Catalog: Vintage Arts: Regional Art: Asian: Central Asian (221)

Worked in an intriguing combination of long and short stitch and ladder stitch on a fine cotton muslin ground, this Uzbek cushion cover from northern Afghanistan measures 39 x 78 cm and is dated to the mid 20th century. The central field of large rosettes and floral motifs, accented with leaves and smaller rosettes, is executed in silk thread in vivid primary colors in Bukhara couching to evoke the image of a garden in bloom. Condition is excellent.

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.

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 Pashtun textile measures 35 x 35 cm and is embroidered in silk thread on a purple polyester ground. Two mirrors are sewn on as accents in each of the two 14-pointed stars. The embroidery technique is a tightly worked ladder stitch, typical of the embroidery of Katawaz. Condition: Excellent. Estimated age: mid 20th century.

Straddling both sides of the Durand Line, the Mangal tribe are an influential Pashtun tribe. This Mangal child's dress front features the ubiquitous "gul-i-peron" discs incorporating blue glass beads and mirrors on a leather ground, a talisman that protects the young wearer against the evil eye. Satin stitch, herringbone stitch, a tightly worked ladder stitch and Bukhara stitching are the elements that make this composition highly effective. The textile measures 21 x 23 cm and is in good condition overall except for some fraying on the orange silk section on the front of the piece. The three discs measure 5.5 cm in diameter. Estimated age: mid 20th century. Silk and metallic thread on cotton.

This child's dress front from Gardez in Afghanistan measures 26 x 29.5 cm and is tightly embroidered in cross stitch. The geometric motifs are accentuated by the blue glass beads on each side of the textile, a prophylactic against the evil eye. The front side is embellished with metallic thread and Bukhara stitching, where the thread is taken along in intervals and fastened down by a minute cotton thread. This piece is in excellent condition and its estimated age is mid to late 20th century. It is in excellent condition.

Measuring 28.5 x 30 cm, this child's dress front from Afghanistan is in excellent condition. Mirrors are extensively used in Pashtun embroidery, because they reflect sunlight and protect the wearer from evil glances. The mica is attached to the fabric by means of minutely stitched mirror frameworks and encircling borders. This textile is impressive based on the extensive mirrorwork, beadwork, and meticulous herringbone stitch, with metallic thread in Bukhara couching. A textile like this may take 3 months to make. The reverse is a red velvet with silver embellishments. The piece is characterized by mirrored solar discs called "gul-e-peron"; while these have an ancient history as talismans, the silver cording on the shoulder hem and front is modern. This textile is dated to the mid 20th century.

Mirrors ("shisha") are extensively used in Afghan embroidery. The silvered mica or glass is attached to the fabric by means of stitched frameworks and encircling borders. By reflecting sunlight, mirrors protect the wearer from negative energies and evil glances. This child's dress front is densely embroidered in silk thread on a purple polyester ground, complemented in royal purple velvet on the reverse. The neckline and outside borders are fringed with dense yellow and orange beadwork with two silver amulets at the neckline. The embroidery technique is a very tightly worked ladder stitch, a hallmark of Pashtun embroidery. This textile is in excellent condition, and its estimated age is mid 20th century. It measures 31 x 32 cm.

This vintage Turkmen Tekke child's bib or collar is hand-embroidered in silk thread with cotton tassels. Shoulder to shoulder measures 19" and the front is 9 1/2" with a 3" fringe. The reverse is a printed cotton fabric and the embroidery technique features the traditional gul-i-badam ("almond flower") motif which is generally found only on Turkmen embroideries from Afghanistan. Condition is excellent and its estimated age is late 20th century.

This is a dowry purse from Afghanistan, measuring 19.5 cm x 29 when open, 16 x 19.5 when closed. The embroidery technique is silk thread in button stitch with herringbone stitch and long and short stitch. Embroidered on a silk background with mica mirrors, a few of them missing, the purse is otherwise in good condition for its age (mid to late 20th century).

A pair of vintage hand-embroidered make-up bags made by Pashtun nomads from Katawaz, located in Ghazni province, Afghanistan. Each bag is hand-embroidered in silk thread in a tight ladder stitch on a silk background, with some Bukhara stitching where the threads are held down with separate thread in a couching technique, and one bag featuring some small mirrorwork. One of the bags is lined with printed cotton fabric, probably from Russia. Both bags are estimated to date to the mid 20th century. See Bernard Dupaigne's book (Afghan Embroidery © 1996 Ferozsons p. 27) for similar make-up bags. Condition of each bag is excellent, with no flaws nor stains.

This vintage purse from Afghanistan is worked in a variation of ladder stitch and Bukhara couching to form repeating whorl and volute motifs. Silk and metallic thread are embroidered on a green polyester ground. The purse feature two inside pockets lined with red printed cotton, with the outer edges fringed with blue glass seed beads to protect against the evil eye. It measures 10.5 x 14 cm when closed, 13.8 x 25 cm when opened and dates to the mid or late 20th century.

This child's hat was hand-embroidered by Uzbek women living in northern Afghanistan. Depicting traditional patterns in vivid pink, green, bergundy and purple, it measures 6 inches (15.2 cm) in diameter and 18½ inches (47 cm) in circumference. The width is 2¾"(7 cm). Long and short stitch are solidly worked in wool thread and reinforced with machine stitching on a cotton base. Condition is excellent on the exterior, with some fraying in the interior. Its estimated age is late 20th century. The Uzbeks comprise about 9% of the total population of Afghanistan and are a major Turkic ethnic group in central Asia.

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.

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 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.

Living in the mountainous regions of central Afghanistan, the women make these embroideries throughout the cold and harsh winters. This textile measures 25 x 27 cm and is in excellent condition. The embroidery technique is cross stitch in silk thread on an apricot cotton linen background. Estimated age: mid to late 20th century.

In the mountainous central provinces of Afghanistan embroidery is an important winter activity for women. This hand-embroidered textile from central Afghanistan measures 26 x 28 cm, composed of silk thread in cross stitch on a beige cotton linen background. It is in excellent condition and its estimated age is mid to late 20th century. As Bernard Dupaigne has noted, a syncretic embroidery tradition has developed in the central provinces where Pashtun and Hazara villages lie in close proximity to each other, a style that incorporates both embroidery traditions - Pashtun and Hazara - thus the difficulty in pinpointing the exact provenance of this particular piece.

The Hazara embroidery of central Afghanistan is extremely fine, worked typically in brick stitch in diamond motifs surrounded by hooked diamonds. This purse was probably used to store a precious object such as the soil or holy stone brought from the holy city of Kerbala. This purse measures 13 x 22.5 cm when open, 9.6 x 13 cm when closed. Silk thread embroidered in brick stitch on cotton. Condition is excellent, and its estimated age is mid to late 20th century.

This purse is worked in a variation of ladder stitch to form repeating whorl and volute motifs on a silk ground. The inside features two pockets lined with purple silk and orange cotton, with the outer edges fringed with blue glass seed beads to protect against the evil eye. The purse measures 14.2 x 25.5 cm and is dated to the early to mid 20th century. Silk thread and metallic couching on silk.

This is an Uzbek puttee embroidered in silk thread on a white cotton ground. The technique is a combination of ladder and satin stitch, depicting star motifs in vibrant colors. The puttee measures 7.4 x 55 cm without the string, and is estimated to date from the early to mid 20th century. The reverse is lined with a red floral print cotton.

This Hazara purse from Bamiyan utilizes satin stitch and brick stitch in a combination of silk and cotton thread to achieve a simplicity in design, depicting diamond motifs and hooked diamond patterns, a trademark of Hazara embroidery. The purse measures 12 x 28 cm and is in excellent condition. The interior features three pockets and is partially lined with a dark blue printed silk fabric. Colored beads embellish the fringes of the purse. Estimated age: mid to late 20th century.

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.

Embroidered in satin stitch in silk thread on a polyester background, this prayer cloth is from central Afghanistan where the minority Shi'a Hazara people live, comprising about 20% of the total population of Afghanistan. This textile depicts the martyrdom of Hazrat Abbas, the half-brother of Hussein ibn Ali, during the battle of Kerbala in Iraq. Estimated age: mid to late 20th century. The textile measures 31 x 34.3 cm and has some background staining.

This is a yurt ornament made by Lakai Uzbeks living in the northern region of Afghanistan. It is estimated to date to the mid to late 20th century and is in excellent condition. The embroidery is satin stitch in silk thread forming traditional geometric designs with a cotton paisley lining on the reverse. The textile measures 11.8 x 86.5 cm including the elaborate tassels and crown knots.

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 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.

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 embroidered panel was hand-embroidered by Pashtun women from southern Afghanistan. It measures 23 x 25 cm and is embroidered in silk thread on a double cotton background. The embroidery technique is an intricate ladder stitch, the trademark of Pashtun embroidery. Estimated age: late 20th century. Condition is excellent.

The traditional embroidery of Kandahar in southern Afghanistan is called "khamak" and requires great attention to detail as well as being extremely labor intensive. Such embroidery was traditionally limited to men's shawls or to the front of their long, loose shirts. This khamak textile is embroidered in silk thread on a fine cotton linen ground with aqua-colored cotton fringes. It measures 12 x 132.5 cm without the fringes (16.5 x 132.5 cm with the fringes) and is in excellent condition overall. Interlocking geometric motifs are embroidered in mustard, pink and aqua in an exceptionally fine satin stitch, combined with areas of long and short stitch. This textile is estimated to be 40-50 years old. Either side of the textile may be used as the face owing to the continuous supplementary weft technique.

Intricately worked ladder stitch embroidered in green silk thread on a fine doubled muslin background, this old textile from Maqur district in Ghazni province in central Afghanistan would have formed the sleeve cuffs for a woman's dress. Spiral and volute motifs are harmoniously joined to form an exuberant unity in composition. This textile measures 40 x 48.5 cm and is dated to the early or mid 20th century. The textile has some significant staining, unsurpising given its age.

This old textile from Maqur district in Ghazni province, Afghanistan dates from the early to mid 20th century and is embroidered in silk thread on a muslin ground, on an additional muslin background. Abstract volute motifs are dynamically joined in ladder stitch and tightly worked to showcase the two central medallions which are the centerpiece of the composition. This textile measures 55 x 81 cm and is in excellent condition.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 is an old tobacco pouch from Indus Kohistan, a remote area of northern Pakistan located along the Indus river. Cotton embroidered with silk thread, depicting interlocking rhomboids on one face, repeating chevrons on the other, and embellished with beadwork on the edges. The embroidery technique is exceptionally fine brick stitch, closely paralleled in Hazara embroidery. The purse measures 18 x 18.5 cm and is in overall good condition, just some normal wear due to its age (early to mid 20th century). For a photographic reference please see p. 125 of Naskari & Crill, Colours of the Indus copyright 1997.

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.

Measuring 14 x 17 cm, this tobacco pouch from Indus Kohistan is embroidered in extremely fine brick stitch, cross stitch and satin stitch in silk thread. The beaded tassled edges are typical of the embroidery of this remote region of Pakistan. Condition is excellent, estimated age mid to late 20th century.

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.

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.

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).

Varied repeating geometric patterns exquisitely embroidered in satin stitch in silk thread characterize this dress panel from Kandahar province, Afghanistan. Executed in a counted-thread technique in relief on a cotton linen background, the monochrome colors of the thread reflect the light in such a way as to confer a high degree of elegance to this textile which measures 17 x 148 cm and is fully reversible on each side. Condition is perfect, no stains, no holes, no odors. Estimated age: mid 20th century.

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.

Embroidered in satin stitch and Holbein stich in red, green and blue silk thread, this Pashtun napkin measures 21 x 22 cm and is dated to the early to mid 20th century. Condition is good overall given the age of this textile, though with a few light brown stains and some missing threads. The repetitive geometric design alternates the embroidered areas with others left unworked, leaving a surprisingly dynamic impression.

Freely executed floral motifs in vivid colors adorn this hand-embroidered napkin from southern Afghanistan. The embroidery technique is satin stitch in silk thread on a fine cotton linen ground. The composition overall is very nicely balanced, with an eight-petaled red flower at the center. This textile measures 41.5 x 43 cm and is in excellent condition.

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).

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).

This woven textile is from Tibet. Measuring 21.8 x 376 cm, it is in excellent condition. The high lustre of the wool is attributed to the high lanolin content of the goat wool in the high altitude regions of the Tibetan plateau. 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 used to tie knives and bundles and more importantly, to secure the dress of the natives (chuba for women, lokpa for men). This sash is estimated to date from the mid to late 20th century.

A child's cap embroidered in acrylic thread, tent stitch and satin stitch, it is embellished with pompoms, buttons, metal trinkets and white beads which are traditional decorative elements of Kohistani embroidery. Diameter is 16.5 cm, circumference 43 cm. Mid to late 20th century. Some fraying.

This child's cap from the from the high valleys of Indus Kohistan is dated to the mid-late 20th century and embellished with cowry shells, white beads and metal snaps and trinkets. The embroidery is tent stitch worked in cotton thread, forming interlocking diamond motifs on the crown. Condition: overall good, some fraying. Diameter is 7 inches, circumference 15 1/4 inches.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.