Banjara Tribal Mirror Textile - Vintage Shisha Mirror Belt Base
Vintage shisha mirror textile piece from the Banjara people of India. A colorful piece with lots of mirrors. There are many different designs for these, but all are made by hand, with mirrors secured to the fabric by embroidery stitches. Other embroidery patterns and some small metal bits cover most of the remaining fabric.
These beautiful pieces are colorful and fun! Originally worn draped over the head, they are generally much shorter than an actual belt would be. This vintage piece has old mirrors on it, the backing is wearing in places and the glass has slight imperfections that add to the individuality of the piece. These mirrors are sometimes call shisha mirrors and Banjara work is almost always hand stitched - with embroidery, or sometimes what looks like very fine crochet stitches. These pieces can be used to embellish a longer piece by attaching it to another base to make a belt. Or use for another purpose entirely!
The pieces I receive from India have usually been cleaned and checked for flaws before reaching me, but vintage mirror work can be faded, frayed and sometimes a bit dirty from repeated tribal use. Older mirrors may be scratched, cracked, or the reflective backing may be wearing off in places or perhaps almost entirely gone. Each piece will vary in condition.
Item No. TML0077
Length: 27.75 inches
Width: 3.25 inches
Fabric Color: Red
Embroidery Colors: Multi
Materials: Fabric, glass mirrors, mixed metals, embroidery thread
Other Embellishment: There are tiny metal "buttons" sewn to the front here and there, between and around the mirrors
Condition of Mirrors: One missing mirror. One cracked mirror. Backing is coming off many of the mirrors
Additional Info: These vintage pieces should be added to a sturdy base of canvas or other heavy fabric.
Country of Origin: India
Condition: Vintage
I RECOMMEND PRIORITY MAIL SHIPPING FOR VINTAGE MIRRORWORK PIECES to minimize time in transit.
Please check photos carefully for condition. You will receive the exact piece(s) shown in the photos on this page. This is a USED piece that has previously been used as or adorned tribal clothing, accessories, household goods, animal trappings or other items. There may be small flaws such as frayed edges, fading, or wear, it may have raw edges or other flaws from repeated tribal use. Older mirrors may be scratched, cracked, or the reflective backing may be wearing off in places or perhaps almost entirely gone. Vintage hand made mirror pieces do not conform to exact measurements. Variance in length / width is to be expected.
A NOTE ON THE CONDITION OF TRIBAL ITEMS: Our tribal textile items are used tribal pieces from faraway lands. As used pieces our items may be frayed, faded or otherwise reflect their prior lives as treasured tribal pieces. Please know that we strive to maintain the tribal allure of our items and therefore we do not clean or repair these pieces in any way. This not only maintains the old, tribal look of each piece that our belly dance customers seek, but also preserves the value of a piece that the cleaning process may diminish.
We do our best to describe any flaws that may be present, and we encourage you to read the full description and look at all photos closely to judge the condition of the item for yourself and know exactly what you are ordering. If you have questions about the condition of any item, please ask!
