Shui Baby Carrier with Butterfly, Coin and "Revolving Thunder" Motifs

A russet cloth with a gold-stitched crest on top and a black embroidered tail below.

This baby carrier with butterfly, coin and “revolving thunder” motifs is Shui, from Guizhou Province, China, and dates to the 20th century. It is silk & cotton. Miao is a general term for several ethnic groups of southwest China, including the Hmong, Shui, Yi and Ge Jia, who are famous for their costumes and especially their baby carriers. The upper section is rust-red with small framed panels and a winged central motif. Two long straps with red tips hang to the sides. The lower black panel carries a floral medallion with swirls. It is 25.25 inches wide and 40.2 long.

A rusty crown above a very dark flourish.