1850 Antique Iban Ceremonial Ikat - Vines + Firefly pattern

Antique Iban Ceremonial Ikat Pua Kumbu

Among the Iban, textiles are treasured as they are more than just objects made of fibre.

In some cultures, such as the Iban, textiles have played a major, if not central role, in all the ceremonies surrounding the important events in life. Power structures among women are based on dyeing and weaving skills. Perhaps the most important materials owned by families were textiles.

Ikat textiles are among the hardest to make, as the tie-dye is done on the unwoven threads before they are woven into cloth. So with a design in the weaver's imagination, the thread is dyed in sections as per the pattern that is required to be created. This takes immense precision and calculation. So when we note that these textiles were made decades ago in the rainforests of Borneo & Sarawak, there is a sense of awe for the creators.

Size: 182 x 93 cm

MY NOTES ON THIS TEXTILE:

• This appears to be the Firefly pattern amidst vines -  Bua Sepepat / Fig 46  page 118 / Traude Gavin
• Gorgeous color
• Note the horizontal and the diagonal lines that are difficult to execute. This requires a visualisation of how the adjacent thread will have a specific color at a point just a little higher than the previous one - and so on. So executing this pattern requires great skill.
  
• Excellent well developed Selakoh ends
• Vertical borders or Ara have a variety of motifs

 CLICK TO SEE THE COMPLETE COLLECTION OF IKAT PUA KUMBU

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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