Collections Database

Description:
Piece of green cashmere shawl with silk embroidery. During the middle of the 19th century, shawls were a ubiquitous accessory to women's dress, available in many different qualities and pricepoints. These large square or rectangular wraps complimented the full-skirted silhouettes of women's fashion at this time. Derived from India, Kashmir shawls were originally woven from the fine underhair of goats. Coved by wealthy Europeans at the turn of the 19th century, they quickly developed as an export item. Europeans soon began weaving their own shawls in imitation of original, Indian-produced examples. One such area included Paisley, Scotland, which soon gave its name to the stylized leaf or boteh (the original Indian name) common on many examples.

Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+97.031

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