Parviz NematiShawls of the East: From Kerman to Kashmir

Although an obscure fashion accessory today, the Kashmir shawl was an expensive and prized possession from the late 18th century with its popularity lasting for around 100 years. Its desirablilty waned when bustle skirts were introduced. As well as being worn they were draped over sofas, pianos and tables. The book tells of Napoleon's gift of shawls to Josephine which helped initiate the shawl craze in France; over time th empress accumulated hundreds of these costly items.Parviz Nemati engagingly relates the interesting history and design aspects of the shawl. This is followed by the illustration (with generous detail photographs) of 42 examples of shawls drawn from Nemati's personal collection. These are attractive to behold and are generally of good quality. Be prepared for lots of boteh/paisley patterns which are very commonly featured in this type of textile. Some of the pieces have designs as seen in oriental rugs.The printing quality and color reproduction are above average and this book would be of appeal to those interested in textiles and decorative art.

A fabulous collection of wonderful shawls. The book is full of photos and the photos are great!