1820 Antique Ikat - Indonesian Textile

Antique Ikat from Timor?

A variety of symmetrically laid out figures - dragons, birds and animals. The figures are small and densely laid out on this small textile.

Note that use of three different dyes

Note that the larger figures are all dotted - which means that the change of color happens more frequently and the threads must be more precisely laid out for the pattern to be formed correctly.

All these factors imply that this was was a tedious textile to produce.

The motifs probably have symbolic meanings 

Cloth softened by usage over the years

Most likely from Timor.

Estimated to be from the mid 1900s

39 x 150cm

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This item has spent a lifetime being used for the purpose of its creation with the original artist/user. Signs of this life lived heartily may be present on the piece in the form of stains, thread loss, loose threads, holes, tears, color run and other imperfections. Therefore the condition must be assumed to be “not” perfect. More photos of such imperfections will be provided on request.

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