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Not currently on display at the V&A

Man's Ensemble

c.1855 (made)
Place of origin

Padded angarkha: Woven silk and silver-gilt metal-wrapped thread in repeating buta pattern lined with red and white striped mashru, with red mashru facing. Padded and quilted. Angrakha cut with round neck and chest panel trimmed with two vertical strips of silver braid, one with loops and the other with decorative toggles, and two red silk ribbons. Cross-over skirt panel tied at the side. Open side seams with inset decorative connecting strip of green satin with silver-wrapped loops.

Cotton angrakha: White cotton, decoratively crinckled. Angarkha cut with rectangular panel at the chest, decorated with two strips of silver-gilt wrapped silk braid, one with loops the other with green glass drops, and two cotton ties at top. Small sections of gathering at both both sides of waist. Additional cross-over skirt panel at front. Long sleeves.

Shalwar: Wide cut, red and white striped silk. Cuffs embrioidered with red and blue silk and silver and silver-gilt wrapped thread in a close creeper pattern.



Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 3 parts.

  • Robe
  • Gown
  • Pyjamas
Materials and techniques
cotton
Brief description
Man's ensemble consisting of a padded brocade angarkha, a white cotton angarkha, and a pair red and white striped silk trousers (shalwar), Sindh, c.1855; Textiles; Men's Clothes
Physical description
Padded angarkha: Woven silk and silver-gilt metal-wrapped thread in repeating buta pattern lined with red and white striped mashru, with red mashru facing. Padded and quilted. Angrakha cut with round neck and chest panel trimmed with two vertical strips of silver braid, one with loops and the other with decorative toggles, and two red silk ribbons. Cross-over skirt panel tied at the side. Open side seams with inset decorative connecting strip of green satin with silver-wrapped loops.

Cotton angrakha: White cotton, decoratively crinckled. Angarkha cut with rectangular panel at the chest, decorated with two strips of silver-gilt wrapped silk braid, one with loops the other with green glass drops, and two cotton ties at top. Small sections of gathering at both both sides of waist. Additional cross-over skirt panel at front. Long sleeves.

Shalwar: Wide cut, red and white striped silk. Cuffs embrioidered with red and blue silk and silver and silver-gilt wrapped thread in a close creeper pattern.

Dimensions
  • Length: 130cm (Quilted angarkha - back of collar to back hem)
  • Width: 43cm (Quilted angarkha - shoulder seam to shoulder seam)
  • Length: 130cm (Cotton angarkha - back of collar to hem)
  • Width: 39cm (Cotton angarha - shoulder seam to shoulder seam)
  • Circumference: 205cm (Shalwar - waist )
  • Length: 113.5cm (Shalwar- waist to ankle)
Marks and inscriptions
'No.4 / No. 1 / Paijama or Drawers / of a Nobleman / Numune-i-pushak-i-mardana-[undeciphered] / shalwar' (Paper label sewn onto trousers )
Translation
[From the Persian] Example of man's clothing [undeciphered] shalwar [trousers]
Object history
Transferred from the India Museum in 1879. Slip book entry 3759: 'Suit of Clothing for a Nobleman / Scinde / 55 / Kincob Quilted Coat & White Cotton Coat having 39 green drops glass. Under coat having the green buttons - Silk Trowsers Striped Silk Strings & one pair of Shoes - In 7 pieces'. 1880 Register entry: 05620. SET OF CLOTHING for a nobleman, consisting of:- Coat. Kincob. / Coat. Cotton, white, with 38 green drops. / Under-coat. Cotton, white, two green buttons. / "Pyjamas". Striped silk, embroidered. / Shoes. Pair of, leather embroidered; Sind. 3759'
Bibliographic reference
Dress in detail from around the world / Rosemary Crill, Jennifer Wearden and Verity Wilson ; with contributions from Anna Jackson and Charlotte Horlyck ; photographs by Richard Davis, drawings by Leonie Davis. London: V&A Publications, 2002 Number: 1851773770 (hbk), 1851773789 (pbk) pp.44-45
Other number
3759 - India Museum Slip Book
Collection
Accession number
05620:1/(IS)

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Record createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
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