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A very early veil from either a Kazakh or a Khirghiz group, showing heavily oxidised silver and early textiles (wool and silk); 19th c. The veil was worn by a bride at her wedding before so to speak being "revealed" to her husband. The triangle at the top is not a loose flap. Tassels hang down from it and at the bottom. The bride could look through the veil. Purchased, gratefully, from Linda Pastorino.
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Comments

  • Beautifully photographed, you have succeeded in capturing the splendour of this veil in a photo.
  • This is something realy beautiful! Congratulations in buying it!

  • Thank you both, howah and Harald, for those kind and positive comments!

  • Great photo, thanks!  did you do any polishing on the silver, looks a bit cleaner.  I'm happy you got this  The colors on the tassels are really beautiful. 

  • Glad you are happy with the photo, Linda, which I also posted on Facebook (explaining, as usual, that we bought the piece from YOU, as I like to give dealers credit for finding good items and selling them to us!). As to polishing: no, I decided against that, as the tarnish is so heavy. I MAY use a cloth, but I don't think that would take me far. I don't really want to use any liquid, as it might do more harm than good. And yes: the tassels look good on my photo, but that is simply and only because I was lucky in getting natural light to fall onto the object in the "right" way!! It does all look very good, I do agree!!

  • I said in the previous post that I like to give credit, where due, to dealers from whom we buy, but that also applies to private collectors, unless they prefer not to be mentioned (that would depend on the individual).

  • I'd like to raise a matter for discussion on this subject. A Facebook poster - quite constructively - has suggested that this is not a veil. I quote her: "I think this is a hairpiece. Generally, Turkmen didn't wear veils, but they would have had a triangular amulet at the back of the head to protect from the evil eye. And they decorated the back of the head with interwoven silver pieces. This piece is stunning. You can see less ornate hair fillers for sale on the internet today." COMMENTS, PLEASE? It does not sound implausible to me, but I know too little about the subject. I'm just interested.

  • Many thanks, Patricia! I do have the Uzbekistan book, and will have a good look at it. I have asked Linda to comment as well, as after all she was the seller, and must have had a reason for what she concluded. I have made plain, however, and I say so to all who read it, that I am happy with the piece whatever it is. The only comical thing is that I hesitated because it was a veil, I remember - something I may not  have needed to worry about!! Glad you agree with my commentator on the quality of the piece (she sees it as stunning) - that is what counts the most, for me, and I do like it very much myself. Indeed, that was my instinctive reaction DESPITE the fact I was told it was a veil!!! How interesting these things are ... I recall one or two comments about the triangular part at the time, with someone saying this did not seem normal for a veil. Maybe we now have the explanation ...

  • This style of item is used as a veil and not a pigtail ornament.  I was part of a Uzbek manaquin at the embassy in Washington years ago and was dressed by Uzbek as a demonstration along with the help of the Kreigers from California, also collectors of tribal costume and textiles.  This item was placed over my face and not in the back of my garment. It is used only for weddings and not any other time. 

  • I also have sold many of these that are Uzbek like the one in the book and purchased from Uzbek and they have all told me they are veils. 

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