A lined winter coat made of silk and coloured white, blue and red using the ‘Ikat technique’. Ikat is a colouring technique in which the warp threads are dyed before the weaving. The thread is stretched on the loom before the weaving. The weaver must know exactly which parts must be in what colour, in order to achieve the desired pattern. The thread is thus taken off the loom again and the warp threads are bound off exactly in the areas that should not (!) be dyed. Then the dyeing process is carried out. After the dyeing and drying process the bound off areas are cut open. They remain white, or preserve the hue of a previous dye. Subsequently, the next areas are bound off which should not (!) be affected by the following dye etc. When the process is finished, the dyed warp threads are again stretched on the loom. Only afterwards does the actual weaving process commence and the previously planned pattern should now appear – by itself – on the finished woven fabric. Since this ideal result is never fully achieved, running, ‘frayed’ edges in the coloured fields are always a typical sign of the ‘Ikat dyeing’ process. The centre of the ‘Ikat dyeing’ in Bukhara in Uzbekistan (the ‘Ikat technique’ also exists in India and Indonesia). However the ‘Ikat fabrics’ were, in the oriental region, primarily worn by Turkmens, who live in the three neighbouring countries of Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Iran. Such as the present ‘Ikat coat’ for men, that is made of silk, lined with red cotton fabric and originates from the Turkmens in North Afghanistan. The ‘Ikat pattern’ in white, red and blue display rows of red paisley motifs. Very good condition.
Length: c. 120 cm; width: c. 140 cm (sleeves).
First half to mid-20th century. (ME)

Provenance:
Viennese private collection.