Asian Arts | Associations | Articles | Exhibitions | Galleries | Message Board

Im trying to figure out what it is or find something else like it. Its got metal chain link stuff and glass beads.

Nice piece of embroidery.

Would guess Persian, possibly 100 years old or a little more more, but not the most high-quality items that museums treasure with their jewel-like images.

Original colors probably changed with time, so the thread dyes were probably aniline (widely available after 1870s).

For certainty you'd need to have expert in Middle Eastern textiles and needlework examine it personally, either through an auction house or a museum.

There are a number of famous stories about runaway lovers, I do not know which this might represent.

For starters you can do internet search for words "broderie Perse" and "apsara" but I do urge you to consult an expert.

Good luck,
Cal

Jim, that's a kalaga, which is a Burmese tapestry for hanging, though possibly a new Thai or Indian interpretation. Kalaga motifs usually are based on episodes from the Burmese Ramayana (Epic of Prince Rama) or Jataka (life of the Buddha), with costuming usually reflecting that of traditional Burmese dance. In thinking yours might be Thai or Indian, both countries developed cottage industries in kalaga-making during and after the Vietnam War era, when kalaga collecting hit its stride. Also the colors in yours look to be a bit duller than typically seen on Burmese originals, but exposure to sunlight could be the culprit. Here are images of a couple of early 20th century kalagas I collected in Rangoon during the 1980's.
Best regards,
Bill H.

Hey Tim, What you have there is a Burmese Kalagas. ( You can Google Kalagas for more information ) Most likely purchased in Thailand in the last 25 years.

Dear Tim

It's a Myanmar style Tapestries, a Kalaga. It was made of cotton and decorated with small discs of brass, mirror, small glass balls sticking on small glass plates and glued on the piece, and some brass string embroidered. It is raised because it is supported and stuffed with bars and rolls of cotton wools behind the piece and pushed and tied up with string to make this piece has 3 dimensions.

The scene depicted Prince Sithatha (later became Buddha) entering his monkhood, he is cutting his hair and Indra flying down to get his cut hair to put in golden urn, then keep it in golden stupa in heaven. The man kneeling there is his servant "Channa" and his horse "Kantaka".

This products are for souvenir, for examples:- bags, wall hangers, wallets, T-shirts selling around Thailand tourist venue as well as in Myanmar.

And it's modern, but not cheap, this kind of work is time consuming, delicate and difficult to make.

Have fun
Anita

Thank you all for correcting my guess!

Good luck,
Cal

Awesome, thank you so much for your help.

You're welcome for my part, and I should apologize for calling you 'Jim', Tim.
BH

Asian Arts | Associations | Articles | Exhibitions | Galleries | Message Board