Horse Blanket from Delhi, India

This highly decorative horse blanket is from Delhi, India and would have been made for a wedding.

The design has swans made from lines of pearls. In the centre of each swan is a cut glass button. The swans sit on lakes of gold sequins. The surrounding decoration is of beads and oval sequins.

The red velvet sets off the pearls and when the this is brought out into the bright sunshine the effect is immediate, it shouts of celebration.

Weddings in India are undertaken with great seriousness and are events with complex ceremonies even among poorer people. Horses and elephants would be part of the ceremonies and all would be caparisoned.

4’ (122 cm) x 37 1/2” (95 cm)

Provenance: purchased from John Gillow 1990’s for private collector approx value £600