Yinzi (breast cloth) or tabet (stole) of silk acheik-luntaya hand-woven tapestry weave, Mandalay, ca. 1885.

Yinzi (breast cloth) or tabet (stole) of silk acheik-luntaya ('100' shuttles interlocking) hand-woven tapestry weave with double or triple weft threads in the acheik section and single threads in the end borders.

Organised into a central body of acheik (horizontal wave) patterns (Length 137.5 cm. and two checkered end borders (Length 57 and 58 cm).

Acheik section consists of warp length bands. Three bands of approximately 6.5 cm with four divider bands and two plain outer borders. Worked with dark and lighter red, yellow and gilt thread. Divider lines in dark red and yellow 'twisted rope' wavy lines patterns. Wider panels with double wavy line in dark red punctuated by two rows of alternate yellow and gilt thread sprigs. White silk replaces the gilt thread at the end.

The first border consists of 10 weft bands divided by a single white weft - return of double white thread. Bands alternating in two different shades of red. Warp thread of cloth in a lighter and darker red - darker thread being used as divider device.

The second border consists of 10 weft bands in a sequence of light red, dark red, yellow, light red, dark red, yellow, light red, dark red, yellow, light red, dark red, yellow and light red.

Purchased from Mrs Bronte Pollard

This garment was found in 1885 by the husband of the donor, Col. Pollard, at the Royal Palace, Mandalay, in the apartment of the chief queen (mibaya), Queen Supayalat, of King Thibaw (r. 1878-1885) with IM 7,8,9-1909) and described by the donor as:
"Hand-woven silk dress pieces [breast cloths or stoles] (luntaya) of elaborate floral design, in numerous colours, made for and worn by the late Queen of Burma (wife of King Thibaw Min) acquired by Colonel Pollard at the Royal Palace Mandalay in 1884"

Purchased from Mrs Bronte Pollard, 104 Queen's Gate, SW. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Museum records (Asia Department registers and/or Central Inventory) as part of a 2023 provenance research project.

RP 4734/1909

Attribution note: Woven on a hand loom in Mandalay Palace. Konbaung Dynasty (1752-1885).

This silk dress piece was woven on a hand-loom in repeating twisted rope and leaf filled wave patterns in yellow, white and gilt threads against a red ground. It is an example of the renowned, and uniquely Burmese, textile known as the acheik-luntaya. This garment would have been worn as a breast cloth, forming an ensemble, as shown, with a wrap skirt (9756 IS) and jacket (5623 IS).

The garment dates from the reign of King Thibaw (r. 1878-1885), the last ruler of the Konbaung dynasty. It was found in the apartment of Queen Supayalat, the chief queen of King Thibaw, by the donor's husband, Colonel Pollard, who was a member of the British force that annexed upper Burma in 1885.

IM.10-1909