tribaltextiles.info

Bonjour à tous

Here is a new textile in my collection, found last week on the flea market of the "PORTE DE CLIGNANCOURT" in Paris.

This textile is made of cotton (likely handspun), and mesures about 43 cm x 400 cm. It is warp faced. The weaving is quite coarse. Ornamentation is quite simple : on the field some ikat made clear small designs, randomly disposed on the indigo threads. At the ends three clear cotton threads passed as supplementary wefts (undyed and light salmon), with the ends of the threads overpassing the edges of the textile. The ends are finished by a sewing with white/salmon thread. Two tassels are made from loose warp threads at each corner. The edges of the textile are made of white (undyed) narrow bands of warp faced weaving.

At first glance I thought that this piece was African. But, after more investigations I think that it could be from other origin (Asia, Indonesia ...?). I need some help.

There is a group in Northern Burma that has shawls and head cloths like yours, although mine do not have the contrasting thread. Mine are old, so this may be a more recent style. Also mine have a little more complex weave of the homespun indigo. I will dig in a chest to find one. I don't remember the name of the group off hand. Maybe Susan knows the name of the group.

Bill

I haven't dug into the chest yet, but I have a vague memory of the group being the Magui Chen.

Bill

A nice weaving; the restraint has a sophistication. I like the very subtle use of ikat.

Always very difficult with a plainish textile to identify it. Since they do not photograph very well or appear very distinctive they tend not to get photographed in the reference books. I have had a look through 'Mantles of Merit: Chin textiles from Myanmar, India and Bangladesh' by David W and Barbara G Fraser but have not managed to spot anything similar in the pics.

I shall keep my eyes open when trawling the books in the hope of solving the mystery!

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Pamela

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