Bidspirit auction | An Important and Magnificent Complete

An Important and Magnificent Complete Bridal Ensemble (”The Great Dress”), Morocco, Fez, Early 20th Century - Comprising a gown fastened with a distinctive sash, a matching short jacket with a neck medallion, and a pair of shoes. Of deep burgundy velvet, richly embroidered with dense floral motifs in gold-wrapped thread, the shoes decorated en suite. The sash is woven with gold-thread stripes combined with embroidery in green and orange tones. The undervest may be older than the rest of the dress  Gown: Width (laid flat): 250 cm; Height: 112 cm Jacket: Width: 86 cm (short sleeves); Height: 53 cm Central medallion: 38 × 41 cm Shoes: Length: 25 cm; Height: 8 cm Sash: Maximum length: approx. 245 cm (folded) Notes: The ”Great Dress” (La Grande Robe), also known as the Grand Attire (and by the equivalent Arabic term), is an exceptional and lavish traditional bridal costume introduced to Morocco by Sephardic Jews expelled from Spain. Beyond its distinctly European stylistic character, it served as a powerful symbol of social status and as a means of distinguishing its wearers from the local Berber tribes. Such ensembles were exceptionally expensive, and only a small number of families could afford one; even then, a family would typically own a single set, carefully preserved and passed down through the generations. Originally worn on the wedding day, the costume was later also worn at the traditional henna ceremony customary throughout North Africa. The ensemble held profound familial significance: it was inherited from generation to generation and was even sent across continents so that brides of the same family could wear it on their wedding day. The velvet was generally imported from Spain, while the embroidery was executed exclusively in Tetouan, then the capital of Spanish Morocco. Over time, the costume was also adopted by Jews of local Moroccan origin and even by non-Jewish communities, the principal distinction lying in the accompanying headdress. In the present example, the accompanying headdress bears unmistakably Jewish iconography, including gold-toned coin ornaments and a large embossed medallion centred with a prominent Star of David. Literature: Juhasz, Esther, ”The Jewish Wardrobe - From the Collection of the Israel Museum”. Israel Museum, Jerusalem, 2012, pp. 264-269. Condition: For a condition report, please contact office@alma.auction. All items are sold as is, and buyers are responsible for checking condition before bidding. The absence of condition notes does not imply good condition.