The family record
The archive photographs, the royal portrait, the family history and the photographs of The Vase all come from the family collection that travels with the work. The royal portrait is shown as historical context for the family's account of earlier embroidery commissions.
A signed declaration dated 23 February 2026 by Faizan Uddin, grandson of the artist, records authorship, approximate making time, completion in the 1970s, private ownership, materials and an estimated aggregate carat weight. Those particulars are attributed to the declaration. Its statement of £5 to 10 million is a personal opinion, not a formal valuation, asking price or auction estimate.
Published sources
- 1Government of India · Padma Awards notification, 1989
Lists Sheikh Shams Uddin of Agra for zari embroidery.
- 2Condé Nast Traveller · Exploring Agra beyond the Taj, 2022
Reports recognition from Ronald Reagan and the family's continuing embroidery practice.
- 3Victoria and Albert Museum · Indian embroidery
Context for zardozi and its materials.
- 4Incredible India · Zardozi of Agra
The Government of India tourism site on zardozi as a speciality of Agra and its rise under Akbar.
Images and film
Photographs of the work and the archive are reproduced from the family collection, resized for the web and not altered by generative tools. The film is a creative cinematic presentation of the work.
Honours received by the artist are described as recorded and do not imply endorsement of any present day offering. Private addresses and the original signed document are not reproduced.