Catalog: Vintage Arts: Regional Art (266)

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 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. There is an amulet on the front, at the bottom, composed of white, orange, yellow and green glass beads, placed there to protect against evil. The date of this piece is estimated to be 30-40 years old. The vest itself measures 12 1/4 x 11 1/2 inches across the front (31.1 x 29.2 cm) and the bottom band measures 1 1/4 x 16 inches (3.2 x 40.6 cm). Condition is excellent.

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.

This embroidered cloth from Paktya province measures 22 x 22 cm and is in excellent condition. Eight-pointed stars are repeated in symmetry and bordered by scroll motifs, all executed in silk thread in solid stitchery on a fine pumpkin linen background. This textile is in excellent condition. Estimated age: mid to late 20th century. The last photo shows the textile from the reverse, which is as equally fine in detail as the frontpiece.

The stellar designs on this envelope-shaped purse is characteristic of the Pashtun embroidery from Katawaz province, renowned for its dense and meticulously worked ladder stitch. This small purse measures 14 x 26.5 cm when opened, 10 x 14.5 cm when closed. The silk embroidery is expertly worked on a deep purple silk ground, framed with blue glass seed beads, the interior lined in red printed cotton. Metallic thread is used as a decorative contrast to wonderful effect with buttonhole stitching, mirrors (shisha) and ladder stitch as accents. There is some fraying on the face to be expected from a piece dating to the mid 20th century.

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.

A hand-embroidered Pashtun nomad purse from Katawaz (Ghazni province) with blue glass beads. Blue beads are considered amulets against the evil eye. Pashtun women, whether settled or nomadic, love rich and beautiful embroideries that shine. Women embroider - for themselves, on their festive costumes and headgear - and for their children and their husbands. Women embroider, not only from pleasure and duty, but equally as a statement of their value and of their love for their husband and children. Traditionally, girls in Afghanistan were taught to embroider from about the age of seven, first following their mother and then other local women. This piece measures 6 x 11¼ inches (15.2 x 28.6 cm) when fully opened and features gold couching and whorl-like designs in herringbone stitch on a red silk background. It is estimated to be about 40 years old.

This Uzbek textile from northern Afghanistan is called a "bolim posh" meaning a canopy held over the bride and groom at the wedding ceremony. Embroidered in couching stitch ("basma") in mostly silk thread on a fine linen ground, it measures 125 W x 134 cm L. Some minor staining consistent with its age (mid to late 20th century). The stylized sun discs and flowers suggest the influence of ancient Scythian forms (for similar examples see Janet Harvey's book Traditional Textiles of Central Asia, pp 122-123).

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.

This is a bed decoration from northern Afghanistan made by Uzbeks of the Lakai tribe. Traditionally these textiles were placed between layers of bedding quilts at the back of the yurt. This segusha measures 72 x 80 x 115 cm when folded into a triangle, and the embroidery is silk thread on faded red cotton edged with silk fringes, combining satin stitch with long and short stitch. The overall design is dense but not overcrowded, depicting stylized flowers, insects and birds, evoking the image of a garden in bloom. The outline of one unfinished detail can be seen in the upper right hand corner (enlargement #4). Condition: Excellent on the front, but there are some small stains on the reverse side of the textile. Estimated age: mid 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.

A woman's shift ("kurta") from Swat in vivid pink silk embroidery with green and purple accents on a black cotton background. This kurta has exceptionally fine cross-stitch embroidery at the sleeves, suggesting a link with Indus Kohistan. Indeed, it is not uncommon for embroidered panels for dresses from Indus Kohistan to be found in the markets of Swat (see Nasreen Askari, Colours of the Indus, © 1997). This kurta measures 73 inches across the top by 32 1/2 inches from the top hem to the bottom hem. The underarm gusset measures 3 1/4 x 4 1/2. This beautiful textile dates to the mid 20th century.

Abstract floral patterns combine with medallion motifs in shades of dark red and pink in this kameez from the Hazara district, North West Frontier Province (recently re-named Khyber Pakhtunkhwa). Silk floss on cotton (a handwoven coarse cloth called khaddar), the embroidery is in the characteristic phulkari stitch which resembles a satin stitch but only on the front side. Each cuff has an embroidered band in brick stitch. The tunic measures 37 1/2 x 68 inches while each sleeve measures 27 1/2 inches from the hem. Dated to the early or mid 20th century, its condition is very good except for some stains around the gussets and on the back.

This vintage Hazara waistcoat from Jaghori in central Afghanistan is embroidered in extremely fine cross stitch in silk thread, depicting interlocking eight star motifs, a traditional motif in Hazara embroidery. The collar, shoulder bands and side panels are meticulously worked in Bukhara stitching in metallic thread, where the couched threads are laid in parallel to each other and are fastened by small stitches. The curvilinear forms form a surface pattern of a neat grid of lines which in themselves create geometric motifs in relief. The yoke measures 28.5 cm from the shoulder hem to the bottom hem, 26.5 cm across the front panel, and 44 cm across with the triangular side panels included. From the collar to the bottom hem the textile measures 28.5 cm. Condition is excellent. Estimated age mid to late 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.

Some of the finest embroidery of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly known as North West Frontier Province, or NWFP) comes from Swat Valley, known for its lush green mountains and turquoise colored rivers. The typical 'ram's horn' pattern seen in many parts of central Asian embroideries and carpets is reflected in this cushion cover from Swat. Satin stitch and darning stitch in floss-silk thread outlined in orange thread combine effectively to cover large surface areas of the textile and showcase the central medallion. The color of the thread is difficult to convey on film as it is actually a deep turquoise, alternating with yellow and white thread. The reverse is black cotton with an opening slit for the pillow form. It measures 40 x 41 cm and is in excellent condition. Estimated age: late 20th century.

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).

The traditional embroidery of Kandahar ("khamak" in Pashto) is exquisitely fine and extremely labor intensive. A piece such as this one may take up to three months to complete due to the exceptionally detailed stitching technique. This is a panel from a man's shirt from Kandahar province, Afghanistan, and dates to the mid 20th century. Measuring 38.5 x 42 cm, the fine geometric designs are densely embroidered in a mustard silk thread with discrete cobalt highlights. The relief effect of the monochrome embroidery is enhanced by pulled work in satin stitch, so densely worked as to almost completely cover the linen fabric ground. The use of the counted-thread technique makes it extremely difficult to stitch directly onto the fabric, thus the linen on linen ground. This textile is extraordinary for the precision of the stitching and the sheen of the silk, which is worked to attract the light in different ways to optimal effect. It is in excellent condition given its age. Enlargement #12 shows the textile from the reverse side.