Apartment Therapy DC reader Kathleen needs help incorporating Uzbek textiles: "I bought two of these in Tashkent in 1991 - didn't have much time and just bought them in a hotel gift shop. They are machine-stiched and and made with synthetic materials. They are like pillow cases and have been languishing in a cedar chest for 18 years. I know they are souzani, but I can find nothing on the internet about these - only about antique (pre-Soviet) rugs or wall hangings. Mine measure 43" long, 17.5" across, and at either end is a 6.5 border of bright orange synthetic velvet. Do I use pillows or something else? What is that orange velvet for? How are they supposed to be used - on couches, floors or beds? Are they supposed to be soft or firm? Are they decoration or for use? I would appreciate any insight. Thank you!"
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My immediate thought is that you could make a bolster pillow to go across your bed.
But since the suzani is machine-made, I think you can do anything you want with it. You can cut off the orange velvet if you don't like it.
view Lisa (Montreal)'s profile
ReaperMan -- what are the customs fees like when you buy ebay Suzanis from Uzbekistan? I've always been tempted, but put off by potential import/customs fees.
view Lisa (Montreal)'s profile
Hi - it's Kathleen, the poster. I found these while beginning a cure lthat I almost immediately abandoned. But, I did ask a young Uzbek I met in town what they could possibly be. He said these are intended for older people who can no longer sit upright on cushions. Instead, they lounge on the floor (presumably on something soft) and lean against these long pillow-like things to rest their arms and sides.
view Sousani's profile
This site sells vintage textiles from all over the world, but I've used them for advice on how to mount a fragile Navajo rug so I could hang it on the wall (they describe a variety of techniques, both good and bad). I just had to resist buying a fantastic kilim or suzani!
http://www.marlamallett.com/mounting.htm
view Renee's profile
Reaperman, I think you meant dowry, not diary.
I wish I could have seen the 8' square suzani -- that must have been something!
view SherryBinNH's profile
I'm a tribal textile collector who has often bought vintage Central Asian textiles on eBay, shipped from Uzbekistan. I've never had a problem with things showing up. There are NO Customs fees!
That being said, you need to read the postings carefully and ask questions about condition, age, etc. before you bid. Some dealers sell new textiles as old or simply leave out references to age while spinning the allure. Generally, the simpler and more regular the design, the newer it is. Real, old Central Asian pieces are very expensive.
Since your piece was made for sale (which is more important to a collector than its age), you can do anything you want with it . I envision it turned into a long, round bolster cusion, in "the Oriental style" maybe with ribbon ties at the end. I would definitely get rid of the orange material because, without it, this becomes a more neutral and usable piece.
Marla Mallett is a well known and trusted textile dealer, known especially for her kilims. Really special pieces sell very quickly.
If you want information on how to display or store a textiles, try Googling textile conservation sites or poking around the sites of the Smithsonian or Textile Museum in Washington DC.
view Taureg's profile