Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese: Textiles (152)

Furoshiki (wrapping cloth) with bold and nice family crest design which are katazome (stencil-resist-dye). It is made of hand-spun cotton and vegetable indigo dyed. In good condition but has two mending patches and a few breaks. 19th century. 130cm x 126cm

Amazing boro which used to be noragi (work wear). It is made of many fragments of vegetable indigo dye and hand^spun cotton cloth. It is from cold areas such as Tohoku or Japan Sea Side where cotton could not be cultivated and cotton cloth for kimono was expensive so that people bought fragments which were brought from warm areas such as Shikoku , Kandsai or Chubu districts. The second half of the 19th century. Measurement: Approx. 160cm x 150cm

Hanten, called "suzukake" worn by a Shugen-sha or Yamabushi who practiced Shugendo. Shugendo is the Japanese unique religion combining Buddhism, Shintoism, and worship of nature (mountains). A practitioner (shugen-sha) trained himself in the holy mountains that is ascetic and very painstaking. This one is made of asa (hemp) and both warp and weft are hand-plied...

Kataginu, a top part of kamishimo which is a formal wear of samurai, worn over summer kimono. It is made of hemp and vegetable indigo dye. The weaving technique is "mojiri-ori" (warp crossing). Family crest design is faded but in good condition. 19th century. 66cm x 66cm

Cloth with katazome (stencil-resist dye) which is hand spun and vegetable indigo and pigment dye. In good condition, however slightly colors faded. 19th century. W:32.5cm, L:180cm

Hemp cloth for child's ceremonial kimono with katazome (stencil-resist-dye) and hand-painting, the technique is called Kata-Yuzen. The weft and warp are hand plied. Both long cloths have cuts in the center for the neck and front cloth is narrower than back cloth. Generally, in good condition except for a bit of color fading. 19th century. Two short pieces, W:35.6cm, L:49cm, A short piece, W:35cm x 134cm, Two long pieces for a body part, W:35cm &27.5cm, L:236cm

A fragment of cotton cloth with tsutsugaki turtle and crane design which is an auspicious motif. The cloth is hand-spun cotton and natural dye. It is probably a fragment of nobori (banner). It has calligraphy in one of the hems, but not readable. In good condition. The first half of the 19th century. 32cm x 74.5cm

Shimacho with more than 545 fragments which are mostly hand-spun cotton and vegetable indigo dye. Some of them are silk or colored yarn are also silk. Shima means stripes in Japanese but also means an island. Cotton textiles were imported from south Asian countries from mid 16th century and the were called "shima momen", cotton textiles from islands. Kasuri or check patterns were also included in shima (stripes). It has kanji characters "安政 4，Ansei 4" 1857, very late Edo period...

Cotton futonji with katazome (stencil-resist dye), which is remade from yogi (one kind of futon in the shape of kimono). It is made of hand spun cotton and dyed with vegetable indigo. The reddish-brown color is bengara (iron oxide red pigment). 19th century. In good condition except for three mending patches. one snag and some small holes. W:153cm, L:165cm

Asa (hemp) furoshiki with four owner's names, hand-written with sumi(ink). Both warps and wefts are hand-plied. It has some holes and stains, however it is washed. Probably from Nagano prefecture or Tohoku district. The second half of the 19th century. W:126cm, L:132cm

Rare item. Rokushaku Kanban which was worn by a palanquin bearer (kago-kaki) who was a servant worked for a feudal lord (tono-sama) and a bearer of a palanquin when the lord went out. There are various theories that the kimono is called "Rokushaku-Kanban": servants worked in the lord's residence or a castle are called "rokushaku" and the kimono has "kanban" which means a symbol or a family crest...

Juban (under kimono) made of three kinds of silk cloth. One is silk crepe with yamamayu (wild silk) stripes and the other is silk crepe with stripes. The third one is tsumugi (pongee silk) with katazome komon (stencil-resist-dye small pattern). All natural dyed. Yamamayu (wild silk) is rare and precious comparing with cultured silk. It is hardly dyed, so that it stands out shiny when woven together with silk crepe. It is sewn with very fine choma (ramie) thread so that it is rather old...

Asa (hemp) cloth with tsutsugaki shrimp which is an auspicious motif. It symbolizes longevity showing that one can live long till having the waist bended. It is made of asa (hemp) and the wefts and warps are hand-plied. It is colored with pigments. 19th century. In good condition but has some wear, stains and indigo color faded parts. 90cm x 65cm

Oshi-e, litterally "pressed picture" which is made of fragments of antique European print and Japanese silk and the motif is a civilian man in Edo period. The history of Oshi-e date back to Heian period, found in Shosoin Treasures (around 10th century) It was very popular toy in Edo period with motif of Kabuki Theatre actors. The ground paper is "Itame-gami" which is ten layers of washi and has thin cotton lining so that it looks like a shallow relief. In good condition...

Hanten remade from Echigo-jofu kimono which is handwoven with choma (ramie) and both weft and warp are hand-plied. Echigo-jofu has been woven in Echigo region in Niigata prefecture since ancient time. Especially, pictorial and cross double kasuri patterns were very popular and much produced in late Edo period (the first half of the 19th century). Those Echigo-jofu with cross double kasuri kimono are seen many in Ukiyo-e. This hanten has double kasuri pattern and stripes. 19th century...

Han-juban, short under kimono, made of hand-spun cotton and dyed with benibana (safflower). The dye technique is Beni-itajime which is board-clamp dye. The cloth is folded in some layers between two boards which are pattern carved and generally about 12 boards are used to dye about 22m length of cloth. Beni-itajime was mostly dyed in Kyoto until the end of Edo period but it was practiced in other places later. The lining is also hand-spun cotton and vegetable indigo dye. In excellent condition...

Silk crepe cloth with beautiful embroidery of wisteria motif which is one of the long sleeves (furisode). The ground cloth is white silk crepe (chirimen) and the embroidery threads are vegetable dye. It has kata-kanoko (stencil-dye pattern) imitating small shibori pattern named kanoko shibori. In excellent condition except for a light brownish line in the center. The first half of the 19th century (late Edo period). 35cm x 190cm

Kappa (cape) which was called "hikimawashi" or "maru-gappa" in old days. It is made of cotton with warp kasuri checker board pattern on one side and cotton stripes on the other side...