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

A boy's sleeveless waistcoat from Indus Kohistan, located in the province of Pakistan formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), recently re-named Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is a superb piece, embroidered on black cotton fabric with mostly white glass seed beads and multi-colored buttons. The vest measures 14 inches by 15 inches (35.6 cm x 38.1 cm) and is estimated to date to the middle to late 20th century. The embroidery is extremely fine, mainly cross stitch in cotton thread, with some satin and back stitch forming diamond patterns and multi-colored triangles composed of several smaller triangles, each in a different color and with a contrasting border. The dominant color is red, then emerald green, orange, yellow and touches of royal blue. The condition of the waistcoat is excellent with no missing beads and no damage whatsoever. Kohistan literally means "Hilly Country" and refers to the sub-6000 meter peaks enclosing this remote canyon as well as those peaks in upper Swat and lower Dir.

The fabric is fine cotton, solidly worked in brick and satin stitch in silk thread, the colors alternating between green and orange, pink, blue and purple. It measures 3 1/4 inches x 31 inches (8 cm x 78.5 cm) and is probably from either Ghazni, Jaghori or Nawur areas of Ghazni province, or else from Daykundi and Dayzangi in the province of Orugzan. The interlocking diamond motif and understated color arrangement are typical of Hazara embroidery. Circa early to mid 20th century. Condition: Excellent (no flaws, no stains, no tears).

This charming beaded purse is from Bamiyan, Afghanistan and measures 12 x 23.5 cm when opened, 10 x 12.5 cm when closed. Satin stitch, cross stitch and filling stitch in silk thread, depicting stylized floral motifs in vibrant colors. This textile is typical of Hazara embroidery in its dynamic use of color. The outer edges are embellished with pompoms and blue and orange beads, while the inside features Bokhara couching laced with gold thread (zardozi). The purse has two inside pockets lined with orange cotton. Condition: Excellent. Circa mid 20th century.

A Pashtun nomad's purse from Katawaz, Ghazni province, Afghanistan, circa early to mid 20th century. This purse has three pockets with flaps and features blue and white beads all around the edges (blue beads are believed to ward off the blue evil eye). Fine silk ladder stitch in blue, green, orange, purple and bergundy, depicting whorl designs on a red silk background. The stylized, radiating designs are typical of Pashtun embroidery. The purse is embellished with many mirrors (shisha), sewn in mirror stitch, and the edges of each pocket are enhanced with gold metallic couching. The middle flap exhibits the dense beadwork in which the Pashtuns excel.

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.

Embroidered in silk thread on a fine cotton linen ground, this little purse is from Badakhshan province in northeastern Afghanistan and measures 11.3 x 13.5 cm. Badakhshan province is mostly inhabited by Tajiks and is the home of the world's most important lapis mines. The embroidery technique is a combination of brick stitch and long and short stitch, depicting chevrons and floral motifs. Three silk pompoms adorn each corner of the purse which is in excellent condition overall, just a few tiny stains to be expected from a textile of this age (mid 20th century).