Textiles of the Islamic World

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John Gillow

Thames & Hudson, London, 2013, English

Nonfiction, Textile Design

12 x 9.5 inches, paperback, 320 pages, 623 color and 15 black-and-white illustrations

ISBN: 9780500290835

Suggested Retail Price: $39.95

From the Publisher. This book surveys the astonishing array of textiles made, worn, used and displayed throughout the Islamic world, from the glorious fabrics of the past to those still being produced today.

Lavish illustrations feature examples from around the globe, including embroidered Persian prayer cloths, Anatolian ikat coats, Ottoman knitted purses, Caucasian striped silk bags, Berber women’s shawls, Arab appliquéd tent decorations, Yemeni indigo robes, Indonesian batik sarongs, West African strip-woven cloths, and much else besides.

Region-by-region coverage offers concise details of local history, particular textile traditions, materials, dyes, special forms of decoration and information on current practice. Also explored is the fascinating fusion promoted by the merchants, missionaries, migrants and conquerors who travelled the world promulgating Islam and trading textiles widely.

The variety on display is stunning, from hemp to sumptuous velvets and silks; from quilting, felting, beading and knitting to block-printing, tie-dyeing and hand-weaving.

Specially taken colour photographs, portraits of weavers and dyers in action, and rare historical material complete a remarkable visual panorama. Together with a glossary, bibliography and guide to textile collections around the world, this comprehensive survey provides a wealth of information and will be invaluable to anyone interested in the rich art of textiles, costume or craft.

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