Pashmina: The Kashmir Shawl and Beyond- The first major study of the subject, aimed at an academic as well as a general readership - Illustrated with superb images collected over the years by the authors Kashmir has an enduring claim to the attention of lovers of beauty, with its breathtaking landscapes. It is also home to the Kashmir shawl, which at its finest was among the most exquisite textiles ever woven, the product of consummate artistry and skill applied to Pashmina, one of the most delicate fibres in the world. More than that, for at least three centuries, the shawl's excellence and worth made it the center of a huge and complex commercial operation involving, in its heyday, tens of thousands of people, and extending from Tibet to the marts of west Asia, Europe and America. Coveted by Mughal emperors and Sikh maharajas, Iranian nobles, Armenian merchants, French empresses, British aristocrats and, eventually, the prosperous bourgeoisie created on both sides of the Atlantic by the Industrial Revolution, it inspired any number of imitations, but none that could even approach the delicacy and charm of the original. This is the first major study of the subject, aimed at an academic as well as a general readership. The objective is to combine a well researched and accessibly written text with carefully chosen illustrations that will complement the text and bring it to life. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
19th century Abul Fazl Akbar Amritsar animals borders bouquet British brocade buta buti cashmere Central Asia Changpa Changthang chiru classic Courtesy daghshal dehairing Delhi Detail of long developed Dilip Kumar dorukha doshala early embroidered shawls embroidery European export fabric fashion fibre finest floral flower fragments French goats India Iran Iranian Jacquemont 1841 jamawar Jammu Janet Rizvi kani kani shawls karkhanadars Kashmir shawl khat-rast khudrang Kirman Ladakh lakh late later London long shawl loom material merchants Mongolia Moorcroft MSS E113 motif Mughal Museum origin Paisley pallav pashm pashmina patka patterned perhaps Photo Dilip Kumar pieces production Punjab rafugars raw pashm reference rumals rupees seems Shah shahtoosh shawl design shawl industry sheep shoulder-mantles silk Singh square shawls Srinagar stitched talim tapestry technique termeh textiles threads Tibet Tibetan toosh trade twill twill-tapestry ustad warp weavers weaving weft western Tibet wool woollen woven yarn