2026 Antique Indian Trade Textile Toraja Fragment

A long fragment of an Indian Trade textile.

Section of a stamp printed textile with a border

This print can be seen on a complete long cloth (now sold) and in the field visit in Toraja (See the talk) 

Note the gorgeous red dye

Collected on a field visit to Toraja, Sulawesi. 

This fragment has been saved from a fire - therefore has burn marks present. Holes and stains. Edges not even. This fragment is one of several sections that have been saved from the same fire-struck cloth.

87 x 35 cm 

Comparison with other similar examples suggests that this is pre 1900.

[Similar examples have been dated to be from the 13th - 19th century]

For similar examples see

1) The Ashmolean Museum collection: Link

2) The Kelsey Museum collection in Ann Arbor: Link

3) 'Master Dyers to the World' by Mattiebelle Gittinger

This is a rare opportunity to own something as rare and as old as this fantastic little work of art that had traveled from India to Toraja sometime in it's past and then has back to Singapore. 

VERY RARE

Such pieces can be found only in museums.

Frame it and add it to your home-museum collection.

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IMPORTANT NOTE

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 must be expected on the piece in the form of stains, thread loss, loose threads, holes, tears, color run, repairs and other imperfections. Therefore the condition must be assumed to be “not” perfect. More photos of such imperfections will be provided on request.