are there to assist in averting the evil eye, secured with button hole stitching. Estimated age: early to mid 20th century. Condition is overall excellent, but with some oxidation on one corner of the purse. The inside is lined with a Russian printed cotton fabric. The purse measures 14 x 20.7 cm when opened, 10.3 x 14 cm when closed. Four silk thread pompoms are used as accents on the purse.

This Tibetan woven wool sash from the mid to late 20th century measures 5½ x 104 inches (14 x 264.2 cm) including the braided fringes and is in excellent condition. These sashes are used by Tibetans to tie their traditional apron attire (chuba for women, lokpa for men) and also to secure knives, bundles etc. The luster of these wool belts is derived from the high lanolin content to be found in the hairs of high-altitude goats living in the Himalayan range from which these belts are woven. Enlargement #12 shows the use of these sashes in traditional Tibetan nomadic culture (© 1995 East of Lo Manthang by Peter Matthiessen and Thomas Laird). These sashes are known as "kaabo" among the Tibetans and are carefully woven on backstrap looms.

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 use of long and short stitch in this Hazara textile from central Afghanistan gives a more detailed surface that better reflects the light than satin stitch. Silk thread on a fine cotton ground, the overall design alternates densely embroidered areas with others left unworked. This napkin measures 32.5 x 34.8 cm and is in excellent condition. Estimated age: late 20th century. The continuous supplementary-weft technique makes this textile reversible and either face may be used as the front.

Living in the rough mountainous terrain of eastern Paktika and over the Pakistan border in Waziristan, the women of the Mangali tribe wear these leggings for protection. Loose, baggy trousers are tucked into them, and they are re-used until they wear out. Very thick bergundy silk thread is worked in horizontal rows on the top in cross stitch, and on the lower part in vertical bands of heavy whip stitch. Geometric patterns are superimposed in random coloring. The leggings are lined in purple cotton. Each legging measures approximately 19.7 cm x 27.3 cm (7¾ inches x 10¾ inches). The dark, heavy appearance of these leggings is transformed by the light touches of color which, though set in rows, appear haphazard. This pair of leggings is in excellent condition. Estimated age: Circa 1960.

A densely beaded woman's dress panel made by Kuchi nomads from Afghanistan, probably dating to the mid to late 20th century. Woven glass seed beads attached to a cloth background at the top, overlaid by a second layer with twisted acrylic threads and beaded tassles. Several layers of fabric at the top make this piece stiff and sturdy. This panel measures 11¼ x 21 inches. Kuchis (from the Persian word "koch" meaning migration) are Pashtun nomads, primarily from the Ghilzai, Kakarh, Lodi, Ahmadzai as well as some Durrani tribes, but occasionally there may also be some Baluch people among them. There are 3 million Kuchis in Afghanistan, with at least 60% of them remaining fully nomadic, and over 100,000 have been displaced in the past few years due to war, natural disasters and drought. "A nomad's territory is in one sense boundless, but there is an established path linking a tribe's seasonal pastures, known as 'the way". Packing up and moving of the tribe along the path was, and still is, a twice-yearly ritual in which bags and animal trappings decorated with beads, shells, buttons and metal discs, long wrapped cords and tassles, add to the color and ceremony." (see Janet Harvey, Traditional Textiles of Central Asia).

Embroidered in cotton and acrylic thread on a light blue cotton background with sequins and white bead fringing, this child's hat from Indus Kohistan ("Land of mountains") in Pakistan measures: circumference: 50 inches (127 cm); diameter: 6 inches (15.24 cm). Condition is excellent. Estimated age: mid 20th century. The peak of the crown is achieved with wood gathered from the local forests, expertly woven to make the crown. Embroidery technique is a combination of cross stitch, tent stitch and satin stitch in both acrylic and cotton thread.

This hand-embroidered Uzbek textile from northern Afghanistan measuring 27 x 28 cm is in great condition. Cross stitch in silk thread on a cotton background. Circa mid to 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).

Measuring 32.5 x 208 cm on black cotton, this woman's scarf from Hazara district in Pakistan is embroidered in satin stitch in floss silk thread. The curvilinear motifs are outlined with stitches of golden floss thread. The motifs are arranged into geometric compositions indicative of Central Asian influence. Condition is excellent and its estimated age is late 20th century.

This child's hat from the remote valleys of Indus Kohistan measures 15 cm in diameter and 45 cm in circumference. Embroidered in an extremely fine tent stitch (petit point) and ladder stitch in acrylic thread, it features a beaded tassel and a horned amulet made of the teeth of a musk deer, believed to repel evil spirits. The hat is estimated to date to the mid or late 20th century and is in excellent condition.

A Hazara woman's hat from Bamiyan province, Afghanistan, hand-embroidered in silk thread on a cotton ground depicting rosettes in yellow, green, blue, pink and turquoise. Long and short stitch and some herringbone stitch in silk thread. Diameter: 21 cm, circumference: 55.5 cm. The hat is in excellent condition. Estimated age mid 20th century.

A Pashtun nomad's purse from Katawaz, Ghazni province, circa mid 20th century. There are blue beads along all the edges, used to ward off the evil eye. The purse has metallic trim along all the edges and fine Bokhara couching which covers the entire surface area, front and back. The beaded cord winds around the purse to keep it closed. There are two pockets inside, lined with red cotton fabric. The purse measures 6 x 11 inches when opened and elongated, 5 x 6 1/2 inches when closed. The workmanship on this charming textile is staggering. Condition: Excellent. No fraying, no missing beads, no stains.

Meticulously worked in cross stitch in cotton thread, this yurt ornament (saye gosha) is from Mazar-i-Sharif in northern Afghanistan, where the Uzbeks form 10% of the population. The embroidered portion of this textile measures 19.5 x 20 inches, not including the wool fringes, which measure an additional 5 inches. The width of each panel is 10 inches including the fringes. Condition is overall good with one minor stain and some missing fringes. Estimated age: late 20th century. The reverse is lined with cotton cloth.

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. Buttons, white beads and metal ornaments adorn the cap, intended to ward off evil spirits ("djinn"). The embroidery is satin stitch and straight stitch in acrylic and metallic thread on black cotton. It is in excellent condition given its age (late 20th century). The inside and top is lined with printed fabric.

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 until the entire surface is covered, the small holding stitches being staggered from one thread to the next, giving a characteristic relief to the pattern. The blue beads are there to ward off the evil eye. A unique piece, not likely to bore. Condition: Excellent. No stains, no flaws of any kind. The purse measures 6 1/4 x 11 1/2 inches (15.9 x 29.2 cm) when fully extended and elongated. When closed, it measures 5 x 6 1/4 (12.7 x 15.9 cm).

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. 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 Mangals 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 is an old pair of sleeve cuffs from Maqur district in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, embroidered on a thin muslin ground. Red, orange, green and bergundy silk threads are embroidered in a very finely worked ladder stitch, forming interlocking volute designs. Small glass mirrors are artfully incorporated into the embroidery. Mirrorwork embroidery is quite popular in parts of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Known as "shisha" in the Indian subcontinent where it is thought to have originated, this type of embroidery is also sometimes done with small pieces of mica. These sleeve cuffs are estimated to date from the early to mid 20th century and are in excellent condition. Muslin on a linen ground.

Measuring 30 x 32.5 cm, this child's waistcoat from Afghanistan is embroidered in cross stitch in silk thread in geometric patterns, very typical of Hazara embroideries. However, as Bernard Dupaigne has noted, Pashtun and Hazara embroideries are sometimes difficult to distinguish due to the geographic proximity of both groups in the central region of Afghanistan. There is a style that incorporates the Hazara predilection for geometric designs in cross stitch, while the Pashtun influence is reflected in the typical Bokhara couching technique that frames the outer edges of this textile. Metallic threads are laid in parallel in satin stitch, with tiny stitches fastening the metallic thread at regular intervals to form a relief pattern. Condition: Excellent. Estimated age: mid 20th century.

A densely beaded Uzbek purse, probably from Mazar-i-Sharif or Kunduz, northern Afghanistan. The designs are typical of Uzbek embroidery in which variations on geometric shapes are emphasized for talismanic effect. The purse is edged with gold trim and blue beads as a prophylactic against the evil eye. The purse is lined with green and pink silk, and a red cotton fabric. There are three pockets inside. Condition: Excellent. Measures 15x25 cm when opened, 12x15 cm when closed. Estimated age: early to mid 20th century.

A hand-embroidered bag made by Pashtun nomads from Ghazni province (probably Katawaz), Afghanistan. Floral motifs combined with arabesques in herringbone stitch in silk thread on a purple silk background. The Bokhara couching technique is used to maximum effect, where the metallic threads are laid parallel to each other and fastened at regular intervals by tiny red stitches. Blue beads adorn the edges to ward off the evil eye. The interior of the bag is lined in a blue printed fabric. Measures 12.5 x 17 cm. Condition: Excellent. Estimated age: mid 20th century (probably early to mid 1960).

This hand-embroidered purse was made by Pashtun nomadic women of Katawaz in Ghazni province and measures 15.5 x 25.5 cm. The embroidery designs are a combination of eight-pointed stars and abstract wave and spiral motifs in fine ladder stitch, neatly arranged in a series of rectangular panels with gold braiding. Mirrors ("shisha") are expertly fastened down in an intricate ladder stitch and embellished with gold thread executed in Romanian couching (pokhtaduzi), where the small holding stitches are staggered across the length of the gold thread. The blue and white seed beads on tiny silk tassels frame the edges of the purse, not only for decorative effect but also to avert evil from the wearer. The purse is estimated to the date to the mid 20th century and is in perfect condition. It features two pockets lined with printed cotton fabric. Silk thread on a silk background.

This densely embroidered purse is from Katawaz (Ghazni province), Afghanistan and measures 12x25 cm when opened, 11x12.5 cm when closed. The metallic thread embroidery is not taken through the background fabric but applied onto it in satin stitches, laid parallel to each other and held down by tiny stitches in orange thread. This embroidery technique serves to create the curvilinear designs in relief. The core is red, green and aubergine silk velvet and the relief designs are neatly framed in by a band of emerald and metallic thread in satin stitch. The outer edges of the purse are trimmed with white beads. Printed cotton fabric lines the inside of the purse. Condition: Excellent. Estimated age: mid 20th century (probably 1960s).

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 vintage silk purse with mirrors ("shisha"), embroidered in whorl designs in silk thread on a dark purple silk background. A neat example of the couching technique favored by the Pashtuns, where the metal threads form a neat grid of lines and then fastened down with staggered stitches. This purse is from Katawaz (Ghazni province) in Afghanistan. Condition: Excellent. This purse measures 13.5 x 16.5 cm and is decorated with blue turquoise beads along the edges.

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.

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.