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Timor ceremonial tubeskirt (tais mabuna)
Origin: Indonesia, West Timor, Biboki, 1920-1940
Technique: Handspun cotton, natural indigo and morinda dyes, commercial silk thread in synthetic dyes, warp ikat, supplementary weft wrapping (buna)
Description: a complex traditional design with an overall red / blue contrast, composed of four panels stitched together along the selvedge, then joined at the ends to form a tube. The inner two panels each have a primary ikat band of alternating morinda and indigo nested hooked rhombs (kaif), framed by narrow strips of meander and kaif ikat, also alternately morinda and indigo – the alternating colours required an extraordinarily laborious ikat process, which has been very well executed to produce a tight, clear pattern. The ikat bands are placed at the end of an inner body of finely graded stripes with two sets of compound stripes; and contrasted with a plain broad band of indigo in the outer panels. The edges of sarong are finished with 3 rows of supplementary weft wrapped (buna) silk motifs, richly detailed with internal kaifs and hooks in multiple colours.
Context: Long, 4-panel tubeskirts of this kind were worn only by the nobility or royalty, and reserved for ceremonial occasions or used in gift exchanges. They could take two years to complete because of the two kinds of technique and detailed design.
Condition: Medium weight handspun, with a crisp hand, the piece appears hardly used. a few watery (betel juice?) stains on the indigo panels at one end (and some on the inside indigo panels), could possibly be carefully cleaned. Very fresh colours.
Dimensions: Length: 202 cm. Width (unopened): 59 cm.
Origin: Indonesia, West Timor, Biboki, 1920-1940
Technique: Handspun cotton, natural indigo and morinda dyes, commercial silk thread in synthetic dyes, warp ikat, supplementary weft wrapping (buna)
Description: a complex traditional design with an overall red / blue contrast, composed of four panels stitched together along the selvedge, then joined at the ends to form a tube. The inner two panels each have a primary ikat band of alternating morinda and indigo nested hooked rhombs (kaif), framed by narrow strips of meander and kaif ikat, also alternately morinda and indigo – the alternating colours required an extraordinarily laborious ikat process, which has been very well executed to produce a tight, clear pattern. The ikat bands are placed at the end of an inner body of finely graded stripes with two sets of compound stripes; and contrasted with a plain broad band of indigo in the outer panels. The edges of sarong are finished with 3 rows of supplementary weft wrapped (buna) silk motifs, richly detailed with internal kaifs and hooks in multiple colours.
Context: Long, 4-panel tubeskirts of this kind were worn only by the nobility or royalty, and reserved for ceremonial occasions or used in gift exchanges. They could take two years to complete because of the two kinds of technique and detailed design.
Condition: Medium weight handspun, with a crisp hand, the piece appears hardly used. a few watery (betel juice?) stains on the indigo panels at one end (and some on the inside indigo panels), could possibly be carefully cleaned. Very fresh colours.
Dimensions: Length: 202 cm. Width (unopened): 59 cm.
price:
SOLD