Banjara Tribal Mirror Textile - Vintage Shisha Mirror Belt Base - Belly Dance

These beautiful pieces are colorful and fun!  Originally worn draped over the head, they are generally much shorter than an actual belt would be. There are many different designs for these shisha textiles, but all are made by hand, with mirrors secured to the fabric by embroidery stitches.  This vintage piece has older mirrors with slight imperfections and the backing is wearing in places, all adding to its individuality. Vintage Banjara work is always hand stitched - with embroidery, or sometimes what looks like very fine crochet stitches. These pieces can be used to embellish a longer piece by attaching it to another base to make a belt. Or use for another purpose entirely to lend a lush look to any DIY project.

The pieces I receive from India have usually been cleaned and checked for flaws before reaching me, but vintage mirror work can be faded, frayed and sometimes a bit dirty from repeated tribal use. Older mirrors may be scratched, cracked, or the reflective backing may be wearing off in places or perhaps almost entirely gone. Each piece will vary in condition.

Item No. TML0087
Length: 24 inches
Width: 3.25 inches
Fabric Color: Red
Embroidery Colors: Red and deep red
Materials:  Fabric, glass mirrors, yarn poms, cowrie shell tassels, mixed metals, embroidery thread
Other Embellishment:  There are tiny metal "buttons" sewn to the front between and around the mirrors
Condition of Mirrors:  One missing mirror. One or two cracked mirrors. 
Additional Info: Coins, beads and two cowrie tassels along the bottom edge.
These vintage pieces should be added to a sturdy base of canvas or other heavy fabric. 
Country of Origin: India
Condition: Vintage

Please check photos carefully for condition. You will receive the exact piece(s) shown in the photos on this page. This is a USED piece that has previously been used as or adorned tribal clothing, accessories, household goods, animal trappings or other items. There may be small flaws such as frayed edges, fading, or wear, it may have raw edges or other flaws from repeated tribal use. Older mirrors may be scratched, cracked, or the reflective backing may be wearing off in places or perhaps almost entirely gone. Vintage hand made mirror pieces do not conform to exact measurements. Variance in length / width is to be expected.

A NOTE ON THE CONDITION OF TRIBAL ITEMS: Our tribal textile items are used tribal pieces from faraway lands. As used pieces our items may be frayed, faded or otherwise reflect their prior lives as treasured tribal pieces. Please know that we strive to maintain the tribal allure of our items and therefore we do not clean or repair these pieces in any way. This not only maintains the old, tribal look of each piece that our belly dance customers seek, but also preserves the value of a piece that the cleaning process may diminish.

We do our best to describe any flaws that may be present, and we encourage you to read the full description and look at all photos closely to judge the condition of the item for yourself and know exactly what you are ordering. If you have questions about the condition of any item, please ask!