A shawl is a large piece of fabric, square or rectangular, worn draped over the shoulders, head or arms. In antiques the term is most closely associated with the luxurious woven and embroidered shawls of Kashmir and their European imitations, which were among the most fashionable accessories of the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Kashmir shawls, made of fine goat-hair wool and woven or embroidered with intricate designs based on the boteh or cone motif, were brought to Britain by the East India Company and became highly prized, being too costly for most. Weavers in Norwich, Edinburgh and above all Paisley produced imitations on Jacquard looms, and the town's name became the popular term for the pattern. Other important types include printed shawls, Spanish and Chinese embroidered silk shawls with long fringes, often called piano shawls, and fine lace shawls from Brussels, Honiton and elsewhere. Collectors look for quality of weave, crisp design, good colour and condition, checking for moth damage, holes, repairs and fading. Large shawls can be displayed on a wall, thrown over a piano or table, or used as a bed covering, bringing pattern and warmth to a room.
