This page was created by Dasha Bough.
Unsent Letter to Konstantin Abramovich
A Short Description of the Market Scene (A Broad Compilation of Market Items from the 1800s)
- Silk Bukharan Fabrics
- Our own Russian fabrics
- Utensils
- Even the food is beautifully made—it seems everyone here is a craftsman of some sort
- Silkware
- Metalware
- Leatherware
- Fiber products
- Food
- Garments
- Foot crafts (as the call them) —which really means shoes
- Carpets
- Astrakhan fur
- Velvet
- Yarn — Did you know that we adopted our name for cotton fabrics, “zendon” from Bukharan yarn? I was told this very impressive surprising fact yesterday. The Bukharans dye their fabrics and yarns with vegetable dyes. I have deduced that it is this which gives their famous fabrics their durability and rich color.
- They are quite good at making ready-made products here. Unlike the Russian markets I have grown accustomed to, the Bukharan markets and exports are filled with gold-embroidered gowns with sewn on arms and cuffs, jewelry of the most ornate nature, wine, dried and also fresh fruits, and many more such treasures. (pg. 63)
(pg. The 69)
The tanners here specialize in a number of fields—all of which they have mastered.
- boots with rigid soles (etigduz)
- boots with soft soles (makhsidur)
- leather galoshes (kashfduz)
- those special shoes which have the pointed, curled toes which I used to gawk at in illustrations (popushduz)
- horse harnesses
- belts
- and many other leather items—most of them made from the famous “bulgari” leather
First, I will list the commodities delivered to Bukhara through caravan routes through Afghanistan and India and Iran.
- Indian Muslin
- Burmese candles
- Swiss condensed milk
- Maltese lady’s silk shawls
Russia seems to have started exporting fabric, sugar, kerosene, kitchen utensils, metalware. (pg. 68)
I have more exploring to do. Will report when I have reached deeper into the vast market scene.
More to come,
Forever your devoted student and loyal training artist,
Aleksei
