Skip to main content
Video Loading
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 19

Vintage Burmese Kalaga Tapestry Pillow Cover Warrior and Horses, 1950s

$650
£496.96
€572.40
CA$910.85
A$1,016.88
CHF 532.83
MX$12,447.58
NOK 6,766.93
SEK 6,380.35
DKK 4,271.86
Shipping
Retrieving quote...
The 1stDibs Promise:
Authenticity Guarantee,
Money-Back Guarantee,
24-Hour Cancellation

About the Item

Vintage 1950s Burmese Kalaga Tapestry pillow warrior and horses. Elaborately detailed vintage Burmese Kalaga tapestry made into a pillow cover, add an insert to use it as a pillow or hang it as a wall tapestry. Handcrafted, one of a kind, artisan hand embroidered made with quilted fabric generously adorned with gold metallic threads, sequins, and beads, each Kalaga is one of a kind and the design is telling a story. Dimensions: overall 38.25 H x 28.5" W x 1" H. Good condition with minor wear & beading loss. An original Burmese Kalaga Tapestry that has been carefully transformed into a pillow backed with velvet brown fabric. Kalaga Tapesteries are very intricate in their beadwork and glass stones. Multiple fabrics, silk, linen, cotton, velvet and others are carefully combined with the stones, beading and threads to create a unique story on cloth, the scenes usually portray stories from ancient Sanskrit legends, the ten lives of Buddha and mythological events narrated in the old Hindu epic poem of Ramayana. The word KALAGA relates to an oriental textile item defined as tapestries and used as wall decorations. Kalaga means “curtain” in the Burmese language; it identifies heavily embroidered appliqué tapestry sewn with a technique called shwe gyi do. Originally used to decorate luxurious royal palaces, Kalagas first appeared in the Royal Court of Mandalay with decorative designs closely resembling wall paintings of pagodas and sumptuous buildings of the time. Quickly gaining popularity, this particular tapestry was also used to create room screens, curtains and funeral drapes. Kalagas are generally linen, silk, cotton and/or velvet background fabrics embellished with sequins, embroidery, beads, colored stones, tiny pearls, coral, braids and metal threads. From a technical point of view, kalagas’ typical elaborate scenes are obtained employing a unique weaving process in which the base fabric is laid out on a loom. Then, cotton padding is added to the support to allow depth to the characters. Depending on the design complexity, the size of the tapestry and the client’s budget, the fabrics are embellished with decorative elements such as sequins, pearls, metallic threads. The scenes usually portray stories from ancient Sanskrit legends, the ten lives of Buddha and mythological events narrated in the old Hindu epic poem of Ramayana. In addition, Buddha representations vary in style and take on distinctive characteristics depending on the region of Burma in which they are found; for example, the Mandalay area style (developed at the end of the 19th century) is defined by the presence of an ovoid Buddha with realistic features such as the natural curvature of the eyebrows, smaller ears and draped robes. The Kalagas, like the decorations in the impressive Burmese temples, are flooded with colorful and shiny details, translated into textile art through the embroidery artifices with metallic threads and applications.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 38.25 in (97.16 cm)Width: 28.5 in (72.39 cm)Depth: 1 in (2.54 cm)
  • Style:
    Folk Art (In the Style Of)
  • Materials and Techniques:
    Velvet,Embroidered,Hand-Crafted
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1950
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use.
  • Seller Location:
    North Hollywood, CA
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: BK2231stDibs: LU906832670812

More From This Seller

View All
Vintage Burmese Kalaga Tapestry Embroidered Wall Hanging 1960
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Vintage Burmese Kalaga Tapestry Circa 1960. Burmese Kalaga Elephant, Lion, Horse, Peacock and Turkey displayed on this intricate Silk Tapestry Wall Hanging Framed Textile Art...
Category

Mid-20th Century Thai Folk Art Textiles

Materials

Textile, Beads, Sequins

Asian Large Vintage Burmese Kalaga Beads Embroidered Tapestry
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Fabulous large Kakaga Burmese bead embroidered adorned with sequins and beads tapestry wall hanging . This vintage handcrafted needlework wall hanging tapestry shows ten different scenes from the ancient epic Hindu poem, the Ramayana, or from Buddhist mythology. You can imagine how many hours went into producing this piece of work. The figures are sewn using a combination of metallic threads and adorned with sequins, beads and glass stones. Most Kalagas are best hung in a frame but not under glass so that the detail and texture can be fully appreciated. They can also be hung as-is without a frame. Such a large tapestry could take months to complete. Asian figural Kalaga hand embroidered with jeweled tapestry...
Category

20th Century South Asian Anglo Raj Textiles

Materials

Textile

Decorative Throw Silk Pillow Made from Vintage Sari Borders, India
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Decorative accent throw silk pillow made from vintage silk sari borders.One of a kind, blue, green, gold, green, purple, metallic threads.Handcrafted in India.We do have multiple in ...
Category

20th Century Indian Moorish Pillows and Throws

Materials

Fabric

Indian Banjara Embroidered Chaakla Textile with Mirrors Gujarat India
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Antique Indian Banjara Embroidered Chaakla Textile with Mirrors – Gujarat, India Circa Late 19th – Early 20th Century Dimensions: 38.5" x 39" Vibrant antique Chaakla ceremonial texti...
Category

Mid-20th Century Indian Folk Art Textiles

Materials

Textile, Mirror

Vintage Banjara Ethnic Embroidered Chaakla with Mirrors, Wall Hanging, India
Located in North Hollywood, CA
A beautiful vintage Indian textile from Gujarat. India – Gujarat floss silk embroidery Chalka folk art textile, vintage wall hanging. Antique Banjara Embroidered Chaakla textile with Mirrors, Wall Hanging, India. Banjara tribal Chaakla textile wall decor, India. This handwoven base cloth is embellished with mirrors and hand embroidery work. Antique Textile Folk art. Great piece of textile for framing or hanging on the wall. This piece was made for personal use, and was well used. Embroidered ceremonial cloth, square hanging folk art...
Category

Early 20th Century Indian Folk Art Textiles

Materials

Linen, Silk

Mughal Hand Embroidered Metal Threaded Tapestry from Rajasthan, India
By Rajhastani
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Hand embroidered and quilted textile from North India. Mughal silk and metal threaded tapestry. Backed with black linen. Fanciful Asian folk designs this d...
Category

20th Century Indian Anglo Raj Textiles

Materials

Cotton

You May Also Like

Burmese Kalaga Embroidered Tapestry Circa 1930’s
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
Burmese Kalaga Embroidered Tapestry Circa 1930’s A celestial dancer ‘Apsara’, riding on a white elephant. Elaborately worked tapestry padded and textu...
Category

Mid-20th Century Burmese Other Tapestries

Materials

Silk

19th Century Kalaga Tapestry with Stones, Sequins and Colorful Thread
Located in Yonkers, NY
A 19th century Burmese Kalaga velvet tapestry with stones, sequins and colorful thread. Immerse yourself in the grandeur of Burmese craftsmanship with this captivating 19th-century Kalaga tapestry...
Category

Antique 19th Century Burmese Textiles

Materials

Tapestry, Velvet

19th Century Kalaga Tapestry with Stones, Sequins and Colorful Thread
Located in Yonkers, NY
A 19th century Burmese Kalaga velvet tapestry with stones, sequins and colorful thread. Immerse yourself in the grandeur of Burmese craftsmanship with this captivating 19th-century K...
Category

Antique 19th Century Burmese Tapestries

Materials

Tapestry, Velvet

Antique Kalagas Burmese Wall Tapestry set in a Custom Newer Frame
Located in Douglas Manor, NY
3797 Folk Art wall decoration /tapestry Hand sewn with beaded sequins and glass balls on dyed cloth Mounted on acrylic panel with gilt wood frame(old piece mounted at later date) Ta...
Category

Antique 19th Century Asian Tapestries

Materials

Fabric, Acrylic, Beads

Kalaga 19th Century Tapestry with Stones, Sequins and Colorful Thread
Located in Yonkers, NY
A 19th century Burmese double elephant with riding figures Kalaga tapestry with sequins, metallic threads and glass beads. Step into the opulent world of Burmese artistry with this stunning 19th-century double elephant Kalaga tapestry, a piece that captures the intricate beauty and cultural richness of Burma. This tapestry, adorned with sequins, metallic threads and glass beads, is a testament to the exquisite craftsmanship and ornate design characteristic of traditional Burmese textiles...
Category

Antique 19th Century Burmese Tapestries

Materials

Metallic Thread

19th Century Kalaga Tapestry with Stones, Sequins and Colorful Thread
Located in Yonkers, NY
A 19th century Burmese Kalaga tapestry with stones, sequins and golden thread. This 19th-century Burmese Kalaga tapestry is a breathtaking piece of cul...
Category

Antique 19th Century Burmese Tapestries

Materials

Metallic Thread