709 SOLD Rare Banjara Choli Blouse - Handspun cotton - Handwoven Cloth Handstitched Garment

Sold to a discerning Antique Art-Lover

***

Backless blouse from the Banjara gypsy tribe. Most likely Maharashtra.

With Animal Motifs

The stitch used is unusual as the reverse appears to be more of a split-ply type of weave than embroidery.

Note the pattern on the red borders at the bottom - it is so minute that I first believed it to be micro embroidery but turns out it is printed. It is too tiny to be tied & dyed but each white dot covers only 2 warps and 2 wefts in a hashtag formation... must have been some unique printing method.

Tiny size leaves questions open about its usage - but the crease on the sleev indicates that it has indeed been used by a young banjara girl.

Length: 50cm

Width at the bottom (when laid out flat): 39cm

Will make a wonderful artwork framed and put up on the wall!

May be paired with 708

Has a little damage.

Age unknown but estimated to be from the 1960s-1970s

***

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.

***