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Oct 14, 2026FR

Beaded traditional skirt / Isidwaba - Isidwaba - Zulu - South Africa

Important traditional African leather skirt, richly adorned with thousands of small glass beads, probably of Zulu origin, South Africa. The flared shape, leather construction, and the very particular work on the reverse bring this piece close to isidwaba, the traditional leather skirts worn by Zulu women. Decoration The entire outer face is covered with remarkable hand-beadwork. The small red, white, and cobalt blue glass beads are organized into numerous geometric registers: horizontal bands, grids, arc motifs, vertical lines, and extremely dense repetitive compositions. The work is particularly spectacular due to the quantity of beads used and the regularity of their arrangement. Construction The base is made of soft skin/leather. The reverse clearly reveals the traditional construction: the skin is worked into a succession of fine lines and stitched folds, giving the garment its flared shape and flexibility. Two long leather strips are preserved at the upper edges and would have allowed the piece to be worn around the waist. Zulu skirts in pleated skin, called isidwaba, were traditionally linked to female status, especially married or betrothed women. Comparable leather-and-bead pieces are held, among others, in the British Museum and the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art. British Museum Dimensions • Lower edge width: about 160 cm • Upper edge width: about 90 cm • Height: about 60 cm Thus, this is a piece of notably large dimensions. Condition Ancient state with patina and signs of use appropriate to the age and function of the object. The skin shows folds, cracks, irregularities, and signs of age. A few small losses or bead shifts may be present, but the decoration remains remarkably abundant and legible. The leather fastenings are still present. The numerous photographs, including those of the reverse, are an integral part of the description and allow precise assessment of the condition. Dating Probably the first half to mid-20th century. Origin / attribution Southern Africa, probably Zulu, South Africa. A very fine ethnographic object, remarkable both for its dimensions and for the richness of its beadwork.

Estimate:£295.71

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Beaded traditional skirt / Isidwaba - Isidwaba - Zulu - South Africa

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£295.71

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