Mae Festa 50 Years of Collecting Textiles - Peter Pap Oriental Rugs

AFRICA – Tunisia
Shawl (above)
Early 20 th Century
Arab Nomads
Ten colors of floss silk embroidered on
plain weave silk shawl, with strip of cotton
backing across top for strength, and dense
series of floss silk tassels across top.
117 x 114 cm 46 x 45 in (less 13 in fringe)
Dark red silk with black bands, in varying
combinations of narrow and broad, dense band
of embroidery in a herringbone pattern across
top and upper sides in seven colors of floss silk,
beneath which is a second band of alternating
triangles and hands of Fatima. Across the top
is a series of floss silk tassels in 10 colors.
Synthetic dyes.
338
Head cover (Tajira)
Early 20 th Century
Arab Nomads
Wool plainweave, with cotton weft
substitution. Red and black wool with
white cotton decoration.
151 x 100 cm 51½ x 39½ in (without fringe)
The tajira is placed over the hair, and used to
keep the bakhnug from becoming greasy. It has a
simple, finished upper border, often embroidered
but not in this case. The body is red with white bands
and decorative effects in white in weft substitution.
The bottom section contains this technique, but
otherwise comprises nine black and white alternating
bands, wider and narrower. At the bottom is a
fine, 11½ centimeter fringe above which commences
a wonderful line of openwork.