AN IRAQI BROCADED INDIGO BLUE SILK ABA ROBE (ABAYA)
Najaf, Iraq, early 20th century

Of typical rectangular shape, this special robe of honour made of blue silk, brocaded with gold thread in restrained ikat-style patterns, the vertical gold lines emanating from the shoulder schematically representing gold tassels, the seams edged in gold thread, the panels joined in running stitch in the horizontal middle seam, the selvedge of the lower section forming the hem.

129cm wide span, 113cm long from the nape

Provenance: Private London-based Middle Eastern family collection for over forty years.