Object NotePart of a lot purchased together which includes a woman’s ensemble –blouse, pair of trousers, and a jacket (
ZI2020.500741 ASIA,
ZI2020.500741a ASIA,
ZI2020.500741b ASIA) and six other pieces not related to the ensemble (
ZI2020.500741c ASIA,
ZI2020.500741d ASIA,
ZI2020.500741e ASIA,
ZI2020.500741f ASIA,
ZI2020.500741h ASIA,
ZI2020.500741i ASIA)..
Object HistoryThis silver and gold metal thread embellished boy’s skull cap was purchased by
Dr. Reem Tariq El Mutwalli
Dr. Reem Tariq el Mutwallī: Founder (CEO) of the Zay
Zay: (Arabic: costume, Pl. azyaā’), a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period. Initiative, a public figure, speaker and author. An expert curator and consultant in Islamic art and architecture, interior design, historic costume, and UAE heritage. from Kerry Taylor Auctions, London in 2020 to be added to The
Zay
Zay: (Arabic: costume, Pl. azyaā’), a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period. Initiative Collection.
Object Features This is a small skull cap (
topi
Topi: (Turkic: Tubeteika– traditional caps of Central Asia), a hat or cap of any kind in the Indian subcontinent.) in pink cotton with heavy embellishment. It is embroidered in (
couching
Couching: (Latin: collocare – Place together), in needlework and embroidery couching is a technique in which yarn or other materials are laid across the surface of the ground fabric and fastened in place with small stitches of the same or a different yarn
) style with gold and silver metal threads featuring intricate geometric patterns (
jaal
Jaal: (Sanskrit: jaal – A net, web, or a mesh), the decoration which fills the ground between the paisley cones at the heads of a shawl.
).
Judging from its size it was possibly made for a young boy, possibly a groom’s companion. Customarily in South Asian weddings a groom is often accompanied by his companions or groom’s men and a young boy often next of kin or close family member such as a cousin, or a nephew.
This piece is possibly from the Sindh region of the subcontinent and judging from its embellishment and other accompanying articles it could have been part of a fairly affluent Muslim groom and his men’s wedding attire.
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