Friday, July 3, 2009

Indian Textiles in Assam

While searching the world to bring you all the selvage news, I found this interesting headgear being worn by a man picking tea leaves in Assam, India. (This photo was in a magazine called "Tea," Spring 2009 Issue.) If you take a close look you can see the selvage edge. It reads: "NAKORA SOSO BLOCK PRINTS 394." The middle photo shows a good view of several printed textiles. Aren't they interesting?

The green fabric with the selvage is tied to his tea leaf basket behind him. I think the folded fabrics on his head are there to make it easier to carry the basket. The basket "handle" would slip off his bare head, but the folded fabric cushions the handle. The other workers had solid colored head fabrics, and a smaller pile too. Some had no headgear at all.

A Google search for the words on this selvage revealed no results.
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6 comments:

Sarah - Red Gingham said...

Good spotting! Isn't that fabric wonderful? Loving the colours in it.

Jocelyn said...

Such an amazing find. I guess they would never think to cut it, as the bound edge probably give more stability to the fabric.

marlene@ByTheSeam said...

Now if we could just get someone to send us some of those selvages!

Anonymous said...

It could well be an old print from "vlisco". That's a Dutch manufacturer that makes blockprint- batiks for Africa, India etc. The font reminds me of the one they use on their selvages. Unfortunately I have no selvages from "vlisco" fabrics;I only had small scraps without selvages.
The vlisco site is http://www.vlisco.com/home

Joy V said...

Fancy picking up the selvage from a photo in a mag. I'm like kwiltmakr - where do weget those selvages!!!

Joanne said...

Well spotted!