Search

African Trade

New Production

Ancient Glass

Stone

Antique & Vintage

See All

Collector's Treasures

Antiquities

Artifacts & Antiques

Judaica

See All

Vintage Bedouin Veil, Adorned with Metal Jewels, from Yemen - Rita Okrent Collection (AA406)

RARE FIND: only one in our inventory

Hand embroidered Black Yemeni Bedouin Veil with Red, Orange, and Green Embroidery

A striking tribal face veil (burqa-style) worked in vivid chain-stitch embroidery — bands of orange, crimson, and green zigzags and stripes stand out sharply against the black ground. A black fabric eyelash detail is sewn in above the eye slot, hung with small bell-form danglers. Metal ornamentation carries the rest of the piece: a twisted chain trim frames the eye openings, a bird-form clasp piece sits at center, and a large domed arch pendant set with a red glass cabochon and floral rosette metalwork anchors the lower portion, finished with a fringe of hanging tabs. Ties extend from both sides.

Why We Love It 
The sewn-in black eyelash detail with its bell danglers is such a charming, whimsical touch above the eye — a small design flourish with real personality.

The embroidery is bold and confident, with color choices that have held up beautifully over the decades.

Layering metalwork over textile like this is a hallmark of Bedouin adornment traditions, and this veil wears its ornamentation with real presence.

Provenance: Yemen, Bedouin tribal manufacture

Age: Circa 1970s-1980s

Dimensions: 23 cm x 19 cm (9” x 7.5”), excluding ties

Condition: Wear consistent with age and use; black ground fabric shows fraying at the eye openings and along edges; metal elements are low-grade silver with surface oxidation and expected patina.

Artifacts and Antiques Item 406

Search