1983 Rare Museum Quality Antique Palepai Sumatran Textile with Double Ship design China A Buddhist Mandala Spirit Cloth

A Buddhist Mandala Spirit Cloth from Burma with an extraordinary Matrix at the centre

Estimated to be from the 1700s or earlier

Noblewoman's wedding ceremonial skirt [kain manik] early 20th century

Circa 1800

Note the yellow bands in this shawl that make this textile exceptional within this category

1983 Rare Museum Quality Antique Palepai Sumatran Textile with Double Ship design China A Buddhist Mandala Spirit ClothRare Palepai Ship Cloth Weaving with Double Ship design Motifs of men, ships, dragons and more, laid out as two ships side by side. Palepai cloths are rarer than Tampans as these family heirlooms were handed down to the head of the household, while Tampans were created for every son's family unit. So within an extended family, there could be only 1 Palepai but the number of Tampans could run into dozens. Further, examples of weavings with double ships