A LAKAI NIM SUZANI
A LAKAI NIM SUZANI
A LAKAI NIM SUZANI
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PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF IRA AND SYLVIA SERET
A LAKAI NIM SUZANI

UZBEKISTAN, LATE 19TH CENTURY

Details
A LAKAI NIM SUZANI
UZBEKISTAN, LATE 19TH CENTURY
Finely embroidered on four panels, the yellow silk backing embroidered in silk, the field with two pairs of ascending flowering shrubs with budding branches between, in a border of flowerheads alternating with striped lozenges, between flowering vine minor strips, red and white chevron outer guard stripe, edged in ikat and lined with printed fabric
5ft.3in. x 3ft.9in. (160 x 115cm.)

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Louise Broadhurst
Louise Broadhurst Director, International Head of Department

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Lot Essay

Historically a nomadic group, from the 1870s the Lakai began to settle in towns in South-Eastern Uzbekistan, where they encountered the fine embroidery being practiced in cities like Shakhryisabz (Jeff Spur, "Style Matters: the case for Lakai suzanis", HALI 215, 2023, p.68). Their weaves remained distinctive, however. Bold motifs were executed using particularly fine embroidery, and often onto coloured grounds. A further distinctive feature is the use of narrow chevron bands around borders and edges, which can be seen in red and white on our example. A result of the greater finesse of embroidery is that many Lakai suzanis are smaller nim-suzanis, or 'half suzanis'.

The fine drawing on this example is evocative of a white-ground example sold Rippon Boswell, Weisbaden, 1 June 2024, lot 69. They also sold a yellow-ground example also with red and white chevron bands, 23 March 2019, lot 71.

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