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18

19

5

SQUARE SHAWL WITH SUNBURST

CENTRE

KASHMIR, MID 19

TH

CENTURY

Handspun and handwoven Pashmina, natural dyes

72.25 x 72.25 in (184 x 184 cm)

$ 6,065 - 9,095

Rs 4,00,000 - 6,00,000

NONEXPORTABLE

The four-sided borders are often made up of multi-

coloured pieces, with each colour enclosed within an

embroidered arch and a pattern embroidered on the

inner surface. This feature led to them being called

harlequin shawls in the West. However, in Kashmir

and Iran, they were said to be representative of the

colours of the rainbow and associated with the

colourful dress worn by some Sufi dervishes.

Bold

rumals

such as these were generally woven

during the Dogra period, sometimes in Kashmir but

also in Amritsar, Punjab. They were fashionable among

the aristocracy of North India, and also exported to

Persia where they were popular with the nobility of

the Qajar period.

4

SQUARE SHAWL WITH RADIATING

CENTRE

KASHMIR, MID 19

TH

CENTURY

Handspun and handwoven Pashmina, natural dyes

69.5 x 72.75 in (177 x 185 cm)

$ 7,580 - 10,610

Rs 5,00,000 - 7,00,000

NONEXPORTABLE

Lots 4 and 5 are square shawls which display an

exquisite sense of craftsmanship with bold patterns

and contrasting colours. Each lot has a predominantly

red and white design worked over a black ground,

which is visible only at the centre. It is from the central

medallion that the designs radiate out towards the

edge and the corners of the shawls, with meandering

vines, bouquets of flowers, slender and elongated

butas

, and the ‘Tree of Life' motif.

Square shawls were popularly known as

rumals

or

handkerchiefs. They were seldom woven as single

pieces, but pieced together with patterns woven

in sections and then stitched perfectly together by

experts known as

rafoogars

. They were worn folded

in half along the diagonal and draped over the

shoulders or sometimes wrapped around the waist.