Not currently on display at the V&A

Dress Fabric

1860-1899 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Dress fabric of 2/1 twill woven silk of Hussein Kuli Khan type. The floating wefts acts as an inter-lining. Black ground with an overall pattern of rows of large botehs all facing left with a outline of a floral border. Each boteh contains a pink and yellow flowering stem on a white ground. At the base of each boteh is a pink and white stem bearing a carnation fan in pink and green, all curving to the right. The ground between the botehs is packed with small floral motifs. The colours are sombre with some slight variations in effect. Along the top and bottom is a composite band formed by very narrow black, white, red and yellow bands on either side of a wider band of white on which is a small repeating pattern of three green leaves and a pink and green flower head. Along the lower edge is 1 cm without weft followed by a narrow band of undecorated light green weft. There is a narrow border down both sides - it has a white ground with a variety of flower heads each separated by a narrow bar, all in green, pink and yellow. Selvedge: 4 cotton cords. Warp: black silk, Z-twist. Weft: light green, white, deep yellow, pink, dark green, probably all Z-twist. The loom piece probably the correct length to be made into a garment.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silk
Brief description
Dress fabric of 2/1 twill woven silk, Yazd, Iran, 1860-1899
Physical description
Dress fabric of 2/1 twill woven silk of Hussein Kuli Khan type. The floating wefts acts as an inter-lining. Black ground with an overall pattern of rows of large botehs all facing left with a outline of a floral border. Each boteh contains a pink and yellow flowering stem on a white ground. At the base of each boteh is a pink and white stem bearing a carnation fan in pink and green, all curving to the right. The ground between the botehs is packed with small floral motifs. The colours are sombre with some slight variations in effect. Along the top and bottom is a composite band formed by very narrow black, white, red and yellow bands on either side of a wider band of white on which is a small repeating pattern of three green leaves and a pink and green flower head. Along the lower edge is 1 cm without weft followed by a narrow band of undecorated light green weft. There is a narrow border down both sides - it has a white ground with a variety of flower heads each separated by a narrow bar, all in green, pink and yellow. Selvedge: 4 cotton cords. Warp: black silk, Z-twist. Weft: light green, white, deep yellow, pink, dark green, probably all Z-twist. The loom piece probably the correct length to be made into a garment.
Dimensions
  • Length: 569cm
  • Selvedge to selvedge width: 93cm
  • Repeat length: 5.75in (approx.)
  • Repeat width: 2.5in (approx.)
  • Length: 222in
  • Width: 37in
Credit line
Given by Mrs Stanley Flower
Bibliographic reference
Illustrated in 'Iranian Textiles' by Jennifer Wearden and Patricia L Baker, V&A Publishing 2010, plate 18 page 99 (large detail).
Collection
Accession number
T.320-1971

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Record createdMay 13, 2008
Record URL
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