Nazmiyal to Auction Rare Textiles and Embroidery Collected Over a Century

A no reserve sale of rare textiles and embroidery will soon begin at Nazmiyal Auctions. Part of a two-day event in late February, this sale will feature the textiles collection of Lilo Markrich and her uncle, Heinz E. Kiewe. The collection includes over 500 pieces from regions around the world, collected over the course of a century.

Heinz Edgar Kiewe was born in Königsberg, East Prussia (now Kaliningrad, Russia) into a family of needlework merchants. After fleeing rising antisemitism and moving to England in the early 1930s, Kiewe helped found a new business focusing on needlepoint and other fine textile crafts. He went on to become a leading authority on knitwear, tapestries, embroidery, and other topics. Kiewe’s niece, Lilo Markrich, was a weaver, needleworker, and collector of folk textiles who carried on the family legacy. She taught weaving to both children and adults and conducted research and merchandising at the George Washington University Textile Museum. Markrich was also a skilled textile artist in her own right. 

Available from the Kiewe and Markrich collection this February is a Qing dynasty silk embroidered dragon robe (lot #570; estimate: USD 8,000 – $10,000). This 19th-century example features elaborate embroidery and an intricate pattern of dragons, clouds, and flowers. This garment was likely an everyday robe for a member of the imperial family. Dragons have been associated with the Chinese emperor for centuries; the mythical creature represented imperial power. Its black-blue base color suggests that the robe was intended for a prince. 

Another rare textile available in the upcoming auction is a 20th-century Bengali pictorial kantha (lot #527; estimate: $600 – $900). This piece measures 36 inches by 24 inches and features colorful stitching throughout. Kantha is an embroidery craft practiced in Bangladesh and parts of India. The base fabric is often cut from old saris and then embellished with running stitches depicting flowers, animals, and people. Rural women often connected these scraps to form quilts, coverlets, pillow covers, and other items for use in the home. Kantha makers also created new works to bring good fortune and celebrate important life events, such as welcoming a new baby. Smaller kanthas could be used to cover and store items such as mirrors, combs, or even religious items like a Quran. 

Kanthas were produced consistently by the Bengali poor through the early 20th century, but the craft later declined due to increased imports of machine-made textiles from Europe and shifting economic tides. Today, most kanthas are to be found in museum collections. 

A Japanese indigo tsutsugaki, or resist-dye, hanging is another key lot available with Nazmiyal Auctions this February (lot #586; estimate: $600 – $900). Tsutsugaki involves applying rice paste to a piece of cotton cloth and then dying it, often with indigo. Once washed, the paste is removed and reveals a pattern in the negative spaces. This technique was often used by rural working people in Japan to advertise businesses and decorate houses. The offered tsutsugaki hanging features a large tree with cherry blossoms, birds, and a turtle. 

Other rare textiles and embroidery lots available in this event include a Zoroastrian wedding shawl (lot #506; estimate: $5,000 – $6,000), a Greek embroidered panel and curtain (lot #557; estimate: $1,500 – $2,000), and a Moroccan embroidered pillow cover (lot #559; estimate: $800 – $1,000). 

The upcoming two-day sale of antique rugs and rare textiles will begin at 12:00 PM EST on February 25, 2024. The second session, featuring the collection of Lilo Markrich and Heinz E. Kiewe, will begin at 12:00 PM EST on February 26, 2024. Visit Bidsquare to browse the complete listings and register to bid. Find additional coverage of this sale on Auction Daily.