An extremely rare and very important museum grade Uzbek silk embroidered bridal hair cover made in Shahrisabz / Shakhrisyabz region of Central Asia. Dating to around mid to early 3rd quarter of the 19th century, there are only a handful of examples of this calibre of silk Central Asian hair lapels known in the world, most of them in museum or important private collections. And this example in my expert opinion is one of the oldest and best i have seen, including compared to most published ones. It is fully silk embroidered using extremely fine chain stitched technique. The design is a rich and dazzling display of floral motifs arranged in compartments along the lengths of the piece. Each section boasts a unique floral motif with intricate inner and surrounding details. Some of the motifs are so unique and rich in detail which indicate early age. The natural colours are absolutely magnificent with gorgeous use of primary colours (blue, green, yellow and red) mixed with a rich apricot, indigo and a natural salmon red. The play between the rich colours and the sophisticated design creates a powerful visual spectacle that elevates this as a masterpiece work of Cental Asian textile art. In a good overall shape, original and complete. Some expected erosion of embroidery in parts of indigo and one red. Such erosion is common in early Shahrisabz embroideries because of the ingredients of indigo that affects the silk thread. But this does not distract the beauty and design in real life whatsoever. The backing is a striped cotton. Unfortunately photos cannot capture the meticulous and intricate quality of this embroidery. a unicorn piece fit for any major collection. a similar but slightly younger piece sold in November 2024 at Rippon Boswell auction, lot 158 for €13k plus 30% commission. This example is older and a fraction of the price. Size: 152cm x 8cm (60” x 3.25”)……….. (If you message via rugrabbit and don’t get a response within 24 hours, then your message hasn’t got to us so please email directly to: istalificollections@outlook.com.)