Shisha mirror textile piece from the Banjara people of India. This mirror piece is made on black fabric with extra large Mirrors surrounded by bright pink embroidery. Very shiny and colorful! There are many different designs for these, but all are made by hand, with mirrors secured to the fabric by embroidery stitches. Other patterns, trims and sometimes beadwork can cover much of the remaining fabric. These beautiful pieces are colorful and fun! Originally worn draped over the head, they are generally much shorter than an actual belt would be, but can be used to embellish a longer piece by attaching it to another belt base.
The Banjara, or Lambani women (and other variations of this name) use brightly colored fabrics, shisha mirror work, beads and shells to embellish every part of their clothing and personal accessories. Mirrors and cowrie shells are added to the edges of blouses and hems of skirts and incorporated into tassels and jewelry. Every piece of fabric has at least some mirror work to attract the eye. Banjara women are holding tightly to their ancient modes of dress, which are said to be the most colorful and elaborate of any tribe in India. This exuberance in adornment is even extended to their animals!
Length: 29 inches
Width: About 3.5 inches
Fabric Color: Black
Embroidery Colors: Pink
Materials: Fabric, glass mirrors, embroidery thread, metallic trim
Other Embellishment: A bit of yellow and pink embroidery between the large mirrors. Small mirrors between the larger ones.
Condition of Mirrors: One of the small mirrors is cracked. The large mirrors are all in good condition
This is a tribal item in original condition. These vintage pieces should be added to a sturdy base of canvas or other heavy fabric.
WE RECOMMEND PRIORITY MAIL SHIPPING FOR VINTAGE MIRRORWORK PIECES and cannot take responsibility for items damaged in first class mail transport without insurance.
Please check photos carefully for condition. You will receive the exact piece(s) shown in the photos on this page. This is a USED piece that has previously been used as or adorned tribal clothing, accessories, household goods, animal trappings or other items. There may be small flaws such as frayed edges, fading, or wear, it may have raw edges or other flaws from repeated tribal use. Older mirrors may be scratched, cracked, or the reflective backing may be wearing off in places or perhaps almost entirely gone. Vintage hand made mirror pieces do not conform to exact measurements. Variance in length / width is to be expected.
A NOTE ON THE CONDITION OF TRIBAL ITEMS: Our tribal textile items are used tribal pieces from faraway lands. As used pieces our items may be frayed, faded or otherwise reflect their prior lives as treasured tribal pieces. Please know that we strive to maintain the tribal allure of our items and therefore we do not clean or repair these pieces in any way. This not only maintains the old, tribal look of each piece that our belly dance customers seek, but also preserves the value of a piece that the cleaning process may diminish.
We do our best to describe any flaws that may be present, and we encourage you to read the full description and look at all photos closely to judge the condition of the item for yourself and know exactly what you are ordering. If you have questions about the condition of any item, please ask!
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