In this new book, Frank Ames concludes a trilogy of works, in which his sharp and revealing studies of the origins of the Sikh Kashmir shawl patterns under Maharaja Ranjit Singh not only remind us of their uniqueness and originality, but also, through their striking visuals, transport us through previously unknown ethereal and mystical dimensions of time and space.
From the tumultuous history of Punjab, the Sikhs rose to great power, commanding enough influence to draw the attention of the mighty British Raj. Ames guides us through the political, cultural, religious, and artistic events of the Punjab that gave rise to these transformative Sikh designs.
Pashmina Jewels emerges from the shared dedication of collector, Dr. Parvinderjit Singh Khanuja, and the author, both driven by a single purpose: to bring to light an art form long neglected by Indian historians
About the Author
Frank Ames is a textile expert with over 45 years of experience as an independent dealer, curator, scholar and writer, specializing in antique textiles with a particular emphasis on Indian/European Kashmir shawls. As a Parisian resident for many years, he refined his expertise by organizing specialized auctions at Drouot. Ames is renowaned for his two seminal books on shawls: The Kashmir Shawl and its Indo-French Influence (1997); and Woven Masterpieces of Sikh Heritage (2010), which have brought him often in close liaison with private collectors, museums, and institutions worldwide.
Parvinderjit Singh Khanuja, a medical oncologist, was born in Muzaffarnagar (India) and received his education and medical training in India and in the United States. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and he has lived for the last thirty years in Phoenix, Arizona, where he founded the Ironwood Cancer Centers in 1993. Besides practicing medicine, he is involved with multiple nonprofit organizations and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Phoenix Art Museum, where he contributed to the creation of a permanent Sikh art gallery. He believes that, although life is a transitory and ever-changing process, history needs to be preserved. He has been collecting Punjabrelated art for nearly fifteen years with the goal of preserving it for the future generations.
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