Let me just tell you, this sari (and subsequent scarf) is sooooo cool. It's much cooler than it looks in the pictures. It has a mod, hippie, tribal vibe, with a splash of true elegance. Many great elements to this one.
The sari was listed by the seller as an antique, meaning it's over 50 years old. The seller can't provide any more information on its age, unfortunately. Does anyone think this is a 70s print? That's what it feels like to me, which would make it "vintage" rather than "antique." Though it could be a 50s "futuristic" type print, too. Of course these hypotheses are coming from a decidedly western perspective... What does everyone think?
The border is not a separate piece, but all one cloth, with brocade work. I've never seen a brocade border on a thin cotton sari before (but who am I?). Also, the pattern is unusual for this type of textile. This border is a very interesting design choice by the weaver!
The fabric is a very light, airy, soft cotton of excellent, fine quality. It has a beautiful drape.
The overall background pattern is a white ground with little black amorphous specks and squiggles. This is covered by a dynamic, joyful floral pattern in an orange-leaning brown. This seems unusual to me. The patterns I've encountered in my limited experience have been more regular (not that that's a bad thing). This one just flies out. It does have repeats, but the overall effect is spontaneous. And yet it still manages to look very clean and crisp. The printing is impeccable on this one.
The border is brocade and woven into the same cloth (in other words, it's woven in rather than sewn on) and looks a lot like a Malaysian Pua Kumbu weaving (left). This type of weaving is used in ceremonial contexts for many different types of rituals. It's also for sale on ebay. Some pieces are antique/vintage, and some are modern and made for the tourist trade. I've never seen this type of border on a sari before. 
MIRI
