a lovely antique Uzbek Lakai silk embroidered horse blanket / saddle cover. This lovely ethnographic embroidery dates to the late 19th century and is polychrome silk chain stitched embroidery on red wool trade cloth known as Bannat. Lakai tribe were renowned horsemen and such embroideries were made by women, initially as dowry offerings for the wedding and eventually used for special ceremonies. The classic design of floral repertoire in the shape of pomegranate with loosely drawn floral border is classic motifs from the Lakai design pool. It is finished with a green bannat wool. It boasts a fantastic central Asian block print lining with repeating voters and polychrome tassels that have worn. Not many such horse blankets have survived for their use often caused them to deteriorate. So it is a rare ethnographic textile of Central Asia. The overall condition is acceptable with some abrasion of embroidery and natural age patina. size 170cm (67”)/102cm (40") x 112cm (44”).