Material: Cotton
Style: Russian
Size:  Length 341 cm, Width 83 cm
Order Number: MHSACARC1

During the 19th century industrialisation of the Russian textile industry flooded the Central Asian market.

Russian printed cotton cloth is found in the ethnic dress and household textiles of the eastern reaches of the Russian Empire, particularly Uzbekistan and other areas of Central Asia. Great quantities were also sold to Mongolia, Afghanistan, Persia and China.

Linings of central Asian textiles were also made from Russian printed cottons with their striking floral and paisley designs. Some prints were specially designed incorporating Arabic letters and featuring green. It is said that green was Mohammed’s favourite colour. He was said to have worn a green cloak and turban and his writings are full of references to green. The Quran describes paradise as a place where people ‘will wear green garments of fine silk’.

The paisley pattern uses the Persian  botah motif, a teardrop-shaped motif with a curved upper end and a version of the ‘tree of life’. It became popular in the West in the 18th and 19th centuries, following imports from India, especially Kashmir shawls, which were introduced by the The British East India Company to England and Scotland where they were extremely fashionable. The name comes from the town of Paisley in west Scotland, a textile centre where paisley designs were produced.

19th – early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Central Asian Russian Cotton appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Silver gilt, carnelians (4 rows of 4 carnelains)
Style: Turkmenistan, Central Asia
Size:  Length 10.5 cm, Width 7 cm (top), 6 cm (bottom)
Order Number: MHSATB

Turkmens are a Central Asian Turkic nomadic ethnic group of about 3 million living mainly in Turkmenistan, northern and northeastern Iran and Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and North Caucasus. About 1.9 million live in Turkmenistan.

The  Turkmen are made up of more than two dozen major tribal groups, who were living in Central Asia from the 9th century. With the arrival of Islam in Central Asia, the Turkmen people converted, combining Sunni Islam with elements of their pre-Islamic faith, known as shamanism.

The most important Turkmen tribes, as far as jewelry is concerned, are the Tekke, the Yomud, the Ersari and the Sarik. The Tekke are the largest and most powerful. Turkmen artists are known for weaving carpets—largely the work of women artists—and making silver jewelry, which was the work of male artists.

Turkmen jewelry is now sought after by museums and collectors. It was worn mainly at weddings and for the first few years of marriage. Marriage was extremely important. Jewelry was part of the bride’s dowry, which included carpets and costumes. The textiles were made by the bride and the female family members. Quality gave the family prestige. The bride was given to the groom’s family laden with treasures to demonstrate her family’s wealth and importance.

The question arises how did these agricultural and herding nomads pay for this magnificent jewelry? It’s thought that it was by the slave trade. The Tekke tribe were particularly active in raiding for slaves in northeast Iran. In the 19th century about a million slaves were captured and sold in Bukhara and the city of Khiva. The money was then invested in silver jewelry, bracelets, collar buttons, necklaces and headdress decorations, for the women. Their way of life was pastoral nomadism – they moved where their flocks could graze as the seasons changed. For nomadic groups like this silver and gold were easy to carry.

Some pieces were protective amulets and talismans. Blue beads gave protection against the evil eye. Orange-red semi-precious carnelians were associated with fertility, blood and life. Shape also was important – triangles in the Middle East gave protection.

Tekke jewelry was symmetrical. A thin layer of gold was applied by heating gold dust and quicksilver. The quicksilver evaporates and the gold sticks to the jewelry. They liked carnelians more than the other Turkmen tribes.

Turkmen double-walled gauntlet-like bracelets (bilezik) were typically parallel, horizontal bands, separated by narrow silver strips. Regularity was enhanced by rows of carnelians placed in the segments.  The narrowest were 3 segments but 5 segments also existed. Most, as in this case, were narrower at the wrists.

At the back the bracelets had oval or sharp points with just enough space to slip it on the arm.

There are similar examples in Ethnic Jewellry from Africa, Asia and Pacific Islands, The Rene van der Star Collection, The Pepin Press, 2008, page 102.

19th century – early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Turkmen Bracelets appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Cotton
Style: Turkmen
Size:  Height 105 cm, Width 68 cm (top), 72 cm (bottom)
Order Number: MHSATG4

Turkmens are a Central Asian Turkic ethnic group living mainly in Turkmenistan, northern and northeastern Iran and Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and North Caucasus.

A traditional robe of honour, a loose coat of padded cotton,  called a chapan.

Early 20th century.

Map of Turkmenistan.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Turkmen Coat appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Cotton
Style: Turkmen
Size:  Height 57 cm, Width 60 cm (top), 48 cm (bottom)
Order Number: MHSATG5

Turkmens are a Central Asian Turkic ethnic group living mainly in Turkmenistan, northern and northeastern Iran and Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and North Caucasus.

A Turkmen child’s ceremonial tunic, heavily laden with amulets, coins, discs, tassels, and beads, to protect the child from misfortune.

About 50-60 years old.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Turkmen Girl’s Tunic 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Cotton
Style: Turkmen
Size:  Height 53 cm, Width 46 cm (top), 53 cm (bottom)
Order Number: MHSATG6

Turkmens are a Central Asian Turkic ethnic group living mainly in Turkmenistan, northern and northeastern Iran and Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and North Caucasus.

A Turkmen child’s ceremonial tunic, heavily laden with amulets, coins, discs, tassels, bells, shells, and beads, to protect the child from misfortune.

About 50-60 years old.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Turkmen Girl’s Tunic 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Cotton
Style: Turkmen
Size:  Height 52 cm, Width 53 cm (top), 44 cm (bottom)
Order Number: MHSATG7

Turkmens are a Central Asian Turkic ethnic group living mainly in Turkmenistan, northern and northeastern Iran and Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and North Caucasus.

A Turkmen child’s ceremonial tunic, heavily laden with amulets, coins, discs, tassels, shells, and beads, to protect the child from misfortune.

About 50-60 years old.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Turkmen Girl’s Tunic 3 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Cotton
Style: Turkmen
Size:  Height 57 cm, Width 54 cm (top), 40 cm (bottom)
Order Number: MHSATG8

Turkmens are a Central Asian Turkic ethnic group living mainly in Turkmenistan, northern and northeastern Iran and Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and North Caucasus.

A Turkmen child’s ceremonial tunic, heavily laden with amulets, coins, discs, tassels, and beads, to protect the child from misfortune.

About 50-60 years old.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Turkmen Girl’s Tunic 4 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Cotton
Style: Turkmen
Size:  Height 53 cm, Width 50 cm (top), 44 cm (bottom)
Order Number: MHSATG9

Turkmens are a Central Asian Turkic ethnic group living mainly in Turkmenistan, northern and northeastern Iran and Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and North Caucasus.

A Turkmen child’s ceremonial tunic, heavily laden with amulets, coins, discs, tassels, and beads, to protect the child from misfortune.

About 50-60 years old.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Turkmen Girl’s Tunic 5 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Cotton
Style: Turkmen
Size:  Height 125 cm, Width 52 cm (top), 70 cm (bottom)
Order Number: MHSATG1

Turkmens are a Central Asian Turkic ethnic group living mainly in Turkmenistan, northern and northeastern Iran and Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and North Caucasus.

Turkmen woman’s gown called a chyrpy, lavishly embroidered with small motifs. They are worn over a tunic called a kurta., like a cloak covering the head and shoulders, with the long vestigial sleeves hanging down the back and joined by an embroidered band.

A dark-coloured chyrpy, like this one, would be worn by a young woman, yellow by a married or middle-aged woman, and white by a matriarch.

The motifs most frequently used are stylised flowers, and especially the tulip, the region’s most prolific wildflower, evoking springtime and blossoming.

Early 20th century.

Map of Turkmenistan.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Turkmen Gown 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Cotton
Style: Turkmen
Size:  Height 109 cm, Width 47cm (top), 65 cm (bottom)
Order Number: MHSATG3

Turkmens are a Central Asian Turkic ethnic group living mainly in Turkmenistan, northern and northeastern Iran and Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and North Caucasus.

Turkmen woman’s gown called a chyrpy, lavishly embroidered with small motifs. They are worn over a tunic called a kurta., like a cloak covering the head and shoulders, with the long vestigial sleeves hanging down the back and joined by an embroidered band.

A dark-coloured chyrpy, like this one, would be worn by a young woman, yellow by a married or middle-aged woman, and white by a matriarch.

The motifs most frequently used are stylised flowers, and especially the tulip, the region’s most prolific wildflower, evoking springtime and blossoming.

Early 20th century.

Map of Turkmenistan.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Turkmen Gown 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Cotton
Style: Turkmen
Size:  Height 18 cm, Diameter 16 cm
Order Number: MHSATS2

Turkmens are a Central Asian Turkic ethnic group living mainly in Turkmenistan, northern and northeastern Iran and Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and North Caucasus.

Embroidered hat, made by a nomadic Turkmen woman in Turkmenistan, Central Asia, in about 1920.

The motifs identify the ethnic group, class, religion and area where the wearer lives.

An embroiderer’s skill was important and gave prestige to the woman, her husband and family. Girls learnt the art from their mothers. They embroidered textiles for their dowries, wall hangings, storage bags, cushion covers, sheets and clothes.

Early 20th century.

Map of Turkmenistan.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Turkmen Hat appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Cotton
Style: Turkmen
Size:  Height 11 cm, Diameter 23 cm
Order Number: MHSATS1

Turkmens are a Central Asian Turkic ethnic group living mainly in Turkmenistan, northern and northeastern Iran and Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and North Caucasus.

Embroidered man’s skull cap, made by a nomadic Turkmen woman in Turkmenistan, Central Asia, in about 1920.

Caps are worn by men, women, and children throughout Central Asia. Muslim men wear skullcaps indoors to cover a shaven head. When they were outside in the street or travelling they were worn under a turban .

The motifs identify the ethnic group, class, religion and area where the wearer lives.

An embroiderer’s skill was important and gave prestige to the woman, her husband and family. Girls learnt the art from their mothers. They embroidered textiles for their dowries, wall hangings, storage bags, cushion covers, sheets and clothes.

Early 20th century.

Map of Turkmenistan.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Turkmen Man’s Skullcap 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Silk, gold thread, silver thread
Style: Turkmen
Size:  Height 11 cm, Diameter 18 cm
Order Number: MHSATMS2

Turkmens are a Central Asian Turkic ethnic group living mainly in Turkmenistan, northern and northeastern Iran and Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and North Caucasus.

Embroidered man’s skull cap, made by a nomadic Turkmen woman in Turkmenistan, Central Asia, in about 1920.

Caps are worn by men, women, and children throughout Central Asia. Muslim men wear skullcaps indoors to cover a shaven head. When they were outside in the street or travelling they were worn under a turban. Silk skullcaps were only worn by the aristocracy and were extremely finely woven.

The motifs identify the ethnic group, class, religion and area where the wearer lives.

An embroiderer’s skill was important and gave prestige to the woman, her husband and family. Girls learnt the art from their mothers. They embroidered textiles for their dowries, wall hangings, storage bags, cushion covers, sheets and clothes.

Early 20th century.

Map of Turkmenistan.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Turkmen Man’s Skullcap 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Silver gilt, carnelians, turquoises
Style: Turkmenistan, Central Asia
Size:  Length 43 cm, Width 14 cm
Order Number: MHSATN

Turkmens are a Central Asian Turkic nomadic ethnic group of about 3 million living mainly in Turkmenistan, northern and northeastern Iran and Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and North Caucasus. About 1.9 million live in Turkmenistan.

The  Turkmen are made up of more than two dozen major tribal groups, who were living in Central Asia from the 9th century. With the arrival of Islam in Central Asia, the Turkmen people converted, combining Sunni Islam with elements of their pre-Islamic faith, known as shamanism.

The most important Turkmen tribes, as far as jewelry is concerned, are the Tekke, the Yomud, the Ersari and the Sarik. The Tekke are the largest and most powerful. Turkmen artists are known for weaving carpets—largely the work of women artists—and making silver jewelry, which was the work of male artists.

Turkmen jewelry is now sought after by museums and collectors. It was worn mainly at weddings and for the first few years of marriage. Marriage was extremely important. Jewelry was part of the bride’s dowry, which included carpets and costumes. The textiles were made by the bride and the female family members. Quality gave the family prestige. The bride was given to the groom’s family laden with treasures to demonstrate her family’s wealth and importance.

The question arises how did these agricultural and herding nomads pay for this magnificent jewelry? It’s thought that it was by the slave trade. The Tekke tribe were particularly active in raiding for slaves in northeast Iran. In the 19th century about a million slaves were captured and sold in Bukhara and the city of Khiva. The money was then invested in silver jewelry, bracelets, collar buttons, necklaces and headdress decorations, for the women. Their way of life was pastoral nomadism – they moved where their flocks could graze as the seasons changed. For nomadic groups like this silver and gold were easy to carry.

Some pieces were protective amulets and talismans. Blue beads gave protection against the evil eye. Orange-red semi-precious carnelians were associated with fertility, blood and life. Shape also was important – triangles in the Middle East gave protection.

19th century – early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Turkmen Necklace appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Cotton
Style: Turkmen
Size:  Length 72 cm, Width 13 cm
Order Number: MHSATB1

Turkmens are a Central Asian Turkic ethnic group living mainly in Turkmenistan, northern and northeastern Iran and Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and North Caucasus.

Turkmen belt in the same style as a woman’s gown called a chyrpy, lavishly embroidered with small motifs.  A dark-coloured chyrpy was worn by a young woman, yellow by a married or middle-aged woman, and white by a matriarch.

The motifs most frequently used are stylised flowers, and especially the tulip, the region’s most prolific wildflower, evoking springtime and blossoming.

Lined with printed Russian cotton. It has buttons and loops.

19th – early 20th century.

Map of Turkmenistan.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Turkmen Woman’s Belt 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Cotton
Style: Turkmen
Size:  Length 110 cm, Width 9.5 cm
Order Number: MHSATWB2

Turkmens are a Central Asian Turkic ethnic group living mainly in Turkmenistan, northern and northeastern Iran and Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and North Caucasus.

Turkmen belt in the same style as a woman’s gown called a chyrpy, lavishly embroidered with small motifs.  A dark-coloured chyrpy was worn by a young woman, yellow by a married or middle-aged woman, and white by a matriarch.

The motifs most frequently used are stylised flowers, and especially the tulip, the region’s most prolific wildflower, evoking springtime and blossoming.

Lined with printed Russian cotton. It has buttons and loops.

19th – early 20th century.

Map of Turkmenistan.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Turkmen Woman’s Belt 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Cotton
Style: Turkmen
Size:  Height 71 cm, Width 20 cm
Order Number: MHSATWWH1

Turkmens are a Central Asian Turkic ethnic group living mainly in Turkmenistan, northern and northeastern Iran and Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and North Caucasus.

A Turkmen woman’s ceremonial wedding headdress. For ceremonial occasions headwear is very elaborate. Cover for the vulnerable parts of the body, such as the nape of the neck, is common. Turkmen women always like some red.

20th century.

Map of Turkmenistan.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Turkmen Woman’s Wedding Headdress 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Cotton
Style: Uzbek Lakai
Size:  Length 122 cm, Width 93 cm
Order Number: MHSAULS1

The nomadic Lakai tribe of Central Asia are renowned for their embroidered bold suzani cloths. They are rare and hard to get. The Lakai tribe have played an historic role as horsemen, fighters and brigands in Inner Asia for centuries.

They lived in yurts up to the 1920s. As well as horses, they herded sheep. They bartered with neighbouring tribes and traded embroideries produced by Lakai women.

This suzani is a vibrant and captivating work. The overall design is arranged in a visually stunning composition. These embroideries must be seen in the context of the yurt: they were used to decorate the stack of bedding, blankets and quilts against the wall behind the place of honour, or tor, opposite the entrance to the yurt, but also to decorate the lattice of the walls and sometimes, in the case of larger pieces, as “room” dividers. And they provided an additional source of income or were used in bartering.

Suzani comes from the Persian word for ‘needle’ and refers to embroidered hangings or covers. They are typically 1.5 metres wide wide but sometimes much more.

The birthplace of suzanis is in the area now Uzbekistan along the Silk Roads which linked Europe, Turkey and China with the Muslim world. Islam arrived in the 8th century and splendid cities arose, such as Bukhara, Samarkand, Shakhrisabz and Khiva.

Suzanis were made in the home for large hangings, to separate the sleeping alcove, and covers.  Girls made them as dowries and gave them to their bridegrooms on the wedding day. Suzanis are divided into ‘eastern’ and ‘western’ on the basis of design and colour. Those made in the east show the influence of Kirghiz and nomadic Uzbek designs in large moon discs, or palaik, and those from the west have floral designs.

Many patterns, which are often abstract, resemble those in the tombs of Pazyryk in the the High Altai, dating back to the first millennium BC. Throughout Central Asia Khazakhs, Kyrgyz, Uzbeks, Turkomans, Lakai and Arabs developed their own designs.

The oldest surviving suzanis date from the late 18th and early 19th centuries, but they were in use long before that, at least the beginning of the 15th century. 

The motifs are linked to Indian, Chinese and Persian textiles and decorative Western motifs. Since Alexander, Hellenic influences reached into Central Asia and along the Silk Roads and were incorporated into embroidered hangings and as far as the ceramics of Ming China.

The meandering vine pattern along the border of many suzanis was probably inspired by the scrolls of grapes shown on textiles,  ceramics and stone sculptures across the Hellenic world.  Patterns of flowers and vines is classic ‘Bokhara work’. Leaves sometimes emerge from a tiny watering can in one corner and spread around the entire design bordering central motifs. The palmetto, a fan-shaped, botanical motif from the Mediterranean, may also have been introduced following Alexander’s conquests in India and Afghanistan.

The botah motif, like a teardrop and a version of the ‘tree of life’, arrived from Persia as early as the 5th century BC. Flowers, including tulips and wild hyacinths, are similar to those on Iznik plates, suggesting a Turkic origin. Sometimes there is a frilly flower like a carnation, probably a pomegranate blossom, or a lotus.

These motifs are common among the western group of suzanis, which often show the influence of textiles imported from Mughal India through Kashmir.

Suzanis from the small town of Nurata have a star in the centre and scattered sprays of flowers, or sometimes botah, on the main field. The embroidery is in delicate shades, often muted indigos and rust.

Samarkand embroideries, closer to the eastern area, are less sophisticated and bolder in their patterns. They often have purple, yellow or pink backgrounds, embroidered in a limited range of colours, with abstract designs.

Eastern suzanis are closer to the traditional nomad designs of the Kyrgyz and Uzbeks, who worshiped the sun, moon and stars before Islam. The designs are bold, centered on a circular motif, which represent the heavens, the sun and moon or a flower or an open pomegranate, a symbol of fertility. There are  strong contrasts, perhaps to distinguish dark and light, good and evil, life and death, and strong colors, such as red for blood, brown for the earth and blue-black for the sky.

This symbolism is clear in the suzanis of Tashkent, Pskent and Ferghana Valley, with a central roundel, known as the palaik. A palaik is a heavenly orb, sometimes with a star, and often looks like a giant red flower. This flower and sun palaik appear among the Central Asian nomads, embroideries of Rajasthan and Gujarat, in Kashmir and Turkish-influenced pieces from the Balkans. It is a symbol of power and fertility. Birds and a scorpion are sometimes found in eastern suzanis. In Ferghana a piece of embroidery was left unfinished to let any trapped spirits escape.

When a girl’s dowry was being prepared, fabric would be taken to a kalamkash, an older woman, the local designer, who drew the pattern on to four to six narrow strips of woven fabric. As silk wears away, the outlines are sometimes visible. After the design is drawn, the strips were divided  and worked on by different members of the family. As a result, the patterns can be slightly misaligned and shades of colour vary from one strip to the another. The finished strips were stitched together.

The stitches are simple. The thread is normally silk, or sometimes cotton, and very rarely wool. In the older pieces, natural dyes were used: indigo from India for blue, cochineal and madder for red, saffron from the wild crocus for yellow, pomegranate skins or pistachio galls with iron for black.

Suzanis are still produced in Uzbekistan to decorate homes, tea houses, workplaces, and public buildings, and are used at weddings and festivals.

Backed with printed Russian cotton.

19th – early 20th century.

Map of Uzbekistan.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Uzbek Lakai Suzani appeared first on Murni's in Bali.