* A GILAN EMBROIDERED KURSI COVER
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT PRIVATE EUROPEAN COLLECTOR
Gilan, Northern Iran, early 20th century

The turkey red wool face cloth ground finely embroidered in coloured floss silks and gold and silver metallic threads, wound around silk cores in a variety of techniques, the metallic thread centre surrounded by an elaborate outer ring of lotuses and carnations within scrolling metal thread palmettes, the border and squinch (lachak) corners in similar themes, all within chain-stitched gold silk thread borders, the plain Prussian blue outer border joined to the field with a metallic thread ribbon, edged with multi-coloured silk fringes on all sides, lined in joined red satin silk, interlined in wool, 240cm x 240cm excluding the fringes.

The style, varieties of technique, and design of this piece is testament to many European and Russian influences. Echoes of church vestments' metallic thread embroidery, as well as flame-stitched larger flowerheads, together with the design and colour scheme are more than a nod in the direction of Russian embroideries.