A FINE SILK EMBROIDERED TURKMAN TEKKE CHYRPY, WEST TURKESTAN, MID 19TH CENTURY

A FINE SILK EMBROIDERED TURKMAN TEKKE CHYRPY, WEST TURKESTAN, MID 19TH CENTURY

of golden yellow silk, the front and side panels with ascending striped stems bearing feathered tulips and flowering branches, the front edges and hem slits bordered with an undulating vine supporting tulips, the back panel with a lower section of trellis work enclosing guls with flower centres and spikes, the side gores with ascending stems bearing fan palmettes and small feathered tulips, the sleeves very densely embroidered with tulip sprays and spiked motifs, joined by a tablet braid strip, the collar in geometric diamond chevrons, the embroidery in pink, madder, azure blue, ivory and indigo, the vestigial sleeves finished with forest green wool broadcloth embroidered lappets, the chyrpy lined in Indian block printed heavy plainweave, striped silk facings, narrow black braid edging, lappets and hem decorated with blue-black and carmine fringe, approximately 115cm long

From the Collection of Pip Rau
For an introduction to the collection, please see Lot 1 in this sale

The Chyrpy formed part of the traditional costume of Tekke tribeswomen, and the colour reflected their age and social status: red for a bride, blue-black or green after the birth of the first child, later yellow and then white. They were worn over a headdress, as a type of cloak, similar to the paranja, with the vestigial sleeves hanging down the back. For further discussion and examples, see Atanova, S., et al, Central Asian Textiles: The Neville Kingston Collection, London, 2025, pp. 44-61

V&A has one labled as 1800s- https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O360631/coat-coat/?carousel-image=2019MH6597 The Met has one first half 19th century same design and green lappets outlines yellow for a married woman of middle age- https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/453840

Condition Report:

Tearing to under arm, narrow black edging unraveled in sections, the yellow silk inbetween the densely embroidered collar and lapels has split and exposed the heavier weave below, minor surface dirt and spotting. Embroidery of very high quality