Rare Gujerati
Late 17th/Early 18th c

This rare lovely fragment, probably part of a bedcover, was embroidered in or near Cambay (Khambhat), Gujerat in North -Western India, the port from where it would have been sent to England, during the late 17th or early 18th century. I have included it in this section, as well as World Textiles, because it was made for the Western export market. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, these trade embroideries, also known as Cambay embroideries were, like chintz, all the rage in fashionable Europe where they were much coveted.  Cambay was the main centre of production, hence the term, but fine embroidery in the Cambay style was also carried out in other Gujarat centres like Patan and later Surat.

This type of embroidery which was worked by the Mochi community of professional craftsmen, was brought back to Great Britain by the East India Company and was hugely popular during the late 17th and early 18th century.  Patterns were sent from Britain to be copied in India, and in particular in Gujerat which produced much of the export trade embroidery.  This piece is probably from a bedcover.  Bed curtains, valances, canopies and coverlets, chair covers and cushions were embroidered, usually by men, for the export Western market. A hooked awl or ari  with twisted silks created very tight chain stitches on Indian natural woven cotton producing bright clear colours and an elegant design. The design is similar to English late 16th or early 17th century embroideries wih scrolling vines or rinceaux containing flowers. This design can be found on gentlemen's caps and ladies headwear (coifs) and jackets and furnishing textiles of the period. The design probably comes from Islamic Spain.

This piece would look marvellous mounted and framed.

Description

Silk carnations in deep pink, pale yellow and blue enclosed by dark green scrolling vines, with curling tendrils, all worked in chain stitch on a natural cotton ground. 

22 x18 in; 56 x 46 cm wide

12 in; 30 cm design repeat.

Condition

There are a few pinhole markings which will probably come out with gentle iron to the back of the embroidery. Some light rust markings. It has clearly been unpicked. The top left hand corner is pieced to square up the panel. There is a seam on the left hand side 1 on; 2 .5 cm in from the edge. For mounting it would look better to remove the left hand side and turn under.