Fabric Tribal Art

Antique Traditional Japanese Batik (Wasarasa) Western inspired Japanese batik (wasarasa) designs became increasingly popular during the latter part of the Meiji (1868~1911) and Tais...

Vintage 1960's Kuna Mola, a traditional multi layered cotton applique tapestry hand sewn by Central American Kuna native women. Mounted on cardboard, for eas...

Mid-century Kuna native Mola cotton applique tapestry depicting angels, one holding a chalice. Mola, a Kuna word, has several meanings: fabric or cloth, shirt or upper garment for me...

Abaca Tapis Skirt Bagobo people, Mindanao, Philippines Mid-20th century Hemp family Measures: H 23.25 in x W 27.5 in Fully opened: H: 46.5 in x W: 55 in Abaca is a textile unique to...

This “Wayang Golek” is a visibly old shadow puppet carved using soft wood and cloth. It features an articulated head and arms connected to rods, the dress...

A vibrant patchwork of strip-woven fabric, this antique blue kente cloth is a beautiful example of West African weaving tradition. Attributed to Ashanti or Ewe artists of Ghana and t...

Mid-20th century man's ceremonial (cofradía) outfit, Chichicastenango, Guatemala. 25" (63.5 cm) shoulder to hem by 59" (274 cm) across shoulders It is rare to find a complete ceremonial cofradía outfit in such good condition. The blue zigzag embroidery at shoulders and cuffs is said to signify that the wearer was an astrologist or day-keeper of the ceremonial Maya calendar...

Large Chancay Anthropomorphic Urn Vessel Pre-Columbian, Central Coast of Peru 1000–1450 CE An imposing and characterful Chancay culture ceramic urn, fashioned in the form of a sty...

Antique Japanese Double-Ikat Futon Cover This eye-dazzling hand-spun cotton, indigo-dyed 4-panel futon cover is a classic double ikat design displaying rows of concentric squares in...

Chief’s Poncho; trarican macuñ Mapuche, Chile or Argentina Cica 1900 Indigo dyed wool, ikat technique Size: 52 x 58 inches 125 x 145 cm This poncho has the brilliance for which M...

Antique Aymara Woman’s Mantle (Ahuayo), Bolivia A large, finely woven and intricately patterned woman’s mantle from the Pacajes region of Bolivia displaying three wide vertical sect...

African Dahomey Anti-Colonial Folk Tapestry, Benin, cotton applique, mid 20th c.

Mid-20th century Tribal Zulu women's woven red cotton hat, Isicholo, from South Africa. The unusual spiral weave on this cotton Isicholo makes this a beautiful and rare example of t...

Fine Antique Woman’s Mantle (Awayo), Bolivia This exceptionally fine woman’s awayo, or mantle, displays three groups of tightly patterned vertical bands and colored stripes separate...

Pre-Columbian Chancay textile mask South American Art Antiques A Pre-Columbian Chancay textile mask, originating from the central coast of Peru and dating to approximately 1000–1450...

Antique Tibetan Sitting Rug or Runner This unique Tibetan carpet is somewhat unusual, both in size and design layout. It’s narrower and shorter than most classic khaden sleeping rug...

Antique Lawa Woman’s Ikat Skirt Cloth, Thailand The Lawa people are a relatively small animist/Buddhist ethnic group (est. pop 17,000) living in the mountainous region of northern T...

Early 20th century Ceremonial Cloth / Tampan, Paminggir, Lampung region, South Sumatra, Indonesia Commonly referred to as ship cloths, these ceremonial tampan would have been used as gifts, wrappers, cushions or pillows in any number of life-transition ceremonies, including children’s first hair cutting...

Adire Eleko Woman's Wrapper Yoruba People Nigeria Circa 1960s-1970s Cotton) (2 panels), starch-resist and stencil dyed with indigo 74 x 67 3/4 ins (188 x 172 cm) "IRANA RDLEN " w...

A male necklace from the Asmat Village, Papua New Guinea. Large Money Cowrie shells (used in earlier times as currency) seamlessly sewn in concentric rows onto a white cotton macra...

This is a fine piecevof Kente Textile from the Ewe people of the Volta region of Ghana. Woven from handspun cotton and natural dyes. This is a prestige cloth worn by a high ranking Elder of the Ewe people. The pattern denotes the individuals high status within the community with the dark blue background indicating the wisdom and knowledge of the owner. This piece will date from the 1930's and is in very fine condition. Ewe Kente...

This extraordinary, museum-quality textile is a traditional vintage Ainu robe known as a Chijiri, masterfully hand-embroidered by the indigenous Ainu people of Hokkaido, Japan. Dati...

Fine early 20th Century hand spun indigo cotton and Trans-Sahara silk cloth.

A contemporary painting by Australian Aboriginal artist Ronnie Tjampitjinpa (1943-2023). Entitled "Rain Dreaming", the artwork was acrylic on canvas and painted in 1999 Fully documented: originally purchased in 1999 from Kimberley Australian Aboriginal Art, Melbourne, cat. no. KA 708/99; The in the collection of The Kelton Foundation, Santa Monica; It was exhibited in: "G'Day LA" Australia Week, in partnership with the Australian Consulate Los Angeles, Pacific Design Center, West Hollywood, CA, 15-25 January 2004. It is housed in a black thin wood frame. Ronnie Tjampitjinpa was born in Pintupi land at Muyinnga, about 100 kilometres west of the Kintore Range, just across the Western Australian border. He is the son of Uta Uta Tjangala’s older brother, Minpuru Tjangala (c.1899–1976). Artist's Biography (Courtesy of Art Gallery NSW) After his initiation into Pintupi law at the site of Yumari, Tjampitjinpa and his younger brother Smithy Zimran Tjampitjinpa walked into the Aboriginal community of Yuendumu. They later joined their parents and other siblings – who had come in to Ikuntji (Haasts Bluff) in 1956 from the Dover Hills/Yumari area – at the new settlement of Papunya. Tjampitjinpa worked as a labourer, assisting with the fencing of the aerodromes at Papunya and Ikuntji. He was one of the youngest of the group of men who began painting at the start of the Western Desert art movement in 1971, and was a founder of Paunya Tula Artists. During the 1970s, Tjampitjinpa was preoccupied with returning to his traditional lands and became a strong advocate for the outstation movement, travelling between meetings in Papunya, Yuendumu, Wirrimanu (Balgo) and Mount Doreen Station. His goal was finally achieved with the establishment of the Walungurru (Kintore) settlement in 1981. Tjampitjinpa moved there with his young family in 1983, establishing an outstation at Ininti (Redbank) and serving as chairman of the Kintore Outstation Council. During this period, he emerged as one of Papunya Tula Artists’ major painters, pioneering the bold, scaled-up, linear style that came to dominate many of the Walungurru painters’ work during the 1990s. His distinctive aesthetic preoccupa-tion is exemplified in the untitled works of 1994 and 2001. Now one of the last founding members of Papunya Tula Artists, Tjampitjinpa’s career spans more than 40 years. He has had six solo exhibitions since 1989 in Australia, most recently at Utopia Art, Sydney. Throughout the 1980s Tjampitjinpa worked devotedly on a land claim for Ininti, holding meetings in Darwin, Warmun (Turkey Creek...

Antique Japanese Stencil-Dyed Han-Juban Han-juban are worn under kimono. This example, without its original cotton sleeves, displays a unique stencil-dyed pattern with indigo. A ve...

Antique Japanese Recycled Zanshiori Jacket Zanshi-ori cloth is woven from leftover cotton and silk threads, either from commercial kimono production or from home-produced recycled y...

A rare find this 19th century green velvet and goldthread ceremonial jewish cape, from Morocco.

A vintage decorative rug from the Zapotec Indian tribe in Oaxaca, Mexico, size 3'3 x 1'8, featuring a central medallion on an unfussy beige field, with four stylized bird motifs stan...

This is a hand spun, hand woven and hand painted cotton cloth for which an entire village takes part in its creation. Women of the Korhoga Tribe spin the cotton, while the men weave ...

A male necklace from the Asmat Village, Papua New Guinea. Four rows of large polished white cowrie shells in two sizes, seamlessly sewn onto a cotton macramé base, which has been ha...

1950s authentic Vintage Moroccan nomadic African Tuareg rug, black camel hair with wo and cotton embroidered geometrical modernist designs and adorned with sequins,This rug was used in the Berber...

Moroccan authentic Berber ethnic handwoven tribal throw pillow made from a vintage rug.The front and the back are made from a different rug, front...

West African hand beaded head dress crown from Yoruba, Nigeria. This artistic beautiful and functional art piece is covered with beads in turquoise, orange, green, yellow red, blue ...

Crafted from authentic Kuba cloth, this long runner showcases the rich texture, intricate geometric patterns, and artisanal craftsmanship that have made these traditional African te...

Adire “Oniko” Cloth with spiral pattern Yoruba People, Nigeria Circa 1970s Two panel cotton, Shibori technique, Indigo Dyed 71 3/4 x 48 1/2 inches

Antique Japanese Recycled Saki-Ori Farmer’s Vest This late 19th C recycled farmer’s vest from northern Japan was strip woven from repurposed cotton scraps in a technique known as sa...

Handmade ethnic aged Borneo Ajat basket made from natural Rattan. Motifs of Burung Kenyalang / Hornbill Bird. Traditional ethnic Borneo woven natural organic fiber rattan basket A ...

Ceremonial camel cover rug. A large animal trapping, most probably a ceremonial cover for a camel made of felted wool and decorated with embroidered motif...

A vibrant patchwork of strip-woven fabric, this antique yellow kente cloth is a beautiful example of West African weaving tradition. Attributed to Ashanti or Ewe artists of Ghana and...

An early 20th century 'Kamasan' cotton textile painting from Bali, Indonesia. The hand-painted image has great detail and depicts Balinese Hindu mythology. Dimensions: Height 84c...

Antique Tribal Kachin Woman’s Jacket with Shells, Myanmar (Burma) A small, intricately woven woman’s jacket from the Kachin (Maru) tribal group located in the far northeast of Myanm...

Moroccan ethnic handwoven tribal throw pillow made from a vintage rug. The front of this Berber pillow and the back are made from a different rug, fron...

Adire Eleko “Spinning Tops" Woman’s Wrapper Yoruba People Nigeria Circa 1960s-1970s Cotton brocade (bazin cloth) (3 panels), starch-resist and stencil dyed with indigo 76 ¼ x 66 ½ ...

A male necklace from the Asmat Village, Papua New Guinea. Large cone shells in concentric rows, seamlessly sewn onto a cotton macrame base, which has been hand-knotted around a sem...

A rare mixed technique Berber rug ascribed to the Zemmour people, located in the Moroccan Middle Atlas, originally used as a saddle cover - an item of great prestige among Berber tri...

Hand-sewed rice straw art by ARKO. Title: Composition Rinforzando This is one of the series named "Composition XX" Her works have the feelings of...

Antique Embroidered Nomadic Herder’s Vest, Tibet A rare example of a herder’s vest from west Tibet. Composed of thick natural brown Tibetan sheep’s wool, heavily embroidered with na...

Kholuka Yaka Mask, DR Congo. Wood, basketry, textile, raffia. Typical African mask of the Yaka in the south of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Kholuk...

Vintage West African Tunic with Geometric Design This vibrant West African tunic was likely made in either Cameroon (Bamum people) or Nigeria (Yoruba people). The indigenous cotton ...

Antique Woman’s Silk Tie-Dyed Kerchief (chabot), Cambodia This small, graphically intriguing resist-dyed textile was made by the Cham people of Cambodia, a muslim group with histori...

Antique Japanese Recycled Saki-Ori Farmer’s Jacket This early 20th C farmer’s jacket from the northern Japan sea coast region was strip woven from repurposed cotton scraps in a tech...

Antique Japanese Indigo-Dyed Double Ikat Kimono This deeply saturated indigo-dyed kimono is made of heavy-weight hand-spun cotton and precisely patter...

Antique Man's Ceremonial Head Cloth (Iket Kepala), South Sumatra Malay people, Palembang region A beautifully subtle weft ikat ceremonial head cloth with elaborate silk chain-stitch...

Kazak rugs have primarily been produced as village productions rather than city pieces. Made from materials particular to individual tribal provinces and the rugs of the Caucasus typically display bold geometric designs in primary colours. Kazak rugs are a type of Armenian rug...

African Yoruba Diviner's Red Beaded Wall Hanging Panel Sash 1950. This extraordinary beaded wall hanging is a stunning example of Yoruba craftsmanshi...

A Ulo Akha woman's Tribal headdress adorned with framework of bamboo, beads, pompons, seeds and other unique items. Immerse yourself in the rich cul...

Felts are among the first woolen structures made by mankind, some of the earliest we know were found in the 'kurgans' of Central Asia, decorated by a variety of zoomorphic motifs typ...

1960's Kuna , Central American native cotton applique tapestry of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael heralding with celestial trumpets...

Felts are among the first woolen structures made by mankind. Some of the earliest we know date from the 5th century B.C. and were found under ground in the frozen kurgans of Siberia....

A very rare Asafo Flag dating from the late 1930's . Created by the Fante people for the Asafo regiment. Woven in hand spun cotton and trade cloth . The image depicks the leopard pro...