A Kashmiri shawl is a fine woven or embroidered shawl made in Kashmir from the soft underfleece of Himalayan goats, the fibre known in the West as cashmere or pashmina. These shawls, traditionally decorated with the curving teardrop motif known as the boteh or buta, were among the most prized luxury textiles of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Kashmiri shawls were woven using the laborious twill-tapestry technique, in which small bobbins of coloured yarn are interlocked by hand, or embroidered with the needle, a quicker method that developed in the nineteenth century. Brought to Britain by officers and officials of the East India Company, they became fashionable accessories for women's dress, particularly with the high-waisted styles of the Regency period. Their popularity inspired imitations in Edinburgh, Norwich and especially Paisley, which gave its name to the boteh pattern, as well as in France. Collectors look for the fineness and softness of the fibre, quality of weaving, richness of colour and the complexity of the design. Moth damage, holes, fading and later repairs are common. Antique Kashmiri shawls are often displayed as wall hangings, table covers or throws over furniture.
