A Safavid silk and metal thread brocade sash, Central Persia,

Safavid sashes such as the example offered here were not only an essential element of dress for the fashionable Safavid nobleman, but also provided the model for European made versions, which formed part of the costume of the Polish nobility of the 17th and 18th centuries.  An example of an 18th century Polish sash clearly drawing its inspiration from an example similar to the present lot, was sold in these rooms, 12th October 2005, lot 12.  The 18th century French sash also offered here, which was manufactured in Lyon for the Polish market, illustrates just how far the influence of these beautifully made brocades extended beyond the borders of Persia.  The present example still retains the vibrant colour contrast between the red and green of the floral stripes which form the body of the sash; it would have been twisted and tied to show off the contrasting faces of the fabric, with the ends left hanging down to display the stylised flowering plants in the end panels. This motif  was popular throughout Persia and Mughal India during the 17th and 18th centuries; a sash with related plants from the Kunstindustriemuseum, Copenhagen, is illustrated in Pope, A.U., A Survey of Persian Art, Vol. XI, New York, 1981, pl. 1074, fig. B. The unusually good condition of the example offered here allows us to appreciate why these sashes were so prized, not only in Safavid Persia, but also in Europe.