ca. late nineteenth century
42" x 13 1/4", 106.5 cm x 33.5 cm
This gorgeous length of indigo dyed cotton kasuri or ikat cloth is typical of the type made in what used to be called San'in, which is now present day Tottori Prefecture in western Honshu.
Often in San'in kasuri you will see images such as this one: a striped background against which a weft kasuri pattern is woven. It seems that the floral image woven into the cloth is a typical one for San'in textile ...click for details
ca. mid twentieth century
26" x 14", 66 cm x 35.5 cm
This is a wonderful and tidy little hand sewn vest, still very wearable.
This kind of country garment is referred to as a sodenashi, the Japanese word meaning without sleeves, or sleeveless.
It is constructed of recycled cotton cloth and it is lined. Its lining is a fabulous, indigo dyed checked cotton and the exterior of the garment is of subtle and dark striped cotton.
But it is the details of the garment that hold mo ...click for details
ca. late nineteenth century
34" x 18", 86.5 cm x 46 cm
What is first so striking about this boro textile is its golden green color--and its beautifully hand resisted and hand painted details.
Repurposed from what may have been bedding or sleeping kimono, this overdyed indigo cloth shows fractured oversized graphics of the tachibana or a "wild orange" on one side, while on the other side are, again, parts of tachibana and a section of a large kamon or family crest.
...click for details
ca. early to mid twentieth century
69" x 12 1/2", 175 cm x 31.5 cm
This length of indigo dyed cotton is a traditional head covering from Japan's north east or Tohoku region which is called a zukin or a naga tenugui.
This piece comes from Akita prefecture, and its shibori decoration is very much in the spirit of the spare, dark shibori for which Akita is known. The zig-zag of blue-on-blue shibori is graphic, simple and beautifully realized.
The center panel of the head co ...click for details
ca. late nineteenth, early twentieth century
28" x 15", 71 cm x 38 cm
This intricately knotted, indigo dyed cotton apron is fancy with its fine pattern and its flouncy fringed hem.
Although the actual construction of the apron is of open work knotting, the piece itself is backed with white cotton cloth, probably to lend stability to the garment.
Even though aprons were a staple of all households and businesses all over Japan, this particular piece seems to be more festive th ...click for details
ca. late nineteenth, early twentieth century
51" x 48", 129.5 cm x 122 cm
Shown is an indigo dyed cotton kimono that has been hand dyed and hand loomed: the base fabric is a sophisticated repeat of very small blue-and-white checks.
The interior of the kimono is shown in the accompanying photographs in order to display the marvelous patching and mending stitches that are used to reinforce the garment--and also to show the areas of light fading which are easy to see. Clearly the ...click for details
ca. mid to late nineteenth century
56" x 14", 142 cm x 35.5 cm
This is a stunning length of boro cloth: the reason it is so good is that it shows very good age, a wonderful construction from hand spun cotton yarns, and it is equally interesting on its front as it is on its back.
The length is a panel from a futon cover.
The essence and flavor of this cloth vividly recalls 19th century Japan, the period that this cloth was woven and the pieces stitched.
The base cloth is ...click for details
ca. early to mid twentieth century
36 1/2" x 50", 92.5 cm x 127 cm
This is a nicely voluminous coat of indigo dyed cotton; for a small woman it might fit as an overcoat; for a man it would fit well.
The cotton is evenly woven and of a good, heavy weight. The entire coat is of a very nice, dark blue color and there is some mending and patches.
On either side of the neck area, to the right and left of the collar just on the shoulder, are two blocks of sashiko stitching, for re ...click for details
ca. late nineteenth, early twentieth century
36" x 48", 91.5 cm x 122 cm
(Please note: this jacket is a very pure, blue indigo and white: the color on the accompanying photos makes the white checks appear gold, which they are not).
This is a fabulously rustic boro noragi, or work coat, whose base fabric is a hand loomed, indigo dyed cotton.
Shown here is the inside of the coat where the marvelous patches and mending can be seen; by looking at the accompanying detail photos, p ...click for details
ca. late nineteenth century
65" x 13 1/2", 165 cm x 34 cm
This is a marvelously intricate length of very fine katazome cotton--katazome cloth is dyed using stencils to create a resist.
This length literally sparkles from the intricacy of the pattern, which itself is complex.
The lattice work, and all the edging in the design, is a stylized form of wisteria.
Inside the square shapes is a stylized chrysanthemum; likewise, in each of the diagonal-shaped quadrants of each of t ...click for details
