Embroidered Sari Border

6 x 550 cm

Surat, Gujarat, India

Late 19th century

Silk

Embroidery with coloured two-ply silk on black silk

very good

This kind of embroidery (chinai work) was made by Chinese settlers in Surat for the rich Parsee community in Bombay

These borders were made for decorating the edges of saris.

Black saris and black borders were considered unlucky or inauspicious wear and meant only for funerals and memorial prayer services.

I have a long few borders in my collection as well some smaller fragments with different designs, please inquire for more information

Description in:

Irwin&Hall-Indian Embroidery, Ahmedabad 1972

Here you’ll find an interesting article:

http://www.dsource.in/resource/parsi-embroidered-sari-borders/wearing-sari-border

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