Description

This Syrian abba, or sleeveless robe, dates to between 1900 and the early 20th century.

Worked in moiré silk and gilded thread in a fine tapestry weave, it is a beautiful example of a robe made for a wealthy wearer or possibly intended as a diplomatic gift. It was most likely commissioned from a workshop in either Aleppo or Damascus, possibly for a wedding or another important event (see also an example in the Met Museum, described on their website at https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/86274).

The “watered silk”, as  moiré is sometimes descriptively called, is of heavy weight. It is decorated with a pattern reminiscent of three chevrons sitting on vertical lines, mainly in gold and a few narrow lines of dark red and light green. The gilded areas form the design around the back of the neck line. They contain very delicately drawn small flowers in light blue and dark red as well as cypress tree shapes in light green, all of which echo the triangular arrangement of the larger golden area. Red is quite an unusual colour in abbas and would suggest the garment was intended for an important person.

The abaya, which is another term applied to an abba,  is tailored from one piece of material with a front opening, plus two small openings for the arms. Where the material is joined on the shoulders, the seam is reinforced through a gilded braid. The same gilded braid gives the front opening extra stability and weight.

An abba in the V&A collection was donated to the museum as part of a larger group of carpets and textiles by the then Qajar ruler Nasruddin Shah in 1877. The Shah wanted to showcase Iranian products and introduce them to a wider public. (See also https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O88796/aba-unknown/) This abba  was reputedly made in Kashan. However, it is possible that it would have been imported from Damascus since cloaks made in Iran were usually made of wool.

The abba in hand is in excellent condition and a beautiful piece of textile art.