I just have a little light to shed on Greg's piece and some of his questions, having encountered some similar, recent pieces on Peter and Bai Whittlesey's website for 'Lao Essential Artistry' (
http://www.gotlaos.com/taidaanblre.html). Their examples and the accompanying text, as well as some of the comments by forum members basically support my gut feeling that these are recent examples and as such are 'reproductions' inspired by the type called "phaa hom dork", as mentioned in Patricia Cheesman's book Lao-Tai Textiles, p.211. Her photos show three examples, two of which are single panel, like the reproductions. However, they show designs laid out in a much more random manner- without symmetry and in highly contrasting colors, unlike the reproductions. I suspect the reproductions were designed specifically for the Western market with tasteful and atypical colors, and dense, symmetrical designs. Also, the silver bits trimming the end are not typical for blankets, but more likely to be used on headcloths or body wraps- I think they are also a recent embellishment.
Determining age is not easy with Lao textiles, and the use of natural dyes versus synthetic ones can give hints, but is not definitive. As Above the Fray so well described, natural dyes are still being used in some areas by some weavers/dyers. The two panel blanket from the early 20thc. shown on p.211 is similar to one I have had, and has a purple color that is highly unlikely to be natural, yet this is probably a 70-80 year old blanket. Purple was one of the very first colors to be synthesized in the last half of the 19th century. It can be seen a lot in Chinese Minority blankets from the late 19th-early 20th century. So, the use of synthetic dyes is not necessarily an indicator of recent age- at least certain colors.
More definitive in determining age is the type of silk and the way it's plied. This is something one learns by looking at and comparing lots of textiles. Basically, the newer silks used in the supplementary wefts are very loosely plied, giving the threads a thicker feel than those on older textiles. The plain woven areas are quite regular and sometimes will show 'pilling', or little bits of silk that build up on the surface. Older silk is not as regular and does not pill. It just feels different...
Re your search for Legends in the Weaving: White Lotus Press has a copy on their website for $55. (
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:8wIg37l4hHwJ:www.whitelotuspress.com/list/textile.html+%22legends+in+the+weaving%22&cd=29&hl=en&ct=clnk)
In conclusion, it must be said that these are very beautifully woven textiles- of high quality in design and material, and very appealing. But take the age attributions with a grain of salt and just enjoy the pieces for their innate aesthetic qualities. It's wonderful to see such fine weaving and dyeing still being done in Laos, and to see it appreciated by buyers.
Hope this helps!