Sample of machine-embroidered textile in imitation of Kuba, a cloth of handwoven raffia palm fibres, often embroidered, dyed, appliqued or otherwise decorated in distinctive geometric patterns originating from the ancient Kuba Kingdom of Central Africa, in the region that is today the Democratic Republic of Congo. The textiles were produced by the New York firm Blanck & Co., who used original Kuba cloth from the collection of the Brooklyn Museum as their design source. The textile, and two other samples, were donated to the museum by Stewart Culin, curator at the Brooklyn Museum, who facilitated Blanck & Co.'s access to original Kuba cloth.

Blanck and Co. were one of several companies commissioned by Culin to produce designs based upon the museum's collection of Congolese art, in connection with his African Art Exhibition of 1923, held at the Brooklyn Museum. The cloth was displayed and sold by the Fifth Avenue store Bonwit-Teller, cut into clothing and used to upholster furniture. The geometric designs reflect the era's interest in abstract art and foreshadow the dominance of Art Deco style in Europe and North America, which drew heavily on African art as a source of inspiration.

A note in the acquisition register quotes Culin as saying "It gives me great pleasure to send you 3 specimens of the "Congo cloth" made by Blanck & Co., 113 Fifth Avenue, New York, from Bushongo rafia cloth. [...] It is, as you will see, a machine embroidered material. It had much vogue as a material for women's sport suits, etc."