Sungudi Sari thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Sungudi Sari

c.1881-2 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Madurai (made)
Tamil Nadu (made)

This cotton tie-dyed sari with gold brocade pallav (decorative edging) and borders was acquired for £1 14s by Purdon Clarke on his purchasing tour of India in 1881-1882. A very similar sari, with gold brocade but a spotted chevron design (Mus. no. IS 5662), was acquired by the V&A some 30 years earlier from Madurai, Tamil Nadu.


Object details

Categories
Textiles
Clothing
SCRAN
Object type
Sungudi Sari
Materials and techniques
Cotton
Gold Thread
Tie-Dyed
Brocade
Brief description
Woman's wrapped garment (sari), tie-dyed cotton with gold pallu, probably Madurai, Tamil Nadu, c.1881-2
Physical description
Cotton tie-dyed sari with gold brocade pallav and borders
Dimensions
  • Width: 110cm
  • Length: 850cm
Object history
This sari was acquired for £1-14-0 by Purdon Clarke on his purchasing tour of India in 1881-2. 1883 Register entry: DRESS PIECE (Sari). Cotton. The centre is of bandana work, dyed with small light red spots on a dark red ground. It has a narrow side border in black and gold. The principal end is woven with a broad gold band, and narrow bands of conventional ornament in gold on a red ground. Madras. 19th cent. L. 28 ft. 1 in., W. 3 ft. 54 in. Bought, fl 14s. 1780.-1883. (I.S.).

A very similar sari, with gold brocade, but a spotted chevron design - 5662(IS) - was acquired by the V&A some thirty years earlier from Madurai.
Production
Probably manufactured at Madurai as similar to a piece aquired by the V&A thirty years earlier
Summary
This cotton tie-dyed sari with gold brocade pallav (decorative edging) and borders was acquired for £1 14s by Purdon Clarke on his purchasing tour of India in 1881-1882. A very similar sari, with gold brocade but a spotted chevron design (Mus. no. IS 5662), was acquired by the V&A some 30 years earlier from Madurai, Tamil Nadu.
Bibliographic references
  • Ashmore, Sonia. "Muslin", London, V&A Publishing, 2012. pp.77 and 111, pl. 41 (detail).
  • Tie-dyed textiles of India : tradition and trade / Veronica Murphy and Rosemary Crill. London: Victoria and Albert Museum :in association with Mapin Publishing, 1991 Number: 0944142303 p. 110, pl. 110
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
IS.1780-1883

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Record createdDecember 13, 2002
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O71975/sungudi-sari-unknown/
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