Bag Item Number: 915/14 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Small, flat embroidered bag made of two identically patterned, rectangular sections which are seamed together on three sides, leaving the fourth side open. The bottom two corners of the bag are angled at 45 degrees. The multi-coloured embroidered designs are composed of densely-worked, geometric, stylized floral motifs which are enclosed with squares, arranged in a grid, separated by geometric border motifs. The top edge is finished with tablet-woven pink and red edging. The bottom edge is trimmed with seven tassels (red, green, blue and dark yellow). A border of diamond shaped motifs is at the top and left edge of each side. A short length of decorative braided fibre is attached to one upper corner of the bag, along with one red tassel. Backed with plain pinkish cotton textile.

History Of Use

Used to carry small items, such as grooming aids, tobacco, medicinal herbs, money, etc. and/or to transport dowry items.

Specific Techniques

kesdi stitch; satin stitch

Narrative

According to Clarke Abbott of Tradewinds Antiques, the person who collected this piece lived in Kabul in the early 1960s, doing ambassadorial work. He traveled widely throughout the area. He was killed in an automobile accident there, and no further information is available about him or his collection. The piece was subsequently acquired by Tradewinds Antiques in Vancouver at an unknown date, and the Museum of Anthropology purchased it in 1984, when the business was liquidating its stock.