A large 19th century pink Ikat panel, woven in silk and later professionally lined in plain red wool twill. Uzbekistan, Circa 1880. 120cm x 180cm (47 x 71 inches).
 
On a ground of rich violet pink, with a striking design of interlocking diamonds cut through with bold yellow bars. The pattern is disrupted at bottom right and top left with a pair of white lines running over the pink and the yellow, creating a pleasing and well balanced asymmetry. The textile is in remarkable condition, with only a couple of small marks (see images and video). Being well lined it hangs well and feels substantial, lending itself for use as both a throw/cover or a wall hanging.
 
Ikat is a dyeing technique from Southeast Asia used to pattern textiles that employs resist dyeing on the yarns prior to weaving the fabric. The characteristic and highly prized blurriness is a result of the extreme difficulty the weaver has lining up the dyed yarns so that the pattern comes out perfectly in the finished cloth.
 
This lovely example comes from the collection of the late and highly renowned textiles dealer Pip Rau. Pip travelled extensively across pre revolutionary Iran and Afghanistan before the Russian invasion to amass her collection and was well known in the textile world as a source for some of the finest 19th-century Uzbek ikats.
 
Additional images available here 
 
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